Charlie Sheen is TV's highest paid actor. Discuss.

Fletch Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 01:47 PM EST

Steve Carell is everyone's darling right now - the "it" guy. Wait until "The Office" is over, give him five years and a host of off-camera problems, and let him "make a comeback". I bet you all $1,000 there is a post on here with all of the same people bashing him.

Fletch Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 01:39 PM EST

Okay, so Denise Richards is now posting under the name BETTY. Nice.

You know, there is alot of hate for Mr. Estevez - um, I mean Sheen. And, honestly, I don't get it. He's not this horrible actor, and he's not on the worst show of all time. Do you have any idea how many crappy shows have come and gone over the past 30 years? And some of those had decent runs.

He does a sitcom, people. He's not doing anything more important than a 1/2 hour comedy aimed at as many people as possible. And he plays basically himself. I wouldn't list it among my favorite shows, but it has made me laugh now and again.

Let's put it in perspective, huh?

Jennifer Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 01:23 PM EST

hello.. definitly Mariska Hargitay is the highest paid actress on TV! look at her she is beautiful, she plays a kick ass detective on SVU, and she is just an all-round wonderful actress.. it's no surprise that she is the highest paid because after all Law and Order series has never had a nomination or a win before she came along!
Mariska ROCKS! && this year, she is going to win the Emmy she deserves it after a wonderful past season 9 she has had this year.. and I am definitly looking forward to season 10!!!
GO MARISKA GO!

Dennis Abarr Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 07:56 PM EST

Jon Cryer is the most talented actor in a sit-com today. He's just as good as Don Knotts and I hope he wins a half dozen emmies.

JasonJenks Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 04:30 PM EST

Hard to believe that the "Ma-Sheen" himself makes all that dough. But think of it this way... he's also single-handedly (pun?) keeping the adult entertainment industry very, very profitable. Bravo, Chaz, weez loves ya'.

Trace Dibble Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 09:46 AM EST

Charlie makes all that money because he IS the show, for all intents and purposes. You may argue the subjective worth of actors and acting until you're blue in the face--if you think you're right, you're right. Doesn't mean they that disagree are wrong. In any event, you can't argue free market compensation. It is what it is.

Charlie Sheen Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 07:32 PM EST

Hey Betty, I'm not whoreless...Don't you read the tabloids? Oh, wait...you were trying to spell worthless.

My bad.

BETTY Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 10:31 PM EST

SHEEN'S SHOW SUCKS. HE IS A WORHLESS, HATEFUL ,PERSON. HE IS A SCUM BAG A# ONE.I SAW HIS T. V. SHOW ONE TIME,NEVER AGAIN, AND TO THINK HE MAKES ALL THAT MONEY FOR ONE SHOW IS SICK.HE'S JUST A TINY LITTLE MAN THAT HOLLYWOOD LIKES, THERE ALL PLASTIC PEOPLE IN THAT TOWN.

BJohnson Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 07:24 PM EST

I'm not even gonna try to compare my salary as a teacher to these actors, because I would just start crying. I will say hey anyone willing to suffer tabloids taking pics of you picking your nose, coming out of every bar, shopping without makeup, slipping and falling and getting out of jail or rehab and fighting with exs and all the crap that comes with their art, more power to them. I love my privacy and they basically have to give it up when they're famous.

Tom R Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 05:45 PM EST

Fascinating how the far left has time to blast big business and greed and lofty subject matter like that and yet Sheen makes more in one half hour episode than sadly some people will make in their lifestime. He is comfortably far left - absolutely his right and part of a proud far-left clan, but where is their collective sensibility when it applies to their own lives? When studios cave in to excessive agency demands/star salaries they are forced to produce less product (tv and film). With less product produced you have more starving actors, writers, producers, directors, crew people, etc. Mr. Sheen has a history of popping off about government, greed, consipiracy and so on, but who is the real threat? Isn't he a much bigger threat with his inflated salary to the wellness of the entertainment industry and his fellow artists than his imagined "our government knocked the Trade Towers down" rants? We the people can mitigate excessive star pay by boycotting...better for the biz too.

Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 04:04 PM EST

Why are the men making 2 to 3 times more than the women???

gcalknet Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 03:00 PM EST

If Charlie last name were Smith, he would be sweeping floors at Wal-Mart. He is not that talented, and the only more disgusting show on network TV is that Julia Louis-Dreyfuss piece of dung. Charlie Sheen should be serving time, and don't forget he is a member of a far left clan who believes 9/11 was staged. Things are out of whack.

GP Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 12:48 PM EST

Charlie's smart, like Peterson and Sedgewick. The real money is owning a piece of the show. This is not just about his weekly paycheck as an actor.

Shelley Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 12:07 PM EST

I have a question about Charlie, why is his name always Charlie on sitcoms? Wasn't it Charlie on Spin City? Charlie on Two & 1/2 ??? Just wondering, I do enjoy watching him.

Ayoks Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 10:47 AM EST

I think British comedies are better than American comedies.

Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 07:02 AM EST

I read the TV Guide that had the listings and Marg Helenberger makes $375,000 and eposide for CSI that makes her the runner up not Kyra Sedgwick!

Delon Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 05:09 AM EST

I would've guessed that William Petersen was the highest paid actor on T.V. and instead of Mariska i would've guessed Katherine Heigl.

Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 12:59 AM EST

I don't know. Denise Richard's constant public bad-mouthing of Charlie Sheen and his non-responses make me like him a little and loathe her. So what if his show is popular and makes money. More power to him.

Lori Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 10:07 PM EST

Charlie Sheen is great on Two and a half Men but isn't he basically playing himself. Jon Cryer makes me laugh many times every episode. Charlie's responses are just more predictable. His character is more one dimensional. They both deserve the same big bucks.

Charlie Sheen Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 07:51 PM EST

Charlie Sheen is a man's man, one of the best and my personal hero. Talent like his is rare and the show is simply the best.

Sure, some women may say he's sleazy...but deep down inside, they find him attractive and can't resist him.

TV Fan Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 07:48 PM EST

I have never understood Sheen's appeal. He is not a good actor and is very hammy and mugs to the camera. He is not good-looking anymore either. So why the big paycheck? There are so many more deserving actors on TV who are both talented and appealing -- Charlie is neither!

donner Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 06:57 PM EST

I don't watch Sheen's show, but if he's smart enough to get that kinda bank, good for him...its all about what the studio is willing to pay...ya gotta ask, right? who cares if the show is a pile of doo-doo...

Raven Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 05:51 PM EST

In Sheen's case, he's overpaid for what's on the screen - but then many people in the entertainment industry are well compensated. Often deservedly so, but Sheen's show is really just placeholder crap for people used to turning on their TV sets who are too lazy to even reach for their remotes.

Louise Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 05:49 PM EST

Jon Cryer is such an amazing, resourceful actor. I keep hoping to see his name decently placed in the credits, since he is the true star of the show.

Scott Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 05:45 PM EST

@Ed: If you figure out a way to generate the kind of money for your boss that TV actors generate for theirs, by all means demand a raise. Until then, realize that lowering the salary of actors (or athletes) would just result in more money for the guys in suits. How does that help anything?

DanOregon Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 05:10 PM EST

I'm thinking top sitcom actors make the most because the producers want to get to syndication (where the big bucks are). I was amazed at how much Ray Romano made from a middling sitcom. Sheen is just following in his footsteps.

Bob Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 05:05 PM EST

It couldn't have happened to a sleazier guy.

Ed Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 04:54 PM EST

I really can't believe what these people make in one week. I just finished my tenth year teaching, and if I add up what I made each year, I still don't match Sheen's weekly paycheck.

Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 04:45 PM EST

Nope, it's not even based on what Denise Richards says. Charlie Sheen is just a putz on his own, and it's completely off-putting at this point. There's just something gross about him and his character on the show... blech.

Thadeus Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 03:24 PM EST

The big question is, how much does Jon Cryer get per episode. Without him there would be no show.

t3hdow Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 03:03 PM EST

I swear this topic's been done before, though with the writers strike, maybe a reassassment is needed.
Anyway, I'm not one to ridicule people for watching what they love, but never have I found Two and a Half Men clever or funny in the slightest. Ditto with According to Jim, though I find the latter show even more unwatchable.
And to reno, until we reach the day where much of the public doesn't support the entertainment industry (which, from how much we visit/read stuff representing the industry, ain't gonna happen), top-of-the-line actors/actresses will reap the benefit from huge market shares. Yeah, it sucks, but it's a small price to pay for our endless adoration with movies/TV.

Nat Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:56 PM EST

Mariska is worth EVERY PENNY!!!! She and Chris ARE SVU. It doesn't bother me one bit that she makes more in an hour than I will all year.

Kristina Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:47 PM EST

I couldn't even watch a full half hour of this show. Maybe I'm missing something, I don't know, but how did this get to be the highest-rated sitcom?

I agree with others that there are funnier shows on TV but they don't get the following they deserve. 30Rock is a great example. Arrested Development is another and should have lasted more than three seasons. But maybe all this is a good thing. I'd rather watch a great TV show with a smaller yet loyal fan-base then the "highest-rated sitcom" that relies on a laugh-track to prove it's still "funny."

nunya Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:31 PM EST

hugh laurie should be the highest paid actor in TV. House would be sorely lacking if he wasn't in it and House has really good ratings. its ratings are actually on par if not higher than "2 1/2 men".

reno Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:24 PM EST

Sheen is funny. The show is laugh out loud funny. I like 30 Rock, too. I loved Arrested Development. Enjoying Two and a Half Men doesn't mean you're without humor or clueless. Does anyone who doesn't save lives deserve 850K/ep? It takes me seven years, before taxes, to make that. And I only get 2 weeks off and no one offers me good tables at restaurants or free clothes. So does he deserve it? No--who does in that business? Sigh.

Bainbridge Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:08 PM EST

If shows made money only based on how funny they were, Sheen would be in the poorhouse. The sad truth is Baldwin, NPH, et al. don't make the big big bucks because their shows don't get nearly the ratings that 2 1/2 Men does.

Ceballos Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:04 PM EST

Zutroy,

You'll have to forgive me for asking, since I don't watch "According to Jim", but are you saying Belushi has a "fat brother in law" on that show. I haven't seen him in a while, but when did Jimbo become the thin one?

Two and a Half What Now? Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 02:00 PM EST

Surely Alec Baldwin is a bigger "crossover talent from movies" than Charlie Sheen, yet people persist in watching Two and a Half Men rather than funny shows like 30 Rock - why won't the networks show Alec Baldwin, Neil Patrick Harris, Tina Fey, etc the money?

R.D. Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

I'm sorry, but I laugh out loud during the entire show. I even laugh at the few reruns I've watched. I wouldn't watch "According to Jim" if you paid me, but will watch everything that Chuck Lorre creates. (I separate the actor from the character, but if you formed your opinion of Charlie Sheen by what Denise Richards says then "shame on you!")

Stephanie T. Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

The question is if Angus T. Jones was not on Three and a Half Men, would Charlie Sheen be the highest paid actor on television. No, because the show is not funny without Angus and the set-ups.

Zutroy Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:57 PM EST

Well, you do have to consider that after the alimony, the hookers, and the cocaine, at the end of the day he's probably bringing home about what the guy who plays Jim Belushi's fat brother-in-law gets.

Lisa Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:33 PM EST

This reminds me of a dilemma I had this week. I was trying to explain to a friend how big a star David Tennant is in the UK but I couldn't think of an equivalent in the US. The closest I could come up with was Simon Cowell. Is Charlie Sheen the biggest tv star in the US? And if so, can we have David Tennant instead?

Rob Grizzly Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:33 PM EST

It makes sense. Top sitcom. It's actor gets top pay. I don't really care. It's still not funny.

It's because he's big crossover talent from movies. Do I wish that money was going to the cast of Lost? Sure.

jes Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:28 PM EST

I TRIED to his watch his show once. ONCE! That's all I could bear. Me thinks 2 1/2 Men and According to Jim HAVE to have overlapping audiences.

Liddy Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:27 PM EST

"Oh come on!" [/Gob]

He is indeed a putz and his show is everything that is wrong with network TV today. I have yet to find one person who thinks this pile of garbage is funny. One-note characters, the lot of them.

Leo Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:21 PM EST

Well, if only he could act and the sitcom wasn't such a load of crap...

Nancy Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:14 PM EST

inside. sorry.

Nancy Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:13 PM EST

Why? Whyyyyyyyy????

Ceballos, I actually agree with most of what you wrote, but I personally have watched bits of the show, and I have never laughed. Not once.

And I still think this should be filed under "things that make me die in side."

Lauren Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:04 PM EST

Then he should be able to afford a more natural-looking toupee or at least a better haircut on the one he's got. The piecey bangs ala 1998 are KILLING me. And who the heck has BLACK hair at his age? At least lighten it up a bit, Chuck.

Kate Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 01:04 PM EST

Don't get the appeal of him but to each there own!

Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 12:40 PM EST

I don't think it would bother me if Charlie Sheen weren't so icky... the show itself isn't fantastic, but it's not According to Jim either. But Charlie Sheen is just such a putz, it's almost impossible to be okay with him being the highest paid actor on TV right now, ahead of a lot more talented and deserving people.

Ceballos Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 12:38 PM EST

Here are my thoughts: Charlie Sheen has been the highest paid (or among the highest-paid) sitcom actor for a few years now (at least since Seinfeld, Kelsey Grammer and others have been off the air), so to me this isn't really news.

Also, though the show takes a beating from critics and a lot of people that are too cool for school (I don't love the show or watch it regularly at all, but I've seen it from time to time, and it makes me laugh), the fact of the matter is that it's the highest rated sitcom on TV, so I can't complain about its star making the most money.

Sure, we can argue about how Steve Carell and Tina Fey (the leads in my two favorite shows) should be making that money, but that's just not realistic since their respective shows (for better or worse - ok, worse) just don't get the numbers "Two and a Half Men" does.