{"id":1081,"date":"2011-02-27T10:19:52","date_gmt":"2011-02-27T17:19:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/?p=1081"},"modified":"2011-02-27T10:24:53","modified_gmt":"2011-02-27T17:24:53","slug":"daily-dose-charlie-sheen-and-howard-beale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/?p=1081","title":{"rendered":"Daily Dose: Charlie Sheen and Howard Beale?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>On the eve of Hollywood\u2019s most significant yearly event, I shared with my wife Maggie one of the smallest performances to ever be awarded the Oscar. It is Ned Beatty\u2019s turn as station chairman Arthur Jensen that netted Beatty Best Supporting Actor honors. Beatty\u2019s key scene widely available on Internet video platforms like YouTube might have particular relevance today given the current economic climate.<\/p>\n

But in re-watching Beatty\u2019s Oscar winning scene and some of Peter Finch\u2019s rants as network anchor turned TV evangelist Howard Beale, I was immediately struck with how the show might be a metaphor for the Charlie Sheen debacle. Watch the Beatty scene embedded from YouTube below and then travel from there to some of Beale\u2019s rampaging speeches. Then think of Sheen\u2019s self-destructive behavior. While the producers of \u201cTwo and a Half Men\u201d might be unhappy with their popular star\u2019s off-set activities and comments, they will eventually reap the benefit when Sheen marks his controversial and triumphant return to the small screen. And make no mistake, Sheen will be back and probably without apology. And the show will see high ratings.<\/p>\n

The main through-point that we should key up on is that while Sheen may share crazy with Howard Beale, he can\u2019t claim any sort of moral high-ground. In fact, it may be Sheen\u2019s intent and even twisted genius to wallow in the low-ground of moral ambiguity. Depending on your personal paradigm, you may be repulsed or fascinated or both by Sheen\u2019s behavior marked by alleged forays into excessive drug use and infamous sexual excursions. Like a train wreck that cannot be dismissed from view, Sheen\u2019s off-screen persona may have the effect of fueling the television\u2019s shows continued success. But just where will the network, CBS, draw the line? If Beatty\u2019s incarnation as the opportunistic station chairman has any basis in fact, the line has yet to be reached and this temporary hiatus for \u201cMen\u201d is just that \u201ctemporary\u201d while the show is retooled to make maximum use of Sheen\u2019s sensational popularity.<\/p>\n