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Robert J. Elisberg

Robert J. Elisberg

Posted: February 26, 2011 11:19 AM

Among the volumes written about Charlie Sheen's meltdown, prominent are those comments which note that when someone has such a blow-up, you discover the real person underneath. In this case, that turns out to be unequivocally true -- but for a reason entirely different than has been mentioned.

I will explain.

There's so much ghastly in Charlie Sheen's troubled rant that it transcends even the possible anti-Semitism of repeatedly smearing writer/producer Chuck Lorre by his Jewish name. Indeed, that is only but one part of the scorched earth Charlie Sheen left behind him. Calling himself a "Vatican assassin warlord," for instance. But one point nonetheless must be singled out in his references toward his producer -- specifically because Charlie Sheen himself singles it out.

To defend himself against charges of anti-Semitism, Charlie Sheen told TMZ that "I was referring to Chuck by his real name, because I wanted to address the man and not the [expletive] persona."

And so, in fairness, we take Charlie Sheen at his word. Charlie Sheen wants to refer to others by their real name and address the man, not the [expletive] persona. It's reasonable then to presume that Charlie Sheen expects to live by the same standards he holds for others.

I note therefore that "Charlie Sheen" is not his own real name, but rather his [expletive] persona. His real name is Carlos Irwin Estevez.

No doubt "Charlie Sheen" wants to be addressed as a man himself and therefore be referred to by his real name. Otherwise, that would mean he wasn't telling anything close to the truth about ignoring one's [expletive] persona, and he was indeed revealing much about himself underneath, who he really is as a human being.

Presuming, of course, that underneath the [expletive] persona there actually is a human being.

 
 
 
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12:08 AM on 02/27/2011
Has anyone ever wondered why someone can be labeled anti-Semitic yet not anti-Dutch, atti-Polish, anti- Irish, anti-Italian, or for that case anti-American? etc, etc. etc.

Personally I think Charlie Sheen wanted out and like Olbermann, he didn’t give a rats behind. Friday night I listened to Lawrence O’Donnell MSNBC, Mark Levin, and Michael Savage and they all dumped on Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen is a multi millionaire. I don’t think he cares about his ex-boss or CBS, and more specifically that CBS told Charlie Sheen to sit down and shut up, and take it from his boss Chucky! Let’s hear it from the Zionist MSM. I think Charlie should take notes and hire attorneys to sue every single media entity for liable and slander.
05:00 PM on 02/26/2011
I personally find this whole radio debacle to be far more entertaining than anything Sheen has done in years; who needs the staid network-sitcom-plot-with-laugh-track format when you've got the Vatican Assassin Napalm-Dropping F-18 Winner covering every topic that pops into his mind, sometimes several at the same time - This guy doesn't need a new agreement with CBS, he needs a podcast..
04:47 PM on 02/26/2011
Mr Elisberg,
Here's the ENTIRE quote from Mr. Sheen.

Now Charlie tells TMZ ... "I was referring to Chuck by his real name, because I wanted to address the man, not the bulls**t TV persona."

FYI -- Chuck's birth name is Charles Levine ... and his Hebrew name is Chaim.

Charlie added, "So you're telling me, anytime someone calls me Carlos Estevez, I can claim they are anti-Latino?"
jusathot
a mother from another mother
05:49 PM on 02/26/2011
But the man's name is not Chaim.
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thepostalfeminist
03:47 PM on 02/26/2011
I wonder what Carlos Irwin Estevez really thinks about 'Charlie Sheen'?
01:26 PM on 02/26/2011
Yes, that's been noted elsewhere, too. But you sure took the long way to point it out.
12:25 PM on 02/26/2011
It APPEARS that underneath the [expletive] persona there actually is a man suffering from drug addiction.
12:27 PM on 02/26/2011
So why sink to his level ?
12:05 PM on 02/26/2011
This was news worth posting? Really? You really got old Carlos with that one.
11:57 AM on 02/26/2011
CBS should write an episode where the playboy's antics find in on a cold, hard slab. At the funeral, the long-lost twin brother (Matt LaBlanc, John Stamos) appears and the great show can continue. The twin could be his own character and so you wouldn't be trying to replace an actor in the same role.
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tamadou
Increasingly living in Bizarro World.
02:08 PM on 02/26/2011
interesting idea - it would be a good thing to let the rest of the cast continue with their job and give the writers something to work with - would definitely be a different show - but sometimes real life tectonic shifts happen, and dealing with on TV could prove illuminating. wish Robert Downing Jr. was available.
02:16 PM on 02/26/2011
Absolutely hate the show, but I love that idea!
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11:30 AM on 02/26/2011
I guess calling him by his real name makes you anti-spanite, Robert J. Elisberg. When I changed my gender, I changed my name to a female variant of my original name. Would calling me by original name be anti-masculinite?
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Robert J. Elisberg
Political writer and screenwriter
07:58 PM on 02/27/2011
"I guess calling him by his real name makes you..."

You would guess wrong.

If anyone is unable (or unwilling) to differentiate between the hate-ridden, wide-ranging meltdown that included repeatedly addressing someone angrily by another name (a name he refers to as the "real name," which in fact isn't) -- and the low-key, fact-based post above where I note someone's name in order to suggest he play by the same rules he charges, that is their choice. But making a choice doesn't make it correct.
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10:15 PM on 02/27/2011
If someone repeatedly addressed me angrily as "Ralph" (not my "real" name), would it be a slur against men? Of course not. It would be an insult regarding my gender dysphoria.

Perhaps Charlie Sheen intended to insult Chuck Lorre's racial/religious dysphoria, (assuming he suffers from that). I doubt it.

My guess is that Charlie Sheen was poking Chuck Lorre's all too common weakness.

To denounce it as anti-semitism and as his "Mel Gibson moment" is ludicrous.