"Charlie Sheen-itis"

Most of us by now have watched at least one episode of the popular TV show that highlights two men and their (now grown) son/nephew. You know the one: The uncle is a caricature of the playboy, a jingle-writer whose dictionary doesn't reference the word "commitment" and who loses days at a time while overindulging in, well, just about everything there is to wallow in. Women, alcohol, gambling......you  name it, he jumps in and might not come up for air until the booze runs out or the woman does.

Charlie has come close a couple of times. Meaning to a WEDDING, not some satanic ritual where everyone gets naked and shakes things at the full moon, although now that I think about it, there are some similarities. But, a glitch always appears that causes him to run for the door like he IS the centerpiece at some human sacrificial ceremony, leaving a beautiful woman at the alter wounded and bewildered.

Apparently the writers of the show are intelligent enough to take note of the fact that their lead character MUST be aging, especially since the nephew has literally become a young man on the set of this comedy....they can't hide that one with make up and spiky hair. So, occasionally they insert a throw-away line that proves that Charlies knows his jowls are a bit longer and his stamina leaves just a little to be desired.

This takes them into the media minefield of aging. They can't pin the "getting old" label on HIM too often or their audience will remote their way to MTV. So, they splash his women with dialogue that proves it can't be his inability to "keep up," even with sly references to those little blue pills. But my ears perked up one evening when Charlie and I were meandering through a half hour when he said, "Ewwwww! I'm not going to put my tongue in some 60 year old woman's mouth!" And his face was all screwed up in disgust as he swigged his vodka. Like women over 60 were so unappealing and OLD that he couldn't even say the words without gagging. 

I had to back the recorder up and play that segment again to make sure that's what he said. Yep, I heard right the second time, too. Let's think about this now:

Christine LahtiCristina Ferrare

  Jane Pauley Linda Thompson

Yes, these women are all over 60, folks.

But I think many men agree with Charlie on this false age-referenced distaste, based on my own experience with dating (or attempting such a hilarious thing) after 50. But that's a topic for another day.

Maybe Charlie just needs to keep better company. And the writers need to acknowledge the obvious....their lead character HAS to be knocking on the door of middle age. Soon it may be the women who can't imagine kissing him(or whatever...this IS an adult-themed show with plenty of the action taking place in his bedroom). Think what fun the writing team can have with THAT.