SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Charlie Sheen brought his verbal war against Warner Bros. and the executive producer of “Two and a Half Men” to the courtroom Thursday, filing a $100 million lawsuit seeking to recoup his salary and wages for the show’s crew.
The breach of contract lawsuit alleges production was halted on the CBS sitcom in part to punish Sheen for recent behavior that has included two hospitalizations and, in recent weeks, a series of interviews in which he has attacked executive producer Chuck Lorre. But the suit and Sheen’s attorney, Marty Singer, say most of the incidents cited by Warner Bros. for firing Sheen occurred before his tirades against Lorre began.
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“The suspension and termination of Mr. Sheen occurred only after Mr. Sheen had finally been provoked into criticizing Lorre in response to his harassment and disparagement campaign which had been going on for years,” according to the suit.
The filing comes four days after Sheen was terminated from “Two and a Half Men,” leaving the top-rated sitcom’s future in doubt.
Sheen’s lawsuit alleges that Warner Bros. bowed to Lorre’s desire to punish Sheen, and that the producer and studio conspired to blame the actor for causing production to stop.
Lohan rejects plea deal in necklace theft case
LOS ANGELES – Lindsay Lohan rejected a plea agreement Thursday offered by prosecutors that included a guaranteed return to jail, in a case involving the theft of a $2,500 necklace.
The “Mean Girls” actress told a judge she agreed to delaying her case until an April 22 preliminary hearing, when prosecutors will present evidence against her.
Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz said he had laid out to Lohan’s attorney how he would sentence her if she pleaded guilty or no contest to the theft of the necklace. The exact terms of the proposed plea deal by prosecutors and the judge’s offer were not disclosed.
Gibson will enter plea to misdemeanor count
LOS ANGELES – Mel Gibson has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors who plan to file a misdemeanor battery charge against the Oscar winner over a fight last year with his then-girlfriend, a person with knowledge of the case said Wednesday.
Gibson will appear in person to enter the plea, the person said. He was expected to be formally charged with battery this week, and the agreement could allow the actor-director to avoid jail time.
The charge stems from a dispute between Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva in January 2010.
The Russian musician did not report the incident until months later, after the pair broke up and had negotiated a custody agreement involving their infant daughter.
Funicello injured in fire
LOS ANGELES – Former Disney Mouseketeer Annette Funicello suffered smoke inhalation from a fire that badly damaged her Los Angeles home, but her former husband said she wasn’t seriously injured.
Funicello’s ex-husband, Jack Gilardi, said the 68-year-old actress was at home with her current husband and a nurse. Funicello has multiple sclerosis.
Funicello was a Mouseketeer on TV’s “Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1950s and had a singing and acting career that included a series of beach movies.
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