Back to Top

“Unveiling the Untold Secrets: The Shocking Feuds and Scandals That Shaped Two and a Half Men”

Added on December 12, 2024 inFun And Facts Cards

When you think of iconic sitcoms, it’s hard not to conjure images of Charlie Harper, the unapologetic bachelor played by Charlie Sheen, lounging around in his Malibu beach house, right? Chuck Lorre’s massive hit, Two and A Half Men, kicked off in 2003 and merged off-color humor with primetime appeal in a way that few had done before. As it ascended to television greatness, it laid down the gauntlet for sitcoms that followed. And then there’s Jon Cryer, whose affection for his co-star—amidst the monumental chaos of Sheen’s off-screen antics—creates a compelling backstory. Grab some popcorn, folks, because we’re diving into the delightful and sometimes shocking tales surfacing from Cryer’s memoir, So That Happened. Curious about the meltdowns behind the laughter? Let’s unravel the mystery of what made Two and A Half Men a household name and, at times, a cautionary tale in Hollywood. LEARN MORE.

Chuck Lorre’s massive hit Two and A Half Men made its debut in 2003. Lorre would go on to cement his place as one of modern television’s most successful hitmakers, especially with The Big Bang Theory soon after. Before that, his first show was much different with its off-color humor and it had more in common with raunchy-type comedies on cable instead of primetime. Of course, it’s almost impossible to not talk about its star, Charlie Sheen. Perhaps what’s more surprising is Jon Cryer’s affection for his co-star, along with little details from his memoir So That Happened. Somehow, some pretty shocking things were said.

Denise Richards Divorced Charlie Sheen For A Variety Of Reasons

GettyImages-105258797

The divorce between the pair was ugly and the public knew all about it in 2006. Many of the allegations the actress made against her husband were disturbing. Richards claimed Sheen was both violent and addicted to gambling and fornication.

Sheen was angry because she had told her divorce attorney about discovering details of Sheen’s practices regarding surfing adult video sites. Her court filings also included transcripts of abusive voicemails left by Sheen and described the explicit material he allegedly viewed online.

ADVERTISEMENT

Charlie Sheen Was Arrested On Christmas Day

GettyImages-86033130

ADVERTISEMENT

The actor already had an extensive rap sheet of random acts. But, his marriage and divorce from Richards wasn’t even the icing on the cake. On Christmas Day 2009, Sheen was arrested for allegedly holding a knife to then-wife Broke Mueller’s throat.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Wall Street actor pleaded guilty for misdemeanor third-degree assault. However, he was only sentenced to three months probation along with attending rehab as well as anger management classes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Asked His Co-Star For A Big Favor

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_glcp7G

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen came to his co-star, Jon Cryer, for one thing. He asked him to hide his collection of adult films whenever Richards was on the set. Cryer would describe the interesting encounter in his 2015 memoir, So That Happened.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I got a knock on my trailer door. It was Charlie; he seemed panicked. “Dude! Dude! I need your help.” He handed me a heavy shopping bag. “Denise is coming over,” he said, “and I need you to hide something for me.” That was the worst Cryer had to deal with regarding Charlie’s vices.

ADVERTISEMENT

Then, Cryer Came To Sheen For Advice

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_gRApJs

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer’s memoir opened the vault on quite a few of the stories from the set of Two and A Half Men. What was more shocking was the amount of embarrassing stuff he revealed about himself.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Pretty In Pink actor admitted to being an emotional basket case after his divorce from Sarah Trigger. He went to Sheen for advice on how to pay for intercourse, with his co-star directing him to his personal favorite online services.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Offered Cryer Pictures He Wouldn’t Expect

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_DhFHMR

ADVERTISEMENT

After Sheen and Richards’ marriage ended, the actor regressed to maximum Sheen. The first sign of this happening came when he began to show Cryer pictures of women genitalia.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I would invariably think, Why just this, and not the rest of the person. And what do you say at that moment? “Thank you for that picture”? “How long have you been seeing it”? “Please tell me she was awake?” Unfortunately, it was never made clear on that.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer Broke Up With A Girl After He Found Out One Thing

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_gC1ic8

ADVERTISEMENT

Following Cryer’s divorce in 2004, he was ready to date again. He met a woman named Stephanie and soon the two started going out. Cryer brought her to the set of Two and A Half Men and when he introduced her to Sheen, the two had already met.

ADVERTISEMENT

As it turns out, Sheen had dated Stephanie before, and things went sour after that. Sheen revealed why he broke up with her and it had to do with wanting a sexual experience. Afterward, Cryer broke up with Stephanie.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen’s Pay Raise Came Following His Christmas Day Arrest

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-55328565

ADVERTISEMENT

A few short months after Sheen’s domestic abuse arrest, he got a pay raise. At the time, the Major League actor became the highest paid actor on television. Sheen’s salary increased to an overwhelming $1.8 million per episode on a two-year contract. Meanwhile, Cryer was making $600,000 per episode.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer joked about it in his book. “I immediately began contemplating a series of well-publicized drunken brawls in retirement homes or possibly leading cops on a destructive car chase just prior to my next contract negotiation.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Was Forcibly Hospitalized In 2010

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-546812464

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen reportedly paid Capri Anderson $3,500 to spend the evening with him in New York. The night ultimately ended when the actor exploded into a fit of rage at the Plaza Hotel. Anderson claimed he kept verbally assaulting her as she locked herself in the bathroom for safety.

ADVERTISEMENT

After the police had arrived, they took the Golden Globe winner to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Following the incident, Sheen allegedly texted Anderson offering $20,000 to stay silent. Instead, she filed a harassment complaint to the NYPD.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen May Have Returned To Work At The Wrong Time

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_MgV6TU

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer’s memoir was quick to unveil details of Sheen. That included what his co-star was like when he returned to work following his arrest and raise.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Anger Management actor didn’t look very well when the show was filming its eighth season in 2010. “He started talking to himself. But most of all he just looked thinner, in a not-good way. His timing started to go off, too. Charlie just wasn’t hitting the jokes the way he used to. It was as if his psyche had been sped up.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer’s Lackluster Response To Sheen’s Alleged Abuse Against Mueller Was Shocking

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-96287317

ADVERTISEMENT

In his memoir, Cryer recalled his reaction when he found out about Sheen’s arrest. “I texted him: Dude, my thoughts are with you. If you need to talk, give a call; if you’ve got bigger problems, call me when you get back. Situations like this are rough on your sense of friendship and loyalty because the allegations are serious, yet you know Charlie and Brooke are a drug-troubled pair.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite their friendship, it’s difficult to justify such kindred texts after Sheen threatened her.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen’s Relationship With Showrunners Dissolved Rapidly

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-109897479

ADVERTISEMENT

By 2011, the actor had hit rock bottom. Not only was he fired from his show due to his “Winning” interviews, but he demanded another pay raise.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said to Express that he’s “A man of my word, I’ll finish the TV show, I’ll even do season 10, but at this point because of psychological distress, I want $3 million an episode, take it or leave it. Look at what I’ve been through. I’m underpaid right now, for sure. I’m tired of pretending I’m not special.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Crossed The Line When He Called Out Chuck Lorre

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-53263408

ADVERTISEMENT

Some believe it may have to do with Sheen calling show creator Chuck Lorre a clown. However, the studio claims in their dismissal letter that Sheen’s lifestyle began to tak its toll on the show, with the following statement to Sheen’s lawyer.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Your client has been engaged in dangerously self-destructive conduct and appears to be very ill… His declining condition undermined the production in numerous and significant ways. Warner Bros. would not, could not, and should not attempt to continue ‘business as usual’ while Mr. Sheen destroys himself as the world watches.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Hugh Grant Almost Replaced Charlie Sheen

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-1062754670

ADVERTISEMENT

After it was evident that Sheen was not welcomed back, nobody knew the future of the show. The show was too popular just to end, so it was decided to have another Charlie-like character be introduced.

ADVERTISEMENT

Before Ashton Kutcher was hired as the replacement, the part almost went to Hugh Grant. The Brit was approached for an offer of $1 million per episode, though he declined. The producers wanted him to sign on without any scripts being written.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Was Not Impressed With The Actor Who Replaced Him

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-136755496

ADVERTISEMENT

It became apparent when Sheen made repeated comments on Twitter About Ashton Kutcher. He called the That 70’s Show actor a “lame sidekick”, once Tweeting “Quit barfing on my old brilliant show.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Now, Kutcher was understandably fed up and wasn’t having it on an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in 2014. He told the talk show host “Seriously, like. Enough already. Like it’s like three years later and you’re still blowing me up on Twitter. Like, come on dude, really?” Initially, Sheen was actually apologetic, Tweeting “I was pissed at other crap & took it out on you.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Kutcher Took The Job As Sheen’s Replacement For One Reason

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_vcppmh

ADVERTISEMENT

Kutcher’s character of Walden Schmidt made his Two and A Half Men appearance in 2011. But, The Ranch actor actually didn’t want the job. In a 2017 interview with Howard Stern, Kutcher came out in the open that his agent convinced him to take the role for the sole purpose of a paycheck.

ADVERTISEMENT

Initially, Kutcher made $755,000 per episode, plus he was set to earn royalties from syndication, which is more than a million dollars.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Didn’t Keep His Mouth Shut

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-126256812

ADVERTISEMENT

In a January 2017 radio interview with KIIS 1065, Sheen didn’t hold back from saying more awful things. He took a different approach when it came to the one actor who replaced him.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I was stupidly mean to him because I overlooked the difficulty of taking over a show — which I did myself, I took over Spin City when Michael J. Fox was too sick. I should’ve been nicer.” A moment of self-reflection from the baseball fanatic is very shocking, to say the least.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheen Was Invited Back To The Show

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-460662928

ADVERTISEMENT

In the series finale of Two and a Half Men, the audience learns that Sheen’s character, Charlie Harper, never actually died. Lorre released a statement after the show about Sheen’s absence.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I know a lot of you might be disappointed that you didn’t get to see Charlie Sheen in tonight’s finale. For the record, he was offered a role. Our idea was to have him walk up to the front door in the last scene, ring the doorbell, then turn, look directly into the camera and go off on a hysterical rant about the dangers of drug abuse.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Angus T. Jones Is Still The Highest Paid Child TV Actor

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_Eu8ixr

ADVERTISEMENT

Jones became famous for playing Jake Harper on the hit CBS show, which he first joined at ten years old. In 2010, he became the highest paid child actor in television history at 17, earning a reported $300,000 per episode.

ADVERTISEMENT

That put him above his closest runner-up, Miranda Cosgrove from iCarly, who made $180,000 per episode. The next highest paid child TV actor is Frankie Muniz, who raked in $120,00 per episode for Malcolm In The Middle by 2006.

ADVERTISEMENT

Angus T. Jones Wanted To Leave The Show Too

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_p3TGLI

ADVERTISEMENT

Jones played Jake, the son of Alan Harper. The older he got, the more problematic his job became. In a 2012 interview with People, Jones said “I’m on Two and A Half Men and I don’t want to be on it… You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that.”

ADVERTISEMENT

He did return for the series finale, but leaving the industry sounds like it was the right choice. He told People in 2016 “I’m having fun and enjoying where I’m at. I no longer feel like every step I take is on a land mine.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Jones Was The Only Actor To Audition For Jake

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_uOzhve

ADVERTISEMENT

For the “half” part of the show, there had to be a search for the right kid to play off both Sheen and Cryer. Surprisingly enough, Jones was the only actor who auditioned. The reason why is because Lorre saw one of Jones’ roles before he was hired.

ADVERTISEMENT

The executive saw him opposite Dennis Quaid in the autobiographical film, The Rookie. Lorre later called Jones to read for Jake, at which point he knew there was no point of seeing any other child actor.

ADVERTISEMENT

Berta Was Only Meant To Be A Temporary Character

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_ZZViRT

ADVERTISEMENT

The housekeeper to Charlie and Alan was a comical character. Actress Conchata Ferrell played the part so brilliantly that it’s hard to believe she was only meant to be around temporarily.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ferrell had initially just signed on to play the role for two episodes in the first season. Interestingly enough, her character arc involved her leaving Charlie’s employ specifically because Alan and Jake moved in. Both the character and actress became a hit on the show and she stuck around as a central cast member from season two and beyond.

ADVERTISEMENT

All Of Rose’s Outfits Had Roses

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_CjycI0

ADVERTISEMENT

Not only does the show make a joke about stalking, but Rose is a featured member of the cast. Actress Melanie Lynskey did an admirable job of making her stalking-like ability seem somewhat charming, and she became one of the most popular characters on the show.

ADVERTISEMENT

One such charming detail most fans don’t know about came in the show’s DVD commentary. Apparently, every single outfit Rose wore for the duration of the show contained a rose of some kind.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer’s Hair Was Painted On

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-480722266

ADVERTISEMENT

During the hiatus of Two and A Half Men, something odd happened to the actor. It’s clear from the patches on top of his head that his baldness isn’t entirely by choice. He seems to prefer keeping what hair he does have pretty closely shaved.

ADVERTISEMENT

The truth is, it’s an elaborate illusion as Cryer says that his hair was painted on. The process involves “stuff like shoe polish” and that they more or less paint his hair on with a “roller type thing.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Jennifer Taylor Played Five Different Characters

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_HmdaLU

ADVERTISEMENT

Beyond the stalker Rose, Chelsea was the only other character to really catch on and play a role in multiple episodes. She was the woman who Charlie actually gets engaged to and genuinely seems hurt when she leaves him.

ADVERTISEMENT

Chelsea was a recurring character in a season six, then a main character in the following season. The one interesting bit of information about the actress is that Taylor wasn’t the first character she played. Taylor appeared in the pilot as a woman named Suzie, then returned as Tina, then later as Nina before playing her final character, Chelsea.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer Chose Two And A Half Men Over Battlestar Galactica

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

battlestar-galactica_1c293328

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking of paychecks, there’s no denying that the actor is financially set for life from his time on Two and a Half Men. According to his memoir, So That Happened, he was toiling between the role of Alan Harper or take part in the reboot of Battlestar Galactica.

ADVERTISEMENT

While Battlestar might’ve earned him a lucrative spot at sci-fi convention panels and signings for life, in terms of pure dollars, he obviously made the right choice.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cryer Is The Only Actor To Appear In Every Episode

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_HnSdIS

ADVERTISEMENT

Being on a primetime network television show is a ton of work. Even with so many built-in breaks, actors need additional time off. When it comes to a show like Cheers, Seinfeld or Friends, some characters were virtually on every episode without missing a single day of work.

ADVERTISEMENT

The exact same thing can be said for Cryer. In his memoir, he made a confirmation that he was the only actor to appear in all 262 episodes of Two and A Half Men.

ADVERTISEMENT

Blythe Danner Was In The Original Pilot

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-1039914774

ADVERTISEMENT

The mother to Charlie and Alan was Evelyn, who was played by Holland Taylor. Besides her Emmy-winning role on The Practice, Taylor’s film and television work span six decades and covers about every genre imaginable.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, the legendary Blythe Danner, the mother to Gwyneth Paltrow, was first cast for the part and even filmed the original unaired pilot. Footage of that has never been made available to the public, but it would have been a different sight for sure.

ADVERTISEMENT

A Famous Voice Sang The Theme Song

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-494168092

ADVERTISEMENT

It wasn’t actually Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones singing the Two and a Half Men theme song during the opening credits. Nobody has likely ever seen the face of the one who signs that part.

ADVERTISEMENT

Some may have heard the voice of Elizabeth Daily, who was best known for her role as Dottie in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. In addition to that, she also voiced the role of Tommy Pickles in Rugrats and Buttercup in The Powerpuff Girls.

ADVERTISEMENT

Most Episode Titles Came From A Line Spoken In The Show

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

two-and-a-half-men_YiBXRv

ADVERTISEMENT

Episode titles for comedy shows are often an art unto themselves. For Two and a Half Men, they decided to go a route that is simultaneously obvious but also rather unique. The show went with episode titles that came from a line in the show.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the DVD commentary, all but just a few notable exceptions followed this rule. The result is silly and wordy with episodes such as “Did You Check With The Captain of the Flying Monkeys?” and “Ate The Hamburgers, Wearing The Hats.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Comedy Central Roasted Sheen After The Season 9 Premiere Of Two And A Half Men

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GettyImages-124898591

ADVERTISEMENT

After the year Sheen has had – from the outrageous interviews and run-ins with the law, Comedy Central came in. The network decided it was time to give the actor his own roast, which happened on September 19, 2011.

ADVERTISEMENT

The biggest coincidence is that the roast occurred following the season nine premiere of Two and A Half Men. Not only was this the same season Kutcher made his debut, but it was like the executives were throwing shade at their former star.

RSS
Follow by Email