Charlie Sheen and former producer clash
By Pankaj Ladhar of Manos • Alwine P.L.
Famed actor Charlie Sheen might have been booted from his role on the hit television sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” but producers of the show are saying he took something with him. This is causing a dispute between the two sides.
Since his highly-publicized departure from the show, Sheen has moved on and is slated to star in a new show called “Anger Management,” broadcasted on FX channel. But Sheen is angering Warner Bros., which produced “Two and a Half Men,” because the actor is apparently using promotional photos from that show to promote his upcoming venture.
At the recent National Association of Television Program Executives Conference, a photo was distributed that showed Sheen wearing a leather jacket and sitting on a motorcycle. This photo was originally produced by Warner Bros. in efforts to promote “Two and a Half Men”.
Warner Bros. promptly issued a cease-and-desist letter to both the actor and Debmar-Mercury, which is producing Sheen’s new show. In the letter, Warner Bros. alleged that both parties are unjustly using the company’s intellectual property. Warner Bros. also took great exception to the fact that their intellectual property was used to promote a rivaling television show.
Warner Bros. insisted that both parties stop using the photo. While the producers of Sheen’s new show did not release an official comment, those close to the case said that the photo would not be used again.
Sheen, which sued Warner Bros. for $100 million after he was axed from the show, continued to voice his hatred for the show and its producers. He told media that if Warner Bros. worried more about their show and less about what he was doing, “Two and a Half Men” would not be such a bad show.
Source: ABC News, “Warner Bros. Demands Charlie Sheen Stop Using ‘Two and a Half Men’ Publicity Photos,” Feb. 16, 2012