"Duh"ble Standard



Let's face it the biggest story in this great nation of ours over the past seven days is not the Oscars, it's not the Libyan conflict's effect on crude oil prices, it's not even the teacher's union uprising in Wisconsin.  The story that everyone loves and can't keep taling about is "The Charlie Sheen Show"! 



Life imitating art?

Now I will be the first to admit that I am enjoying every single second of this.  I mean this is Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn for crying out load!  Charlie Sheen was pretty much sober and normal from the late 90's to Spin City to Scary Movie 3 to Two and Half Men to now.  That's a 10 plus year stretch run.   But now we have descended into chaos, or at least perceived chaos.  Word comes out today that Sheen has passed his fourth drug test in the last week.  Now I know that these things are never 100% accurate, but what are the odds that four of these tests could all be wrong?  I'll answer that, zero. 

 I look at how everyone perceives Sheen and how they discuss him.  You hear words and phrases like crazy, insane, cracked out, wasted and messed up.  But I can't help but think about the double standard that is in place here.   Could you imagine if a professional athlete, especially an NBA athlete (for whatever reason they are vilified more than any other athlete without cause or reason), were to behave and act like this?  People would be outraged.   The go to line is: What about the children who watch this?  It's truly fascinating to me that there was more outrage in Lebron James going on TV, as a free agent, and leaving a city to go to team where he would make less money so he could win.  I have yet to hear one person wonder how Charlie Sheen's behavior effects the children who watch "Two and a Half Men" or for that matter what impact his attitude and behavior have on 17 year old co-star Angus Jones (Jake)?  Why the double standard?



It's a spring fasion must!

There is no answer to that question.  There are attempted explanations but no answers.   When I have asked that question to people the last few days people give a wide array of answers such as,  it's different Sheen is an actor or kids don't want to be Sheen they want to be Lebron.   My retort consists of, let me get this right it is OK to do behave erratically if your an actor and it all depends on who your kid wants to be?  I have news for you, your kid has better shot at becoming a sitcom star (there a dozens of them) then one of the preeminent power forwards in the history of the NBA.   Actually I take back that there is an answer to the why the double standard question.   The correct answer is, I don't know I must be a hypocrite. 


The truth is we pick and choose what gets us upset and offended.  That's human nature.  What I have always tried to do is expand my mind and look at things from different perspectives.  There are a few things that I consider to be a label of death when it comes to being a decent person.  Here are few:  bigot, racist, cheap, lazy, hypocrite and average.   In 2011 if you are any of these things you should be ashamed.   But there are a few things that I know to be true.  Charlie Sheen's behavior is much more serious, scary and dangerous than an athlete dancing in the end zone, wearing gold teeth, wearing bling, or having tattoos and dread locks.



The Greatest Show on Earth



As we continue to evolve as sports fans and fans of entertainment I only hope we can do the following, and I can't believe I am about to say this.  I hope we treat our athletes with the same respect and carefree attitude that we treat Charlie Sheen.