The former "Two and a Half Men" star showed that comedic success on the screen doesn't necessarily translate to the stage, and the capacity crowd at the 5,100-seat Fox Theatre rebelled before he left the stage, chanting "refund!" and walking out in droves.
Linda Fugate, 47, of the Detroit suburb of Lincoln Park, walked outside and up the block yelling, "I want my money back!"
She said she paid $150 for two seats.
"I was hoping for something. I didn't think it would be this bad."
Fans who gathered outside the theater before the doors opened Saturday — some who had to fly in for the show — said they were hoping to see the increasingly eccentric actor deliver some of the colorful rants that have made him an Internet star since his ugly falling out with CBS and the producers of "Two and a Half Men."
They got the ranting. It just wasn't funny.
"I expected him to at least entertainment a little bit. It was just a bunch of ranting," said Rodney Gagnon, 34, of Windsor, Ontario.
Video: Sheen’s road tour gets off to rocky start (on this page)Promising to give fans "the real story," the 45-year-old Sheen kicked off a month-long, 20-city tour Saturday night, with the second show scheduled for Sunday in Chicago.
The show started well for Sheen, as the crowd stood and cheered as he and the women he calls his "goddesses" took the stage. The women, one a former porn star and the other an actress, carried signs with the words "War" and "Lock," references to one of the catchphrases Sheen recently coined.
Don't miss these Entertainment stories C'mon, 'Losers'! Quit gaining and complaining There’s a big difference between trying and failing, and trying to fail, which is just what a bunch of “Losers” have done lately. And it's frustrating to watch them blow this big opportunity. Whoops! Kirstie Alley takes a tumble on 'DWTS' 'Glee' creator regrets his Kings of Leon outburst 'Game of Thrones' writer fears 'Lost'-like ending Sheen spoofs himself in a new online video"I don't see a single empty seat," he said.
After one audience member booed, Sheen sanguinely replied, "I've already got your money, dude."
He tried on a bowling shirt like one his TV character Charlie Harper would wear, then took it off and had his goddesses burn it. He then donned a Detroit Tigers No. 99 jersey, a reference to his role in the film "Major League."
He told everyone he wanted them to enjoy "a night of winning." Winning, in fact, was one of many of Sheen's catchphrases to be displayed in a video montage. Others: "Violent hatred" and "Adonis DNA."
USA Today was live-tweeting the event, producing a string of messages that portrayed a crowd that was increasingly restless and angry.
The twitter feed from USATODAYLifelineLive had Sheen sitting on someone’s lap in the audience, playing catch with someone on stage.
In one five-minute segment the twitterer offered these entries:
“Sheen: ‘I’m having a great time!’”
“Charlie Sheen is sitting on stage tweeting. Guy behind me just yelled, ‘I want my money back!’"
“Sheen: ‘Tell the guy next to you booing to shut the — up so the rest of us can enjoy the show.’”
“Sheen has lost control of the crowd. He left the stage and ordered some music. Rapper onstage now.”
But apparently it wasn't Snoop Dogg, whom Sheen said would perform at the show. Instead, the show ended with a video for a new Snoop Dogg song before the lights went on.
Sheen's publicist Larry Solters declined to comment after the show, but Sheen reappeared after the house lights went up to thank those who remained.
Toronto-area resident Ronnie Prentice was among several fans outside the theater who said they were hoping to see Sheen rant.
"It's kind of like a NASCAR race. You're just tuning in because you're just waiting for the accident to happen," said Ronnie Prentice, 37.
Adam Hawke said he bought a ticket for the same reason.
"He might be doing something really crazy," said Hawke, 47, who works in the construction business and lives in Michigan. "He's a wreck. That's half the draw."
Geoff Rezek, 69, flew in from New York to see what he believed was going to be "history in the making."
"I wouldn't miss the first show. Who knows if there's going to be a second show?" said Rezek, a computer consultant from Connecticut, who said he also bought a ticket for Sheen's show next week in his home state.
Like us on Facebook Follow our new Facebook page, and get updates throughout the day about celebs, movies, TV and more. On Twitter? Follow us there!Sheen has made headlines in recent years as much for his drug use, failed marriages, custody disputes and run-ins with the police as for his acting. His father, actor Martin Sheen, has compared his son's fight against addiction to that of a cancer patient's fight for survival.
In August, Sheen pleaded guilty in Aspen, Colo., to misdemeanor third-degree assault after a Christmas Day altercation with his third wife, Brooke Mueller. The couple recently finalized their divorce.
The wayward star's behavior, which included lashing out at the show's producer, Chuck Lorre, finally became too much for Warner Bros. Television, which booted him from "Two and a Half Men" on March 7.
Sheen fired back with a $100 million lawsuit and all-out media assault in which he informed the world about his standing as a "rock star from Mars" and a "warlock" with "Adonis DNA" who lives with two "goddesses" — both of whom he said would be at the Detroit show.
His unique banter and catchphrases — think "winning" — have spread over the Internet and onto T-shirts, more than a few of which are expected to be sold on the tour, which wraps up May 3 in Seattle after stops in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York, San Francisco and others. Sheen has said the Detroit show, where tickets cost $45 to $80, sold out.
"I am bringing 'My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option' show out to you in the battlefield," Sheen said in a video announcing the tour. "If you're winning, I'll see you there. Trolls need not apply. ... Buy your ticket. Take the ride. And the ride will take you."
Msnbc.com staff contributed to this report from The Associated Press.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
View the original article here
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
No comments:
Post a Comment