NEWSCharlie Sheen's 2011 'Vodka Meltdown' Was 'Ratings Gold,' Says 'Two and a Half Men' Creator: 'Everyone Eagerly Cashed In'
Charlie Sheen's 2011 'meltdown' was 'ratings gold,' according to 'Two and a Half Men' creator Chuck Lorre.
Sept. 18 2026, Published 7:25 p.m. ET
Despite the highly publicized falling-out between Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre and Charlie Sheen, Lorre admitted there was one positive thing about all the negative attention.
"Charlie’s testosterone-cream, crack, and vodka meltdown was ratings gold," Lorre told Playboy in a new interview published on Friday, September 18. "And everyone eagerly cashed in on it."
Charlie Sheen Was Fired From 'Two and a Half Men' in 2011
Charlie Sheen starred on 'Two and a Half Men' from 2003 to 2011.
Sheen starred in the sitcom for eight seasons, from 2003 to 2011. At the time, he was one of television's highest-paid actors, earning nearly $2 million per episode.
In 2011, the Major League actor, who was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, hurled a series of insults at Lorre in a bizarre rant, calling him "a clown" and "a stupid, stupid man," among other things.
Chuck Lorre and Charlie Sheen Reconciled Years Later
Charlie Sheen was replaced with Austin Kutcher, who starred on the series until its end in 2015.
Sheen was fired in March 2011 and replaced with Ashton Kutcher, who starred in the series until it concluded in 2015.
Lorre and Sheen eventually reconciled years later when the TV writer thought of the Wall Street actor when casting "a real-life Hollywood star" in the 2023 HBO show How to Be a Bookie.
"It should be Charlie," Lorre told Variety. "I remember Charlie was very much engaged in sports betting and he would tell me stories about it all the time. You know, when things were good."
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The Friendship 'Suddenly Seemed to Be There Again'
Charlie Sheen admitted he's grown a lot since his 2011 'meltdown.'
Though Lorre was initially unsure about their reunion, the former friends were able to pick up where they left off.
"I was nervous, but almost as soon as we started talking, I remembered, we were friends once," he told the outlet. "And that friendship just suddenly seemed to be there again."
Charlie Sheen Had Regrets Over Chuck Lorre Feud
Charlie Sheen took ownership for his actions in February 2021.
Lorre added, "I don’t want to be too mawkish about it, but it was healing. And he was also totally game to make fun of himself. When he came to the table read of that episode, I walked up, and we hugged. It was just great."
Sheen, who has been sober since late 2017, admitted he has regrets about his feud with Lorre, calling his actions "desperately juvenile."
"There was 55 different ways for me to handle that situation, and I chose number 56," he told Yahoo! Entertainment in February 2021. "And so, you know, I think the growth for me post-meltdown or melt forward or melt somewhere — however you want to label it — it has to start with absolute ownership of my role in all of it."
