OyChicago blog

In the same week, Charlie Sheen (born named Carlos Irwin Estévez, according to IMDB) declared he’s Jewish, and there’s been talk of a possible McDonald’s “McWinning” menu item in Sheen’s honor in time for St. Patrick’s Day. I am for once, without words. I lied—I have many.

You can check the latest app, The Charlie Sheen Jewish Name Generator, via the Jerusalem Post. And, according to OK Magazine, Sheen re-tweeted the idea of a “McWinning” sandwich. All trash news? Yes. While I love a good ‘ol game of Jewish geography as much as the next gal, the process of tracing Sheen’s Heeb lineage through a barrage of ridiculous entertainment links on Google makes my head spin and makes me slightly nauseated.

According to Google search result numbers, Charlie Sheen is getting searched about 15 million times more than the tsunami in Japan. Let’s pause and soak that in.

I'm a bit fermished. We just had daylight savings, it’s nearly spring and I’m having trouble finding the sunshine and a sense of equilibrium amidst political unrest at home and in the Middle East as well as natural and man-made disasters in Asia, which have real consequences.

In the meantime, Sheen is “winning” his way straight to the bank after throwing an incoherent fit about wanting a few more million from CBS executives, and is making it repetitively unclear why he’s watch-able and interesting on broadcast interview after broadcast interview. And yet, we continue to watch. He’s already amassed more than 2 million followers on Twitter and his touring show, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not An Option Show," scheduled to drop by the Chicago Theatre April 3, is sold out, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Let’s face it: Sheen has always been a letch. In my opinion, he peaked during his “Hot Shots” film days in the 1990s.  But, people are still taking great interest in his not-so-grandiose fall, just as Americans watched in awe when Britney Spears went a little bonkers and shaved her head, or when Kelly Bensimon might or might not have had a meltdown on the Real Housewives of New York City last year.

Why do we like to watch semi-talented super stars plummet to their publicity deaths? Does it make them a bit more human and give us a little elitist gratification? Perhaps watching Sheen’s tsunami of self-destruction is gratifying in the way that a Jersey Shore or Kardashians’ marathon is gratifying; it makes us feel a little smarter and a little more in control of the world.

How do we process all that has transpired in the world this year? Watch another episode of Jersey Shore? Volunteer? Protest on capital steps? Hope this is the calm after the storm?

Oy, world…is it spring yet?