Chuck Lorre

Johnny Galecki seeks to be average. The star of "The Big Bang Theory" is seated outside a small Hollywood restaurant, talking about his longing to play ordinary, run-of-the-mill figures rather than the larger-than-life characters that actors and audiences sometimes embrace. "Guys like Dustin Hoffman and Jack Lemmon have always been my leading men," said the 36-year-old, leather jacket-clad actor, who minutes before was crushing the butt of a luxury cigarette with his scuffed combat boot.

The courtroom battle between former "Desperate Housewives" costar Nicollette Sheridan and the show's creator, Marc Cherry, over the circumstances of her character's demise is another reminder that for an actor, the only thing worse than not getting a part on a show is getting killed off a show. "It's a one-way contract, they can drop you at any time," said Steve Schirripa, who spent seven years nervously pawing through the pages of scripts for "The Sopranos" wondering if this was the episode where his character would get whacked.

Charlie Sheen's $100-million lawsuit against the studio that fired him from "Two and a Half Men" could take the public behind the scenes of the hit television show and beyond the nonstop airing of Hollywood's dirty laundry. The wrongful-termination suit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, threatens to pull the curtain from the financial secrets behind the show and provide a glimpse of Tinseltown's wheeling and dealing. "There is a lot that Charlie Sheen may believe is private and personal, and all that would come out as would the secret sauce of how Warner Bros.

Johnny Galecki seeks to be average. The star of "The Big Bang Theory" is seated outside a small Hollywood restaurant, talking about his longing to play ordinary, run-of-the-mill figures rather than the larger-than-life characters that actors and audiences sometimes embrace. "Guys like Dustin Hoffman and Jack Lemmon have always been my leading men," said the 36-year-old, leather jacket-clad actor, who minutes before was crushing the butt of a luxury cigarette with his scuffed combat boot.

A roundup of entertainment headlines for Friday. Chuck Lorre admits that the Charlie Sheen debacle is getting him down. Dude needs some tiger blood. ( Los Angeles Times ) Last week, Casey Abrams got a save on "American Idol. " This week, two people went home instead of one. Did he survive again? ( Los Angeles Times ) Stand down, "Mad Men" fans: Matt Weiner is back on the show and all systems are go. ( Los Angeles Times ) The traditional tourist tours of the stars' homes is taking a TMZ turn.

Chuck Lorre helped create what were once two of television's most popular comedies, CBS' "Cybill" and ABC's "Grace Under Fire." You'll see his name on the credits every week. What you won't see is Lorre, who lasted roughly a year on each show, quitting because of differences with "Grace" star Brett Butler and being fired by Cybill Shepherd. Before that, he was ousted from "Roseanne," a distinction he shares with a few dozen other writer-producers.

One of the most important rules of crisis communication is: If you are in a hole, stop digging. Charlie Sheen, however, has refused to put his shovel down since being fired by Warner Bros. from his starring role on the hit CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men. " Though he hasn't struck gold, he also hasn't buried himself alive — yet. On the surface, Sheen's rants of the last several weeks seem designed to lay the groundwork for an insanity defense. He talks of being a "warlock" and having "tiger blood" and the "DNA of an Adonis.

Charlie Sheen suffered a legal setback in his fight against Warner Bros. and producer Chuck Lorre when his $100-million suit against the two was kicked to arbitration by a California Superior Court judge. Sheen, who was fired this year from his starring role on the CBS hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men," which is produced by the studio and Lorre, wanted to fight his termination in front of a jury. Warner and Lorre argued that a clause in Sheen's contract stipulates that an arbitrator be used to resolve contract disputes.

Charlie Sheen, Warner Bros. Television and "Two and a Half Men" co-creator Chuck Lorre have officially made peace and settled their legal differences. Sheen has been at odds with the studio and Lorre since early this year after Warner Bros. shut down production of the CBS sitcom to force Sheen to seek treatment for substance abuse issues. Warner Bros. later fired the actor after he publicly criticized the studio and Lorre. Although none of the parties would comment on the deal, last week the Los Angeles Times reported that Sheen would receive $25 million to settle the matter.

CBS is down to one and a half men. Charlie Sheen, star of the network's hit show "Two and a Half Men," was thrown off the show Monday afternoon by Warner Bros., the studio that produces the situation comedy. The move to fire Sheen follows several weeks of highly public and vituperative battling by the actor against CBS, Warner Bros. and "Two and a Half Men" co-creator Chuck Lorre. In a letter to Sheen's lawyer outlining its reasons for his dismissal, Warner Bros. charged that the actor's "erratic behavior" undermined production and said his tabloid lifestyle ?

Charlie Sheen, Warner Bros. Television and "Two and a Half Men" co-creator Chuck Lorre have officially made peace and settled their legal differences. Sheen has been at odds with the studio and Lorre since early this year after Warner Bros. shut down production of the CBS sitcom to force Sheen to seek treatment for substance abuse issues. Warner Bros. later fired the actor after he publicly criticized the studio and Lorre. Although none of the parties would comment on the deal, last week the Los Angeles Times reported that Sheen would receive $25 million to settle the matter.

Charlie Sheen and Warner Bros. are finalizing a multimillion-dollar settlement that would end one of the ugliest public battles ever between a major star and a Hollywood studio. Sheen, who had been feuding with Warner Bros. after being fired from his starring role on the CBS hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men" in March, will receive about $25 million to settle the dispute, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because the negotiations are confidential.

Charlie Sheen suffered a legal setback in his fight against Warner Bros. and producer Chuck Lorre when his $100-million suit against the two was kicked to arbitration by a California Superior Court judge. Sheen, who was fired this year from his starring role on the CBS hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men," which is produced by the studio and Lorre, wanted to fight his termination in front of a jury. Warner and Lorre argued that a clause in Sheen's contract stipulates that an arbitrator be used to resolve contract disputes.

CBS Corp. is gliding into this month's advertising sales season buoyed by a robust market and just a few holes to plug in the broadcast network's prime-time schedule. The big question mark is whether CBS' top-rated comedy, "Two and a Half Men," returns to anchor the network's lineup after the high-profile firing of the show's erratic star, Charlie Sheen. The program's creator, Chuck Lorre, and Warner Bros. Television have been mulling over concepts to try to keep the series alive.

One of the most important rules of crisis communication is: If you are in a hole, stop digging. Charlie Sheen, however, has refused to put his shovel down since being fired by Warner Bros. from his starring role on the hit CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men. " Though he hasn't struck gold, he also hasn't buried himself alive — yet. On the surface, Sheen's rants of the last several weeks seem designed to lay the groundwork for an insanity defense. He talks of being a "warlock" and having "tiger blood" and the "DNA of an Adonis.

A roundup of entertainment headlines for Friday. Chuck Lorre admits that the Charlie Sheen debacle is getting him down. Dude needs some tiger blood. ( Los Angeles Times ) Last week, Casey Abrams got a save on "American Idol. " This week, two people went home instead of one. Did he survive again? ( Los Angeles Times ) Stand down, "Mad Men" fans: Matt Weiner is back on the show and all systems are go. ( Los Angeles Times ) The traditional tourist tours of the stars' homes is taking a TMZ turn.

So now we know. If you are the star of a hit comedy on CBS, you can keep your job in spite of accusations of: threatening your pregnant second wife; holding a knife to your third wife's throat on Christmas Day; and indulging in cocaine-fueled weekends during which your bizarre behavior causes your female companion to fear for her life. But say mean things about Chuck Lorre and You Are Toast. It is difficult to feel anything but relief regarding CBS' recent decision to officially halt production of its hit comedy "Two and a Half Men. " A crazed Charlie Sheen once again took to the radio airwaves this week, this time to denounce the show's creator, whom the troubled actor accused of stealing from him. Within hours, CBS and Warner Bros.

Not content to simply broadcast "Sheen's Korner" from Sober Valley Lodge, Charlie Sheen has announced that he's going out on the road with a live tour called "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option Show. " Sheen tweeted that he'll kick off the tour on April 2 at Fox Theatre Detroit. Under "show details," Ticketmaster lists a description that reads in part: "This IS where you will hear the REAL story from the Warlock. Bring it. I dare you to keep up with me. " This has been an eventful week for the actor, who was axed from CBS' "Two and a Half Men," filed a $100-million lawsuit against Warner Bros.

Charlie Sheen's $100-million lawsuit against the studio that fired him from "Two and a Half Men" could take the public behind the scenes of the hit television show and beyond the nonstop airing of Hollywood's dirty laundry. The wrongful-termination suit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, threatens to pull the curtain from the financial secrets behind the show and provide a glimpse of Tinseltown's wheeling and dealing. "There is a lot that Charlie Sheen may believe is private and personal, and all that would come out as would the secret sauce of how Warner Bros.