Sheen

Charlie Sheen has a job again. And he's pals with ex-wife Denise Richards again. And he's drinking again. But the best news? He's no longer in "total denial. " There's "winning," and then there's winning. "Clearly, a guy gets fired, his relationships are in the toilet, he's off on some ... tour, there's nothing 'winning' about any of that," he tells Rolling Stone , a magazine whose cover he'd coveted since age 14. "I mean, how does a guy who's obviously quicksanded, how does he consider any of it a victory?

Martin Sheen was a struggling 21-year-old stage actor when his first son Emilio was born. Sheen, seventh of 10 children in a family that knew him as Ramon Antonio Gerardo Estevez instead of his stage name, was more accustomed to having siblings than being a father. He felt more like a brother to Emilio, and that dynamic has defined their relationship to this day. In their new memoir, "Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and Son," the two examine the nature of their relationship and the ways it formed and has informed both of their lives.

“The West Wing” hasn't aired a new episode in years, but actor Martin Sheen still delivers that TV president's punch in a new ad against the GOP's plans to change Medicare. The Democratic-run effort is part of the budget battle playing out in Congress this week - and the campaign trail in the months to come - as the House GOP prepares to double-down on a proposal to dramatically alter the health program from seniors. “What is their goal?” asks Sheen, speaking intently into the camera.

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.

Patrice O'Neal, 41, a veteran stand-up comic who gained a wider following through TV and radio and helped roast Charlie Sheen in September, died Tuesday from complications of a stroke he suffered last month. O'Neal's manager, Jonathan Brandstein, said he died at a New York-area hospital. O'Neal grew up in Boston and started his stand-up career there. He appeared on Conan O'Brien and David Letterman's late-night TV shows and was a frequent guest on the "Opie & Anthony" radio show on Sirius XM. His performance was a highlight of the Comedy Central roast of Sheen, who had been fired from the hit CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men. " O'Neal had half-hour specials on Showtime and HBO and was the host of "Web Junk 20" on VH1. He also acted in the TV series "Arrested Development," "Chappelle's Show" and "The Office.

Television personality Brooke Mueller has sold the gated Los Feliz home she once shared with her ex-husband, Charlie Sheen , for an undisclosed amount. The buyer is actor Simon Helberg of "The Big Bang Theory. " The restored 4,179-square-foot villa has four bedrooms and 41/2 bathrooms. A fountain stands in the tiled front courtyard of the Mediterranean-style home, built in 1927. Inside, the dramatic two-story entry has wood floors and a vaulted ceiling. The step-down living room features a fireplace and wood-beamed ceiling.

Television personality Brooke Mueller has sold the gated Los Feliz home she once shared with her ex-husband Charlie Sheen for an undisclosed amount. The buyer is actor Simon Helberg of "The Big Bang Theory. " The restored 4,179-square-foot villa has four bedrooms and 41/2 bathrooms. A fountain stands in the tiled front courtyard of the Mediterranean-style home, built in 1927. Inside, the dramatic two-story entry has wood floors and a vaulted ceiling. The step-down living room features a fireplace and wood-beamed ceiling.

Millions of us will gather in just a few days to observe a ritual that some have been anticipating all year. We'll spend our savings, experience a sugar rush and garb ourselves in garments inspired by our favorite characters. We'll dress up like Angry Birds or march around in tracksuits in an attempt to channel Sue Sylvester or we'll don a winged helmet à la Captain America. We are, of course, talking about Halloween, a holiday that will be celebrated by more than 160 million Americans, according to the National Retail Federation, which also predicts that we'll spend almost $7 billion on merchandise, $1.2 billion of that for costumes.

Here is a comparison of some of the different washes that can be used for pretzels: Lye: This is the classic pretzel wash that creates a rich brown sheen with thin crust. To make enough wash for one batch of pretzels, dissolve 1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) food-grade lye in 1 quart of warm water (add the lye to the water, not the other way around). Wear gloves and goggles while using this wash; lye is caustic and can burn if it comes into contact with your skin or eyes. Place the wash in a shallow glass baking dish and dip the pretzels for about 10 seconds on each side to coat.

The other day I was sitting at a local bar catching a game of football with a friend. The bartender handed us a bowl of pretzels. Noshing on a few over a beer, I got to thinking. I can't remember the last time I had a really great pretzel. Freshly puffed and temptingly aromatic, they're the ones with the deep brown sheen that — if you're lucky — you get still warm, the large specks of salt catching the light just so as they're slid out of the oven. Chance upon a good bakery at the right time, and you might be able to snag one. But homemade?