Sheen bombs on opening night of tour

By Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY

DETROIT ?Charlie Sheen's first stop on his My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option tour took a giant nose-dive Saturday night.

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  By Richard Cartwright, AP

  "We're still working (stuff) out," Sheen said post-show. He's pictured here appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

By Richard Cartwright, AP

"We're still working (stuff) out," Sheen said post-show. He's pictured here appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

A packed crowd of beer-drinking fans at the Fox Theatre started out on Sheen's side, booing an opening stand-up comic almost immediately and chanting for "Char-lie! Char-lie!"

LIFELINE LIVE:�Read the real-time account of the show

When Sheen finally did come out, about 45 minutes after the 8 p.m. start time, the crowd cheered, giving him a roaring standing ovation. Goddesses Natalie Kenly and Rachel Oberlin wowed the crowd by kissing each other. Sheen won fans by changing into a Detroit Tigers baseball jersey. Asked backstage minutes before the show was to start if he was ready, Sheen said, "(Expletive) yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

But it went downhill, fast, after that.

Bringing a podium out and a presidential-looking seal that read Warlock States of Sheen, the former Two and a Half Men star gave a rambling speech, starting with "I am finally here to enlist and train the Vatican assassin in all of you." It included put-downs of both Thomas Jefferson and Sarah Palin.

When that bit went on too long, the crowd got restless.

He ran a video mash-up of his now-famous interviews, he offered to "tell stories about crack," he tried to take questions from the audience. Nothing worked. When someone asked about AA, he didn't answer. When someone asked about porn stars, he didn't come up with anything interesting. Finally a woman said she wanted a hug. She got that. But Sheen probably needed it as much as she did at that point.

At times, as the unruly crowd just would not stop yelling out at him, Sheen seemed angry. "Too bad. I already got your money," he snarled.

Finally, he simply ordered up some music and left the stage, never to come out again. The final offering was his new Winning video, featuring Snoop Dogg, not Sheen.

The house lights went up and most of the upset, angry and disappointed crowd left.

Fan reaction?

"Subpar," said Anthony Gabow of Detroit.

"It was horrible," said Kelly Huper of Bay City, Mich., adding "I'm so upset. I love Charlie Sheen."

"I expected to see more of Charlie Sheen and not just videos," said Allison Smits of Detroit. "I think we're all suckers."

But others blamed the audience. "I thought it was good. It was what I expected. It was Charlie Sheen," said Lori Caputo of Battle Creek, Mich. "I was disappointed in everybody booing."

When just about everyone had left, Sheen came back on the stage to take a final bow with the goddesses and music director Rob Patterson.

"It was an experience," Sheen said to about 50 people whom he called his "true" fans, and inviting them to come up close to the stage so he could shake hands. "We're working (stuff) out."

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