According to multiple audience members, video footage and just about every outlet that reported on it, Charlie Sheen’s first live show in Detroit for his “Violent Torpedo of Truth” tour was a complete and utter bomb. Shock. The audience started booing, multiple people walked out, and Charlie was the same narcissistic ranting nutjob that we’ve come to know through his countless interviews and YouTube videos. I don’t know why we expected anything else, although I was thinking that he might have a good production team to help him channel the crazy into something watchable. At least I didn’t waste my money on that hope as so many other people did.
Surprisingly Charlie’s second show, in Chicago on Sunday night, was supposedly ok, like he hit his stride, self-corrected and was able to deliver a decent performance. He’s even said to have received a standing ovation, although reports are mixed as to how well he actually did.
Charlie Sheen, currently on his 20-city My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option tour, received a standing ovation at the Chicago Theatre on Sunday night, after bombing the night before in Detriot.
The former Two and a Half Men star, 45, made some bold changes to the format of the program after disappointed fans left the Detroit show calling for refunds, leading the the media to speculate how much longer the tour would continue.
By Sunday, Sheen had eliminated a rapper who was his opening act, his stream-of-consciousness ramblings, and various pre-taped video highlights of his career in lieu of a talk show format in which the actor discussed the “odyssey” that is his life, both personally and professionally.
A modest Sheen dubbed his Chicago show “the most epic night in Chicago f**king history.”
“It was a canny shift of the show’s tone, from epic self-aggrandizement to a more casual, at times even likable, persona,” the Chicago Tribune’s Steve Johnson wrote.
Sheen addressed his Detroit debacle during Sunday’s show, reading a letter he wrote to the Windy City citizens.
He said, “Dear f **king awesome Chicago. I am a veteran of a disturbing odyssey that had me question the very nature of my soul… I am speaking, of course, about last night in Detroit.”
Johnson wrote that “the Chicago crowd was ready to please him, too, delivering an unbidden ‘Detroit Sucks’ chant right away.”
Sheen finished his act strong in Chicagoland, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Following tepid applause and a scattered standing ovation, lots of patrons wasted no time filing out,” the paper wrote. “A number of them stuck around as Sheen lingered onstage handing out T-shirts to folks in the crowd.
[From Radar Online]
I was ready to put a fork in Charlie’s pickled liver, but he might just find a niche in bringing the crazy around the country. Or he could continue to be hit or miss. I’ll be surprised if he managed to make all his tour dates for even a couple of weeks.
Charlie in Chicago talking about the bad reception he got in Detroit. At least that’s he claims he’s talking about. The audience is straight out of Jerry Springer.
Charlie is shown yesterday in Chicago. Credit: WENN.com. There are also two photos from his Twitter account
I can’t believe people would pay to see this nutbag…what a waste of money.
He is such a tool. It is laughable to me that his ‘Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour’ has turned into “Q&A Hot Cocoa and Cookie Time with Grandpa Charlie.’ Just look at what he was trying to be in that first show, that is what he thinks of himself. Some kind of faux cult leader or something. In a profession known for narcissistic personalities this idiot takes the cake. According to what I’ve read, too, he’s not breaking any new ground in his Q&A – it’s stories that are already out in the media. Really, someone cares to pay to hear him talk about his first time smoking weed? Wow, and it was with Chris Penn??? Riveting.
I wish this pig would just go away.
Richard Roeper (from Ebert and Roeper) live tweeted the show. Go to http://twitter.com/richardroeper to read his hilarious tweets. You’ll have to scroll down a bit and read from the bottom up.
Looks like the die-hard Charlie fans were pleased with the show, but if you don’t fall into that category, there was plenty to tweet about.
Maybe it’s like watching a car wreck?
I can believe people would pay for this – some people are stupid – but I just couldn’t imagine how much til I read one recap. A couple of people paid in the $150 range for tickets to this show or the Chicago show. Seriously?!
We all get to see his downward spiral for free…why pay?
Is he really 45 years of age? Looks a decade or two older. User, Loser, Boozer (Strangers With Candy allusion).
@brin…people will ride the gravy train of whomever celebrity is ‘HOT’ right now until the heat goes cold; then on to the next episode.
Winning? Depends on who you ask!
So, people pay $80 plus $30 for a Tee shirt to watch this guy smoke cigs on stage, say fu-k for an hour while telling completely uninteresting stories. I’d rather listen to Jessica Simpson talk about farting for an hour….I mean, talk for an hour about farting.
Damn the torpedos. Full speed ahead, Charlie. You’ve reach terminal velocity in your free fall.
and most importantly…Morning @brin!
@Jackson – “Just look at what he was trying to be in that first show, that is what he thinks of himself. Some kind of faux cult leader or something. “
You have a very good point, there. It seems that he was simply forced to adjust what he put out there after his ‘real’ performance met with such negative reaction. I’m sure his first try was much closer to the reality of what sort of person he is.
But we all know the real reason those people swarmed these shows was because they wanted to watch a train wreck. Thinking perhaps they’d manage to be at the performance where he finally ‘crashes & burns’. It’s voyeurism at it’s most unpleasant.
DenG – thanks for the Strangers w/ Candy laugh – loved that show!
I’m embarrassed to be from Chicago. *headdesk*
He’ll be in my neck of the woods (Atlantic City, NJ) on April 16. He’d never pass up the chance to partake in our dirty casino hookers (most of which are missing teeth from smoking too much crack). Charlie can score his rock and get his rocks off at the same time. Sounds very much like his idea of “winning.”
I was soooo happy to hear he bombed, it’s like YES!! People are waking up from the delusion that he knows what he’s talking about … but I’m sad it was short lived when I hear his second show went better.
People need to stop feeding his ego and let him crawl into a hole with this booze, hookers and crack. I for one will be happy not to see a headline that says “Charlie Sheen” in it!!
Charlie Sheen is a “has been.” He could have written his own check YEARS AGO & been a major motion picture star…but because of his “issues” w/alcoholism, addictions (sex, drugs & God only knows what else), ANGER ISSUES, women-hating issues, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, & NOW add to this list DOG ABUSER.
Anyhoo, Charlie was reduced to starring in 2.5 Men…and couldn’t even hold that job. You could hardly call what he did in 2.5 Men ACTING…I mean, come on…a PG-rated version of HIS REAL LIFE. How hard IS THAT to act?!
I hate to say this…but I’m gonna…I wish Charlie Sheen NOTHING BUT THE WORST. BTW….Charlie’s “fans”….just CRACKHEADS..that’s all. Only in America can you earn a substantial paycheck for your mental health & addiction issues…ONLY IN AMERICA.
SAD! I hear homeless mental patients in the street who make more sense than this priviledged child. True that he looks decades OLDER than 45!
There’s no accounting for taste, and this just proves it.
You know, years before I was born my parent thought about moving to Chicago for better work opportunities. Today, I am glad that they stayed in Detroit so I don’t have to join hollowdoll in super mega facepalming over what an embarrassment my hometown is. I wonder how Charlie will do in my other hometown, New York? I hope we boo him here too!
his act reminds me of that old, crazy relative everyone has – you know the one who rants and rambles at thanksgiving, and everyone smiles and tries to pretend he isn’t nuts while motionioning their kids away from him.
Dear Mr. Sheen,
Detroit is very forgiving city. Believe me, if anyone understands difficult times it’s Detroit. Having said that Detroit is also a city with some self-respect, self-deprecating humor, and pride.
You sir, are no Detroit.
Sincerely,
D-town
He was winning here and winning there and then he went to the D!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!
Shame on you Chicago! You should be ashamed of yourselves!
At least Detroit was honest in its response. This degenerate has the nerve to blame it all on Detroit. Why am I surprised.
Can you imagine how is stinky his breath is with all that smoking…euu.
He’s not listening to the right people now, but hopefully he gets the help he needs before it’s too late.
I saw his SNL from 2003 when VH1 reaired it recently, and he was willing to repeatedly make fun of himself and his past and he looked really great. 8 years should not do this to a person. It’s all just too bad, especially since he has children.
@Hmmmm At least Detroit was honest in its response. This degenerate has the nerve to blame it all on Detroit. Why am I surprised.
You are right, but anyone or anything that does not agree with CS right now is going to get ranted about and cursed on. It’s all he has left, but everyone will get tired of it (and him) eventually…hopefully sooner than later.
I was watching “Young Guns” last night and he was actually a pretty good-looking guy back in the day.
While I’d never personally pay to see it I do think that doing these shows might turn out to be the best thing for Charlie right now. For the first time in his coddled 45 years just maybe he’ll finally see that people won’t just lap up any old rubbish he throws at them just because he’s Charlie Sheen – it actually takes some forethought and preparation to hold an audience for 2 hours. The thing he’s chosen, stand up comedy, is a notoriously difficult thing to break into; most stand-ups get booed at first. Charlie’s second show seems to have been a little bit better than the first – that’s a start. I never thought I’d say this in a million years but – good luck Charlie.
I just don’t get how this colossal douchebag gets a pass on his abusive, misogynistic behavior, but Chris Brown doesn’t. I’m not a CB fan and I think what he did was vile, but why isn’t CS met with the same vitriol and derision that CB is? Sheen has been physically and verbally abusive to both Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller and yet people are PAYING upwards of $150 to see his narcissistic douchery in action? Seriously, this makes my head hurt.
I am sorry that I have to post again but those people chanting f- detroit were probably his drug dealers or pimps. I don’t think real people like this guy. He beats up women and sometimes shoots them. And he has never had to work a day in his life.
Who in their right mind is paying money for this, and what exactly where they expecting?
It makes me sick that this guy earns more than a nurse, teacher or other useful members of society; just to spew his vitriol and his highly questionable lifestyle choices at an audience who really should know better.
I weep for humanity.
How can they ask for refunds?? When you purchase a sack of crap, how can you complain when you open the sack and there is crap inside?
He kinda looks hot in a dissolute kind of way….in fact he looks a lot like Robert Downy Junior – who is also 45. Maybe that’s just what 45 year old hard living men look like 🙂