Commentary

Charlie Sheen: Publicity/Promotion Wasted -- Or An Opportunity?

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, March 3, 2011

TV buzz counts for a lot these days. And maybe Charlie Sheen has figured it out.

With that in mind -- separate from all the obvious issues -- what would a new episode of "Two and a Half Men" airing, say, tomorrow night earn in viewers? 20 million? 30 million? The buzz is all here: right in the middle of wall-to-wall Sheen publicity.

No doubt viewership would be strong -- higher than the show's average 4.0 to 5.0 rating among 18-49 year-olds and t15 million viewers.

Here's some direction to consider: Sheen grabbed 9.5 million viewers and a 3.2 rating among 18-49ers for a special edition of ABC's "20/20" on Tuesday night, that show's best numbers in two years. More big numbers: ABC's Monday "Good Morning America" with Sheen grabbed 5.7 million viewers; NBC's Tuesday "The Today Show" took in 5.9 million viewers; and CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" on Monday tallied 1.4 million.

Of course this isn't the "Men" storyline, it's the real-life Sheen arc. In that vein, how about Sheen in some sort of reality intervention/rehab/counseling TV show -- followed by a requisite Town Hall meeting?

Right now, CBS president/CEO Les Moonves says that -- in the short term -- CBS will actually come out a little better financially with "Men" in reruns and fewer original episodes. The show in repeats scores decent numbers for rights the network has already paid for, and always brings in good advertising revenue.

But what if somehow Sheen started appearing in some sort of TV series, reality, scripted, or otherwise? A lot of marketing is all about timing. And the interest in Sheen -- wild that it is -- is off the charts. It may not be so in, say, nine months.

Despite Sheen's controversial behavior and stuff he's said, you might hear this: "Gee, isn't he a little over-exposed at the moment?" For his own part, Moonves said he would have liked to have Sheen put some of these publicity efforts in play around the most recent Emmy Awards.

Viewer sentiment has run the gamut. They love him, they hate him, they are entertained by him; they are disgusted by him. Sheen doesn't have a publicist anymore -- but alone, in pure numbers of viewers for his TV and radio interviews -- he is getting the job done.

Problem is, we are not too sure what for.

television, tv

4 comments about "Charlie Sheen: Publicity/Promotion Wasted -- Or An Opportunity?".

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Brian Hayashi from ConnectMe 360, March 3, 2011 at 5:40 p.m.
Here's a simple question: Are Charlie Sheen's recent real-life actions consistent with the brand he portrays on television?
Given the similarities between the lout he plays on television and the lout seen by millions on 20/20, there very well may be even greater desire to watch Two And A Half Men reruns, boosting syndication sales and potential demand for yet another new season -- perhaps recast as a reality show.
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Jon Sinton from Progressive Agenda, March 3, 2011 at 6:05 p.m.

Seriously, Wayne, I like your work, but you this is flat out exploitative. This guy is classic bi-polar and he's having a massive manic episode. Turn your prism a little and recognize his poor mental health. Still want to talk about how many people will watch him in a reality setting? Would we ask that of people in a burn unit?

Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston, March 3, 2011 at 7:09 p.m.

The whole point of the movie Network was that the media world was too crass and sick to rescue Howard Beale. Some things never change.

Jonathan Mirow from BroadbandVideo, Inc., March 4, 2011 at 3:38 p.m.

Fat repo-men, bizarre bounty-hunters, tosh.o, Jersey hair dressers, drag queens, Danny Bonnaducci...it ain't network, it's NUTwork, bubba. Charlie fits right into this mix. I must confess that I never saw 2.5 men, but you KNOW I'm gonna have to see what he's in next. Doncha get it? Charlie's gone viral!