View From the Phlipside - An Open Letter to Charlie Sheen

My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media.  TV, radio, the movies and more.  I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion.  Call this the View from the Phlipside.

An open letter to Charlie Sheen.

Dear Charlie,
   There's a lot of people talking about you but I'm not sure how many

are talking TO you.  And it just seems like you could use an outside opinion.  We're about the same age, we're both fathers of daughters, so let's talk man to man.  I have the advantage of having no investment in your success or failure.  If you never make another movie or appear on the TV again it's no skin off my nose.  Call me impartial.

The first thing you need to really get a grip on is that no one takes you seriously right now Charlie.  Yeah, lots of folks want you on their programs but it's for comic relief.  They may sound all concerned and like they care but the instant you stop  being the freak show you are right now you'll never hear from them again.  Yes, I know you were the highest paid actor on TV last year, and I know you come from a distinguished acting family (all right let's be honest your father is a distinguished actor.  You and your brother Emilio have a couple of hit movies and you have two roles on hit TV shows.  A nice career but not in Daddy's league).  But being famous and making lots of money doesn't make you smart.  Your behavior over the last 6 months or so is proof positive of that.  You're rich and famous and acting like a complete moron.

There's nothing cool about being addicted to drugs and booze.  Maybe you believe in the burn the candle at both ends, live hard die young theory.  So let me set your straight on that too.  You're raking your family and friends over broken glass, you're robbing your daughters Sam J and Lola Rose, and your twin sons Bob and Max of a responsible parent and it's a path that leads to an early and unpleasant death.

The other side of that coin is that if you're stupid enough to throw away all the good things in your life, the salary, the marriage (you were married to Denise Richards dude!), spending decades watching your children grow up that's entirely up to you.    Live your life the way you want but spare us the sight of your descent into madness and your final cataclysm.  I've got just a single piece of advice for you.  Just this.

Do your family a favor, do your children a favor, do us all a favor...
And shut up.

Call that the View From the Phlipside

"The View From the Phlipside" airs on WRFA-LP Jamestown NY.  You can listen to WRFA online HERE
Copyright - Jay Phillippi 2011