"If 'Anger Management' wins an audience...it'll most likely be due not to the quality of the show but to the immense appeal and charm of Charlie Sheen on the small screen," writes Erik Hedegaard in Rolling Stone. (The show bows on June 28 on Fox.)
This is the article, titled "Still Crazy After All These Years" that reports on a week "on the edge with Hollywood's last wild man." It is just full of fascinating details and concludes that Charlie, after his recent public acting out, "has never gotten a conventional grip on his personal life."
Did you know that Charlie Sheen has a contract with FX that says anytime the actor steps out in public, his gold upper left tooth must be camouflaged with paint to cover the gold?
On his refrigerator door are photos of his children, along with bagged mementos -- a cigar half smoked by football star Ray Lewis, an empty cigarette pack from Sean Penn, a Sharpie that Russell Brand used to sign autographs. On his walls, baseball collectibles and a movie poster of his father, Martin Sheen, and Marlon Brando in the movie "Apocalypse Now." Charlie's house is done in modern style with everything clean, quiet and tasteful.
The actor himself says of his recent crazy behavior: "I was in total denial. We're winning. Kooky shit!" And he adds, "But for like, a two-week period in there, I was the most famous person on the planet! ... Oh, man, what is my life? I don't even know, dude. Here's the good news. It was exciting as hell, being on the apex of that wave as it was cresting."
But one has to read the whole thing to imagine Charlie these days out on the town, drinking tequila, smoking like a chimney, picking up young girls, and declaring that the figure he most resembles is the shark in "Jaws." ("I am Jaws, by the way. I don't know Jaws. I AM Jaws. I am the alter ego of the shark in the movie.")
On a further interesting note for students of celebrity in the Age of Kardashian -- Charlie and his ex-wife Denise Richards, live 20 minutes apart and became friends again for the good of their two little girls. They now go on vacations together, but according to Charlie, "... we sleep
in separate rooms. Everybody's going to want to know that, too."
For her part, Denise says, "He's another of my children...We take those trips together, and the girls adore him...He has no filter on what he says. He wasn't like that when we got married."
"Bor-ing," Charlie intones.
"I know this sounds terrible," Richards starts off: "But I was actually hoping he was on drugs, because at least there'd be an explanation. I thought he lost his marbles. I thought he went to a point of no return. It was sad. It just broke my heart."
Charlie watches her: "She's great, isn't she?"
They are certainly a couple to remember. And I can't wait to see Charlie, one of the world's best comic actors, in "Anger Management."
- WHEN I read of designer Nolan Miller's death in the New York Times, I was startled to see that his passing was "confirmed" by the actress Joan Collins. But then Ithought about it and it made sense. They were very good friends, first of all. But perhaps more significantly, it was Nolan who helped Joan reach a career pinnacle she'd resigned herself she'd never have. (Hollywood had wasted British import Joan during the 1950s. And the '60s and 70's hadn't been a bonanza for her. )
Collins, then 49, was an immediate sensational when she appeared in the second season of the TV series "Dynasty," but her character was not expected to last. She was just too much a villain--I mean, she'd caused the saintly Crystal (Linda Evans) to have a miscarriage. How could she go on? (Remember, this was only 1982, Joan/Alexis had essentially committed murder in the minds of many.) And during that first season Joan wasn't really dressed to kill. She looked a little trampy.
But when producer Aaron Spelling decided Joan was too valuable to discard, he gave Nolan Miller carte blanche to outfit her like a Christmas tree. The series' other women also benefited from Nolan's eye for glamour and love of ruffles, beading and mammoth shoulder pads. But it was Joan and only Joan, who could carry off those "Dynasty" creations with such aplomb. Blessed with great bone structure, an unmistakable sexy swagger, and loads of confidence, the more Nolan and the "Dynasty" hairstylists and makeup people threw at Collins, the better she looked.
She became an over-the-top-fashion icon and Nolan's muse. Joan could wear a hat the size of a flying saucer, the way other women wore a pert beret. Miller would also design many significant gowns for Elizabeth Taylor, another lady for whom too much was never enough. But it is Joan Collins with whom Nolan's flamboyant, powerful style will always be associated. He was nominated six times for an Emmy, but never took the prize.
Miller had dressed Joan Crawford for many years, and said he based his look for Alexis on Crawford's screen persona: "When she walks down a hall, you may not know who she is, but you know she's rich, and you know you better get out of her way!" Today, simpler lines prevail on the red carpet, but there was something about those Nolan Miller get-ups from the 1980's. No woman in a Miller gown could possibly make a subtle statement, a quiet entrance. No woman who wore his clothes wanted to, either!