Hollywood’s Reluctance to Intervene

When you have the power to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars and a hit TV show or potential blockbuster film rests on your shoulders, it impacts how others treat you, especially those whose livelihoods rest on your continued success. So if managers, agents, producers or studio heads suspect a star is starting to self-destruct, what responsibility do they have to intervene?

Charlie Sheen

Actor Charlie Sheen was back in the news on Jan. 27, 2011, after being rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital by ambulance. The hard-partying actor’s rep attributed the medical problem to “severe pain related to a hernia,” according to CNN.com. Sheen left Cedars-Sinai Medical Center later that same day, after being treated for what was characterized as an ongoing condition, but that didn’t stop reporters from swarming the hospital after news of the early morning 911 call leaked.

This second emergency trip to a hospital for Sheen in three months has many speculating that the Two and a Half Men star is on a dangerous downward spiral. His history of addiction may make that concern warranted. The last hospital stay, which began when police responded to an early morning call from the plush Plaza Hotel about "an emotionally disturbed person." Sheen's representative later blamed an "adverse allergic reaction" to a medication. No official charges of substance abuse have been leveled at the star.

Sheen’s hit show was off the week of this most recent incident, and he’s expected to return to the set on Tuesday. But is that what’s best for Sheen in the long run? Many in the media are questioning whether Hollywood is enabling Sheen, making it more difficult for him to get help if he is relapsing. In this case, only time will tell.

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