UPDATE: Warner Bros and Chuck Lorre don’t want to comment. But TMZ has today’s legal documents first. Charlie Sheen is not only demanding he get paid for the 8 scrapped Two And A Half Men episodes, he’s also suing on behalf of the cast and crew for $100,000,000 plus punitive damages. Hollywood wasn’t sure if the actor’s firing would amp up from Sheen’s incoherent ramblings and Chuck Lorre’s vanity cards to an actual court battle, especially because Sheen’s litigator Marty Singer is more known for writing letters than filing lawsuits. But this morning that all changed. Singer is claiming that Warner Bros and Lorre were wrong to pink slip Charlie when he was sick, and that’s a violation of state and federal law. But the attorney really turns the screws on the Two And A Half Men executive producer and studio with some juicy trash talk alleging a conspiracy. “Chuck Lorre, one of the richest men in television who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, believes himself to be so wealthy and powerful that he can unilaterally decide to take money away from the dedicated cast and crew of the popular television series, in order to serve his own ego and self-interest, and make the star of the Series the scapegoat for Lorre’s own conduct.” Singer claims Warner Bros was “capitulating to Lorre’s egotistical desire to punish Mr. Sheen…” and makes the point that the studio renegotiated Sheen’s contract (and gave him a raise) even when the actor was facing felony charges in Aspen so his recent behavior is hardly grounds for firing. But you’ve got to admire Team Charlie’s chutzpah suing on behalf of the cast and crew based on what’s called in legal parlance a “private attorney general’s statute”. (When we all know they’re just pathetic pawns in this Big Boy Squabble…) Let’s see if they file their own lawsuit. Meanwhile, even though Sheen’s recent rants also have been directed at CBS boss Les Moonves, he’s not included as a plaintiff. According to the legal documents, there’s a case management conference scheduled for June 28th.
THE $100 MILLION DOLLAR MAN! It's War! Charlie Sheen Sues Warner Bros & Chuck Lorre Alleging Conspiracy Of Egos To Punish Actor
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So, let’s say he wins this lawsuit. Will Charlie actually give the crew members a dime? Too bad he didn’t think about them prior to his melt down.
Yea – he did think about them from the beginning. He demanded the crew get paid, and he personally offered to pay them out of his pocket. (as reported in this very blog) That placed undue pressure on WB and they in turn offered to pay SOME of the money owed to them.
Winning.
Um, no.
Um, yes.
Offered to pay… one-third.
The “Warlock of #Winning” offered to pay 1/3 contingent upon CBS paying a third and Warner Bros paying a third.
I think Charlie wanted to go back to work and he was stopped from doing this.
So it isn’t Charlie that shut down production. It might have been put off for awhile but he wanted to return.
Don’t these companies take out insurance for these types of things?
hmmm he already said he will and wants them to be paid so i could but if there is no U HAVE TO PAY them he might not. He thinks he is a big shot and all that, thi could be a stunt to get people on his side.
The studio does not have to pay them anything if they canceled if there is no contract that everyone will be paid if it dies happen
Leave Hollywood, you moron. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200, much less $100,000,000. Idiot. He’s an embarrassment to the industry. And considering this industry embarrasses itself on a regular basis… that’s saying something.
Why not just make it a class action suit on behalf of all the viewers too. What an idiot. Charlie, you’re a joke. I guess you have get all you can out of your last gig ever.
No, there’s always “Dancing with the Stars” and “Celebrity Rehab”, comedy commentary on “The Best Of…” shows, and Home Shopping shows (you know, Tiger’s Blood is very much in demand these days). Hell, if Bonaduce, Tanya Harding and the Baldwin Brothers can do it, so can Sheen.
Not that he’ll live long enough to shoot any of those shows.
Marty Singer should be embarrassed for himself. I doubt the guy still has a soul after writing that preamble. It’s lawsuits like this that give lawyers a bad rap.
Does the cast and crew know about this, or is this just happening in Sheenworld, and not on planet Earth?
WINNING!
chutzpah (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa)
noun informal
shameless audacity; impudence.
ORIGIN late 19th cent.: Yiddish, from Aramaic ?u ?p?.
Synonyms: audaciousness, audacity, brashness, brass, brassiness, brazenness, cheek, cheekiness, effrontery (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa), crust, face, gall, nerve, nerviness, pertness, presumption, presumptuousness, sauce, sauciness, temerity, Charlie Sheen
This just in… Charlie Sheen representing John Cryer against WBTV. Watching the news is now like watching Werkend Update. Thanks for the entertainment Charlie. Chuck Lorre couldn’t write something as funny and unrealistic as this lawsuit.
“on behalf of the cast and crew”? how transparent (and desperate) is that?!?
Charlie suddenly looked down and realized he’s been pissing on the cast and crew for months now, so including them in the lawsuit is his way of saying “I’m profoundly sorry.”
While he continues pissing on them.
Go Charlie! They can’t tell you how to live!
This town loves a winner…
Since he’s filing “on behalf of the cast and crew”- would Charlie be legally obligated to share any winnings with them?
Because (not to sound TOO cynical) I don’t see him doing that voluntarily…
So Charlie is admitting he’s sick?
See, if a DHD comment poster can pierce in a fast morning the bulk of Singer’s claim and its conflict with the client’s claims available on several hours of audio and video tape, imagine how this silliness would stand up in arbitration or in court.
“The client told me to do it” does not excuse a lawyer’s ethical obligations, Mr. Singer.
This is the best point in this thread.
Agreed.
“on behalf of the cast and crew” as if anything Sheen has done over the past few weeks has been on the behalf of anyone but his selfish, egotistical self
If you ever for Chuck Lorre, you already know that he is a bigger asshole than his ego. And, that my friends is the plain truth. Why do you think Jon wouldn’t dare to say anything public? I do not condone Charlie’s actions, but Lorre knew very well how to stir the hornet’s nest. He waited for the perfect time to drop his cute remarks about being pissed if Charlie outlived him. He indirectly wished something horribly on his star. Again, WTF do I know. I am just a scared shitless person that works for the egomaniac of Chuck Lorre.
A poster below called Chuck “cruel.” I hear bad stuff about him all the time, but nobody ever gives specific examples of what he’s done. Could you or someone help us all understand why Chuck Lorre is apparently so much worse an egomanical asshole than all the other egomanical assholes in this town?
Because, frankly, having seen what the press put Chuck through in terms of demanding he answer questions about Charlie, the vanity card just sounds like he finally let off some steam. So what does he do on a day to day basis that has so many people on here so traumatized?
U want to see the bad part of Chuck everyone talks about? if you ever meet him, just ask him who Eric Lapidus is. and then stand back.
Yes, I’ve heard that story too. But does anyone have proof? The reason I keep asking is that I have met Chuck, and the Chuck I’ve met bears no resemblance to the monster you all keep describing. Maybe I just caught him on some really, really good days?
I may just take you up on your dare if I see him again, but in the meantime, what actual proof is there of the oft-repeated accusation that he (and Aronsohn?) stole the credit for 2.5 Men from Lapidus?
Wow, this is hysterical. Two well-known sexist pigs going at it. Charlie’s attacks on women are public news, but around the lots, it’s very well known how much Chuck hates and degrades women. I’m pulling for Charlie though, at least as much as it will pay the union crew.
I thought Charlie’s contract stated that any dispute had to be settled by arbitration.
That was when he had a contract. Since WB fired him, his contract is voided and he can sue in any type of venue he chooses.
Wrong, even if a contract of employment is terminated any dispute pertaining to said contract is still subject to the dispute provisions within the terminated contract. Within any studio contract there is always a provision stating that certain provisions survive termination (i.e., insurance, indemnity, reps and waranties, and disipute provisions).
My guess is that WB files a motion to have this removed to the appropriate forum for dispute resolution under Charlie’s contract, i.e., aribitration.
Yes, the dispute with WB is subject to an agreement that calls for arbitration. However, the dispute with Chuck Lorre is not subject to a specific agreement, so … that will complicate the venue matter.
I hope Charlie wins. Why? Because this is Hollywood and that’s how we roll ;) Any of you Drudge Report neocons have a problem with this?
Are you 16 years old? 17 max? I hope so, or time to see the shrink again about those arrested development tendencies.
just when i thought i was over it
AS THE SAYING GOES, THERE NO FOOL LIKE AN OLD FOOL. SHEEN WILL LOSE.
According to who? Why will he lose? Because CNN and TMZ talk about him in a negative light? Have you ever read a talent agreement? He has to be in breach. He really truly has to break the conditions set forth in the contract. And most talent contracts read:
“…perform acting duties in a manner as are customarily rendered by an actor on a broadcast network show…artist shall render services hereunder during principal photography and as are reasonably required by Producer…” etc.
That’s the language, or some version thereof, that’s used. If there’s no morality clause. And he showed up and said his lines. And the only reason he was ‘late’ was because he’s ‘sick’ and if he did not have a history of missing shoot days. Then how the hell does he lose?
Forget the fact that he’s a bad guy (I don’t know him so can’t say one way or the other). Unlike a case like Chris Albrecht’s, who was at the whim of Time Warner and their corporate policies. Charlie Sheen (most likely) operates under his own company. No morality clause, no cause for firing (or shutting down production).
WB has an uphill battle, via lots of ambiguities, to prove he did not perform services as outlined in his deal.
I have no insight into his specific deal, but everything I’ve read suggests there are no anomalies. And despite our outrage at his hedonistic (and abusive) behavior, WB still has to prove he broke his deal.
This is going to make a great movie, no matter the outcome. All the right players and real events so unbelievable that even Sorkin would be hard pressed to conjure them up.
I like “Boy, Interupted”. And down the street @ Universal
A Bill Cater book (or at least expose) and HBO adaptation to follow? I think so.
From a purely legal stand point, he’s probably got the stronger case. I think wb has done the calculus and figured out that worst casescenaeio they can pay him $50-100 million and still make it up in coming years of the show.
I’d love for someone to try and explain all of this to a family of six living in a shanty over in Haiti. “No, really, it’s a very serious matter. The network had about all they could take and the actor felt he was the scapegoat for the showrunner’s multi-million dollar ego.” Did anyone catch that 60 Minutes piece last weekend on the rise of kids living in poverty here in the U.S.? Nearly 25% of all kids in the United States are descending into poverty, or, already there. Let’s put a panel of them and their parents together, and let’s have them decide the outcome of the Sheen/CBS/WBTV/Lorre debacle.
Or, in a perfect world, let’s see all sides settle this like adults, and then allocate those legal fees toward some good in this world. I know, I’m delusional. Bring on the insults, commenters.
Nah, you’re keeping it real.
You’re right.
thanks sean for setting us straight.
Good luck, Chuck … you’ll need it!
CS won’t get $100M but the check he does get will be a big one. Not a fan of CS, just saying.
I don’t think he will get a dime and if he did he wouldn’t share it with the crew. Charlie is selfish, spoiled and he has not only embarrassed himself but his family as well. What about his children? They have to live this everyday. I cannot believe someone on here has said that they don’t believe the things that has been said about Charlie. Give you examples…Charlie has threatened both of his wives, attacked them, drunk driving, driving under the influence, sex tapes, drunken binges you name it. Just turn on the TV. It’s not all good. I’m embarrassed for him. I don’t think he deserves anything. As Sean said…I’d love for someone to try and explain all of this to a family of six living in a shanty over in Haiti.