The letter that spelled out Charlie Sheen’s termination from “Two and a Half Men” attributed much of the issue to his off-screen problems, but a lawyer for the actor believes the situation is much simpler–it comes down to showrunner Chuck Lorre “conspiring with Warner Bros.” to drop the actor from the show.
“You know how many times Charlie has had drug and rehab problems in the past? This is about the hostility between Chuck and Charlie that has gone on for years,” Sheen’s attorney Marty Singer says in an exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter.
According to Singer, beyond any personal conflict the executive producer might have with Sheen, Lorre also has a financial interest in “Men” taking a backseat to his other CBS series “The Big Bang Theory” and “Mike & Molly.”
He explains, “We believe Chuck Lorre has a better deal and stands to make more on his other shows than on Two and a Half Men, so he has an interest in making those shows flourish at the expense of my client’s show,”
Lorre’s attorney Howard Weitzman, however, tells THR, “That’s not a winning argument…The conspiracy theory is a pure fantasy.
“Chuck is very concerned for Charlie’s health. We all believe Warner Bros. did the right thing given the situation Mr. Sheen created.”
WB litigator John Spiegel reiterates the “health” aspect of Sheen’s termination, explaining, “This is not about Chuck Lorre. It’s about a serious health issue that has rendered Charlie Sheen unable to perform the essential duties of his position.”
