With his new sitcom Anger Management launching tonight on Comedy Central, controversial star Charlie Sheen took some time to answer some questions about the show.
How would you describe “Anger Management” in just one word?
Awesome.
Who is Charlie Goodson?
Charlie Goodson is kind of a failed baseball player who finally gets called up to the show (the major leagues) after 12 years in the minors but because of his own anger he ends his career with a broken knee after a bad incident.
He is also a guy that I think is about some measure of atonement. He wants to give something back, wants to help people and wants to right his own wrongs but I don’t deliver messages of serenity to himself in the rest of his world.
Why did you decide to play a therapist?
It must made sense on every level to be a guy that that could be that multidimensionally involved with so many different types of people in his life, whether they are patient or an ex-wife, a good child or another therapist.
It’s his present group, his home group I mean it just never stops with this guy I mean it’s not to the point where its migraine factoring but it’s pretty fast moving. He said he is like the he is the son and all these other planets orbit around you know it’s pretty cool.
Does “Anger Management” mark a significant turn in your career?
It feels right, it feels honest. It just feels like I can’t have that mess be my legacy, this is what’s going to be that. They’ve some good times here and there and ended bad, but who cares, whatever, move on. This I think will be the piece of work that can live on and I can say that’s how I want to remember my TV years.
What sets “Anger Management” apart from other sitcoms on television?
It’s nothing shy and brilliant. It’s just its so specific and it’s so economical and so character driven. All the good comedy comes out of the characters and comes out of these situations that aren’t ludicrous. We’re not putting the characters into this fish bowl and then embarrassing them and giving them material that doesn’t make sense. The writing is so consistent and so smart and it has not wavered from that.
Why was Denise Richards an obvious choice to play your ex-wife on the show?
She is still a knock out and that’s what the part called for. And I can deal with her directly not through her agent, which was good. It just made sense really, we had talked about her possibly playing the ex-wife and since she is the ex-wife for real we thought it might be too much but we just get along so well these days.
She just came in and did a fabulous job you know, she looked great and it was fun to do that in front of our children. Let them to see what their parents do for living, what pays for all those toys.
Why was Martin Sheen brought in to guest star on “Anger Management?”
He really he is a team player, it’s going to be much like in the last 10 days of Wall Street where he came in and gave us that boost to finish the movie. I think he’s been able to deliver the same thing here.
How does it feel reuniting with your former “Spin City” co-star Michael Boatman?
It’s really cool. He was part of the group that actually kind of trained me for this whole second career move and this is my way of saying thank you for him coming on this. He is my best friend and neighbour and is just he is a gem. He can make anything work. It’s really fun to work with him and watch him.
Are you surprised that the show has tested so well?
I heard the numbers and the reactions and it’s really exciting. There is like an early rumbling, there is like a pre avalanche rumbling. You can kind of feel it coming and the anticipation is really high and I don’t think we’re going to disappoint.
How will your fans around the world react to seeing the show?
I hope the audience has as much fun watching this as we’re having making it and I got a good feeling that if nothing else we’re not going to disappoint. Since we got some real interesting people here I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people.
Anger Management is on Comedy Central from 12th September at 9pm
Tagged in Charlie Sheen