Charlie Sheen was fired from his show Two and a Half Men for his behavior off-screen. But was his behavior on screen any better? Charlie, the character, made many questionable decisions.
Although the show ended in 2015, Charlie's character only lasted until 2011. Although it's only been 9 years since his appearance on the show, a lot has changed in that time. While it's shocking that a character like him was ever allowed to be shown on television, there are many things about his character that that would never fly today. Here are 10 of those things!
Teaching Jake To Be A Womanizer
If this show were real, CPS would probably take more than a few trips to this household. That is largely due to the interactions Charlie has with Jake. In addition to keeping him in a household where there are drugs, Charlie directly gives Jacob some terrible advice.
It seems one of Charlie's biggest pleasures in life is teaching Jake to be a womanizer. Much to Alan's dismay, he teaches the young boy how to cheat and encourages it. This certainly would spark outrage from mom groups if the show existed today.
Giving STIs To Women
Charlie isn't always careful when he is sleeping around. After his funeral, it is revealed that he has passed several sexually transmitted infections to women he has slept with.
It's not hard to believe that Charlie knew about these infections and chose to sleep around anyway. This is actually punishable by law and wouldn't be well received.
Alcoholism
Charlie is rarely seen without a vice in his hand. His regular consumption of alcohol, both in and outside of the house, is excessive. With the amount he drinks and his behaviors, it's fair to consider this character as an alcoholic.
However, unlike many alcoholics on television - such as How To Get Away With Murder's Annalise, Charlie doesn't seem to struggle with this or recognize he has a problem. His alcoholism is treated as part of his "coolness." This depiction of drug use would just not be acceptable in today's climate.
Positive Depiction Of Gambling
Yet another destructive behavior that is passed off as a quirky aspect of Charlie's personality is gambling. Charlie has money to spend, so there are no real consequences, win or lose.
He's regularly hosting these games around Jake. In a society where casino commercials are followed by a warning about the addictive nature of gambling, it's hard to believe that his deception of gambling would be accepted.
Bribing Alan With A Prostitute
Prostitution is a hot-button topic. It's a divisive issue with a new trend of many people supporting sex-workers. However, it is still frowned upon by many.
Even people who support sex-workers probably wouldn't take kindly to a man offering to buy another man a prostitute to bribe and control him, but that is exactly what happened in one episode of Two and a Half Men. It is revealed that before Alan's marriage to Judith, Charlie begged him not to go through with it. He told Alan that if he left Judith, he would buy him a $1000 dollar prostitute.
Bullying Of Alan As A Child
Bullying is a huge issue. The conversation surrounding bullying has only intensified in the past few years, with a rise in bullying-related suicides. The increase in the conversation has led to studies about the amount of bullying depicted in television shows as well as social media trends where people share instances of bullying they suffered in the past.
Through flashbacks, it is revealed that Charlie relentlessly tortured Alan as a child. He ridiculed him at school in front of other children, gave him wedges, and even went so far as to shoplift and put the stolen merchandise into Alan's bag - framing him. Charlie definitely isn't a guy worth learning about.
Transphobia
During one episode, Charlie is excited to meet his ex-girlfriend Jill at a bar. When he arrives, he finds that his ex has transitioned and is now going by the name Bill. His reaction to this is less than favorable.
Ultimately, this reveal is treated as a joke - a punchline of this "bad thing" which has happened to Charlie. This harmful portrayal negatively impacts transgender individuals.
Treatment Of Alan As An Adult
Charlie's bullying and abuse of Alan didn't stop as a child. Charlie bullying Alan as an adult, mocking his feelings, and dismissing him in front of his friends. He is constantly criticizing Alan and lording his financial assistance to Alan over his head.
Charlie seems to think that since Alan lives in his house, he owns him. Financial abuse is a real problem in this country and its seriousness shouldn't be dismissed.
Treatment Of Women
With the way Charlie treats women, it's a shock that any woman would actually date him. He treats women as if they are disposable, only wanting to use them to satisfy his desires and then toss them away.
He is often hitting on multiple women at once and is extremely crude. He brushes women off as crazy and blames all of his problems on his negative feelings towards his mother. He even makes some pretty obscene and threatening comments towards her.
Almost Assaults An Unconscious Woman
During one episode, a woman is unconscious in Charlie's bed. He seems prepared to assault her until Alan stops him. He spends much of the episode debating about whether or not he should go through with doing it and if he is a terrible person just for considering the idea.
The answer is yes, he is terrible. In the wake of the Me Too movement, an entire episode devoted to a man's desire to force himself on a woman would just not work. It never should have been okay in the first place.