Charlie Sheen Spoils ABC's 'Exclusive' by Talking to NBC's 'Today'
Last week radio listeners got more than an earful of Charlie Sheen's rantings and ravings, and now TV viewers can also get in on the act.It's been reported that the 'Two and a Half Men' star caused even more controversy over the weekend by giving interviews to not one but two TV networks, with the each racing the other to be the first to air this morning.
First, he sat down Saturday with ABC's Andrea Canning, in what the network said was "an exclusive" interview. ABC ran promos for it during last night's Oscars telecast, and planned to air the interview in segments of 'Good Morning America' Monday and Tuesday, with a one-hour special Tuesday night at 10PM ET.
But then he gave another interview, this time to NBC's Jeff Rossen, on Sunday. And in a move that The Hollywood Reporter says resulted in "apoplexy" over at ABC News, the rival network said it will air the interview during early segments of this morning's 'Today' show.
NBC execs described Rossen's interview with Sheen as "his first television interview since his contentious public comments against CBS" and Chuck Lorre. 'Today' executive producer, Tim Bell, tweeted Sunday that in the interview "Charlie Sheen demands [a] personal apology from 'Two and a Half Men' producer Chuck Lorre and CBS. Incredible stuff."
Meanwhile, an ABC spokesman said Sunday that their interview is also a "first," if not now an "exclusive": "Charlie Sheen assured us that we would be the only sit-down television interview this weekend, but he changed his mind ... He gave us the first interview, which was extensive and included tremendous access to his home, family and personal life."
NBC execs say that they haven't heard from their counterparts at ABC News, and Bell told The Los Angeles Times how 'Today' scooped its rival: "This was simply about hustle and hard work by our reporter Jeff Rossen. It's a terrific get ... Does spoiling the ABC 'exclusive' make it a little sweeter?" he added. "You bet it does."

2 Comments