Charlie Sheen is the New Gary Bussey

I watched Charlie Sheen on a 20/20 interview earlier this week.  He wasn't even listening to the interviewer's questions.  He was asked a direct question, in plain English, about his past sex life, drug use or allegations of spousal abuse and Charlie would ramble incoherently about how he was a nice guy.  I know this can be a tactic, but he seemed to genuinely consider the question and then set off on another trajectory with words that sounded like English but didn't string together like they were even in the same room as the question.

I like the sitcom Two and a Half Men.  I think the character Charlie Harper is funny, as a character.  Charlie Sheen is the real thing.  It just looks pathetic without a laugh track and a dopey sidekick.

He reminds me of another soul lost to drugs and fame - Gary Busey.  Gary would also ramble into the camera when approached. It got so unintelligible that the only thing that separated him from the homeless guy we see on our walk downtown is that Gary sort of reminded us of someone who played an actor in a few films. 

Imagine a conversation between Charlie Sheen and Gary Busey.  One would ramble nonsense and the other would respond, with similar but creepily disjointed nonsense of his own.  This would go on for a while until one got angry, fell asleep or fell down.  Sort of like two blindfolded boxers - funny for about 30 seconds. 

The real drawback to fame and fortune, aside from the hordes of hangers on who take advantage of you and the stalkers, is that it gives you permission to do what you want, without consequences.  Charlie will have to learn, or is learning, the hard way, that life is about choices.  May God bless him with the ability to pull himself out of the morass he finds himself in before it is too late.