Winning. A word defined as being successful in completing a conflict or contest. A word you usually find in a sentence regarding a baseball game or game show. This word, however, has since become known as a pop culture catch phrase, all due to the recent rampages from the troubled actor Charlie Sheen.
In my opinion, Sheen is losing. For years now, the actor has struggled with drug addiction along with anger issues. The bad boy persona has always been a part of Sheen’s image. However, it has not been until recently that Sheen’s unbalanced lifestyle became public knowledge. After reading and watching the star’s recent insane antics, it is clear that he needs help.
As many celebrities are, Sheen is surrounded by an entourage of enablers. What differs Sheen from the rest of Hollywood is his new penchant for overexposure. Clearly, with today’s technology, it is easy to snap a photo or video of a celebrity and have it streaming on the Internet in seconds. Most celebrities complain about the lack of privacy that comes with fame. Such celebrities find being constantly bombarded by paparazzi a nightmare. However, it is Sheen himself that has been conducting interview after interview.
Perhaps Sheen’s enablers are encouraging this behavior. Or possibly, these actions are due to the drugs—and I am not talking about “a drug called Charlie Sheen.” Sheen’s manic behavior indicates illicit drug use. More specifically, Sheen’s behavior points to cocaine use. It was such usage that caused him to completely destroy his room at the Plaza Hotel a few weeks ago, while his ex-wife and children slept in a room across the hall. Sheen also had a female escort with him that night. It is speculated that due to the cocaine, or due to his violent tendencies, Sheen attempted to physically harm the woman. He scared her so much that she locked herself in the bathroom.
Needless to say, this crazed night was the start of Sheen’s media frenzy. Since then, the star has personally contacted a plethora of news sources. In his interviews, it is obvious how much the actor has aged. While he is only 45-years-old, Sheen’s face depicts an elderly man. The actor, however, is feeding off the newfound adoration for his crazy phrases. He has made a Twitter account, where he continues to spew bizarre expressions. The actor is evening selling t-shirts with such sayings; six different options for $20 a piece. He is also selling tickets for a live show that he will be staring in. So far, tickets for shows in Detroit and Chicago have sold out within minutes. The actor plans to bring tour dates to many more cities.
In my opinion, Sheen is outdated and out of his league. He currently lives with his two girlfriends that he dubbed “two goddesses.” Yet truly, he is a fool. Sheen lives a life with loose women and illegal drugs. In reality, the actor is a father. He has been unable to maintain stable relationships with either of his ex-wives and therefore is limited in even spending time with his children. After reading the sound bites and watching the many interviews, it can be concluded that the actor is desperately trying to hold onto his “cool factor.” However, the mystery of his private life that made him so intriguing has perished. Instead, we are left with a washed up actor who uses words such as “gnarly” when trying to sound “with it.”
Most who use Sheen’s catch phrases are joking. The term “winning” is used ironically. A statement about irrational or careless behavior will be followed with the word “winning”. To us, this seems like the rational use of the expression’s new meaning. However, I do not think this is what the actor had in mind. Sheen has lost sense of the real world and socially acceptable behavior. Perhaps it is due to all the “tigers blood,” but I think the actor would be better off stepping out of the lime light for a while.