DETROIT | Just minutes ago, Sheen finished (or so we’re led to believe) the first of many shows on his new “Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option” tour at the Fox Theatre in Downtown Detroit. Immediate feedback from attendees and those near the historic building on Woodward Avenue hint to just one word … disaster. It appears Sheen went into the Fox as a “winner” and left as anything but.
The mood shifted a full 180 degrees from 5:30 this evening where fans awaiting for the doors to open described the scene around Detroit as “electric.” Fans were touting the upcoming show as a “once in a lifetime” experience, flocking from all over the country to see the ex-Two and a Half Men star in action on opening night. Media from all over the world were in attendance, ready to report the ups (and apparently many downs) of tonight’s show.
Michigan natives Kelley Jean and Lisa Jacques, the pair who won local radio station WKQI’s promotion to sing “The Star Spangled Banner,” got to meet the show’s star during sound check earlier this evening. They told local newspaper, The Detroit Free Press, that Sheen was “such a cool character.” Jean “looked in his eye and could tell he’s really very genuine and friendly … and funny!” Sheen was apparently seen running around backstage looking over the night’s script, looking as if he genuinely cares about pleasing his fans. Many began to wonder if the story was more about the multitude of fans who showed up more than it was about the supposed man of the hour himself. Just minutes before the start of the show, Sheen tweeted, “”The moment of truth is upon us Detroit!! Do not fear … the Sheenius is here!” And that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. The torpedo reportedly went the wrong way.
After Sheen’s opening comic act, Kirk Fox, was booed off stage, Charlie made an earlier than planned appearance to calm the crowd in Detroit. Sheen noted, “This man is here to help, let him do so,” Sheen says. “I gotta change and do my hair. I’ll be right back.” That didn’t seem to help much, as Fox left the stage amid deafening booing before his act was even over. It seems, at that point, fans weren’t ready to give up on the Sheenius. The mood at the Fox Theatre lightened up, as fans got excited for the main event. Around 9pm, Sheen took to the stage wearing a Detroit Tigers jersey (fitting with his Tiger blood and all) with the name “Warlock” on the back. He was here and ready to “identify and train the Vatican assassin locked inside each and every one of you.” It didn’t take long for the crowd to quickly turn on the man with Adonis DNA. Just 30 minutes into the act, fans began to boo Sheen and left their seats to walk out of the theatre during a video clip showcasing a young Johnny Depp. The boos didn’t seem to bother Sheen much. His response? “I already got your money, dude!”
Sheen went on and decided it was a great time to not only mock the city he’s in but the people who live in it. Sheen declares he was going to “Tell some stories about crack. I figured Detroit was a good place to tell some crack stories. Show of hands who here has tried crack? I don’t do crack anymore, but this is a good f—ing night to do some crack.” It didn’t take long for even more people to leave their seats and walk out of the train wreck a sell-out crowd paid to see. The show continued to be filled with padding, mostly videos playing on the big screen, including bits and pieces from his 20/20 interview on ABC just weeks ago. Attendees noted that they saw more of videos than they saw of Sheen himself.
Promises of an appearance by Snoop Dogg proved to be full of nothing but air. Snoop Dogg was a no-show but those still in attendance were basically laughed at by Sheen, as Snoops new music video was going to premiere then and there. Oh boy, what a payoff, right? As 10:30 neared, more and more fans filtered out of the Fox Theatre, prompting Sheen to walk off stage, presumably cue music to drown out the booing crowd. The curtain was drawn and the house lights were turned up. Yup, that was it. Show’s over. He didn’t even say goodbye. Looks to me that this turned into the opposite of #Winning. The Torpedo of Truth has really spoken and it wasn’t a message the man with Tiger Blood probably wanted to share.
What do you think about Charlie’s opening show? Will this tour really last or will there be cancellations looming in the near future?
I say #Fad – Quickly fading.