Charlie Sheen Act Potentially Deadly Off Screen

Diane Farr

Note: Diane Farr has taken a break from humor for this column, wanting to weigh in on Charlie Sheen from her vantage point as a TV actress and Hollywood insider.

I refuse to follow Charlie Sheen on Twitter.

It's not because I don't enjoy his mania just as much as the other 3 million followers he garnered this month. In fact, I think I enjoy his hubris-filled "Hamlet" rendition more than most because I also work in television. Here and there throughout my career, I've felt beaten up by a producer -- and, on occasion, by a studio, too. And although I've fantasized about denouncing them and calling everyone I've ever worked with a troll, in real life I've acted more like a battered wife than a batterer.

I'm not at all sure his show's creator actually abused Charlie, though. The rumor around Hollywoodland is that every other cast member on "Two and a Half Men" was treated like a member of group home who had to be cared for just well enough that the outside world couldn't see their pain -- while Charlie was treated like a deity.

But none of this is why I'm abstaining from Charlie's tweets. It's because one of my earliest television jobs was co-hosting "Loveline" on MTV. Giving advice to oversexed and underboundaried teenagers for 200 episodes has left me thinking that I understand both addiction and narcissism. I sat right next to a doctor while I was giving all my advice (which I had absolutely no credentials to give) and some of his wisdom stuck with me.

This leads me to conclude that Mr. Sheen has experienced a psychotic break. So, I'm refraining from all things Charlieville because I'm trying very hard not to stare or follow or further the drama of someone who, I believe, needs medical attention.

I also believe he is not the only one at risk. Although I was relieved to see that one of the mothers of his children stepped in to (at least momentarily) remove his kids from the circus we're all enjoying, two other children have been left to fend for themselves at Carlos Estevez's house. Can no one save the "goddesses"?

Charlie openly talks about his two live-in girlfriends, which by number alone -- momentarily ignoring the age and economic differences between them and Charlie -- shows that an intimate, healthy relationship is not his current goal. These two very young and very blond women are living in a house with a man who has a mile-long history of domestic violence.

It was over 20 years ago that Sheen "accidentally" shot actress Kelly Preston -- then his fiancee -- in their home. This might have seemed more accidental had he not reached an out-of-court settlement with a UCLA student whom he allegedly struck in the head after she refused to have sex with him. He'd been married to model Donna Peele at the time.

Not long after that, Charlie was arrested for beating up his next girlfriend, Brittany Ashland, giving her seven stitches in her lip, and allegedly making recurring threats to kill her.

This was followed up in court when his next wife, Denise Richards, filed for divorce and stated that he threw objects (like chairs) at her and allegedly threatened to kill her, as well.

All this was trumped when Charlie allegedly gave then-wife Brooke Mueller a Christmas-morning knife to the throat and yet another alleged threat to kill her.

Most recently there was also the Plaza Hotel incident in which Capri Anderson claims had to lock herself in the bathroom after Sheen allegedly put his hands around her neck and threatened to kill her, too.

It seems the only thing Charlie is definitely not winning at are his alleged threats to kill women. Or at least those who went to court over it. Who knows if other women may have been discouraged from calling police because Charlie has not served one minute of jail time in connection with any of these altercations.

When Charlie Sheen's abuse of women can be forgiven by most of society -- yes, that means all of you millions of fans who keep "Two and a Half Men" ratings high no matter what Charlie does in his personal life -- how long can we estimate the goddesses will be safe in his home?

These two women are also someone's children, and are not rich or famous, which makes them even easier targets to hurt, terrorize or heaven forbid, actually kill this time.

Diane Farr is known for her roles in "Californication," "Numb3rs" and "Rescue Me," and as the author of "The Girl Code."

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