Charlie Sheen

2011catchphraseclassic

Charlie Sheen refers to the actor's viral 2011 media blitz after he walked off Two and a Half Men, which spawned catchphrases like 'tiger blood' and 'winning,' the web show 'Sheen's Korner,' and a one-million Twitter follower run that Guinness recorded as the fastest at the time.

celebrity scandal memescatchphrase memesearly 2010s memesinterview memescelebrity reaction memes

Overview

Charlie Sheen refers to the Hollywood actor Carlos Irwin Estévez, whose February 2011 meltdown turned his interviews into one of the most quoted moments of early social-media culture1. After leaving the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men in a burst of publicity around drugs, partying and adult film stars, Sheen went on a media tour where fans recycled his lines into image macros and remix videos1.

The meme mashed his on-camera rants with older fan trivia, like the story Sheen told about MTV visiting his house when he was 14 because he was one of Britney Spears' biggest fans2. In slang usage, 'pulling a Charlie Sheen' is defined as a multi-day drug and alcohol binge3.

How It Spread

On March 1, 2011, Sheen joined Twitter as @CharlieSheen and hit one million followers in roughly 24 hours, which Guinness World Records called the fastest run to that milestone at the time. He streamed a home-brewed web show called 'Sheen's Korner' on March 5 to more than 100,000 viewers, then announced a live tour titled 'My Violent Torpedo of Truth / Defeat is Not an Option,' which opened at Detroit's Fox Theater on April 2, 20114.

Comedy Central aired the Roast of Charlie Sheen on September 20, 2011, opposite the new season premiere of Two and a Half Men. The lineup of roasters included Seth MacFarlane, Amy Schumer, William Shatner and Mike Tyson, and Sheen closed the night with 'I'm done with the winning cause I've already won'4.

In November 2015, Sheen disclosed his HIV status in interviews that revisited four years of blackmail and fear, extending the news cycle around him well past the original meme run1.

How to Use This Meme

Posts riffing on Charlie Sheen typically pair a smirking 2011 interview photo with the words 'tiger blood' or 'winning,' or use his name as a verb for hard partying, as in 'pulled a Charlie Sheen'3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Charlie Sheen

2011catchphraseclassic

Charlie Sheen refers to the actor's viral 2011 media blitz after he walked off Two and a Half Men, which spawned catchphrases like 'tiger blood' and 'winning,' the web show 'Sheen's Korner,' and a one-million Twitter follower run that Guinness recorded as the fastest at the time.

celebrity scandal memes catchphrase memes early 2010s memes interview memes celebrity reaction memes

Overview

Charlie Sheen refers to the Hollywood actor Carlos Irwin Estévez, whose February 2011 meltdown turned his interviews into one of the most quoted moments of early social-media culture1. After leaving the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men in a burst of publicity around drugs, partying and adult film stars, Sheen went on a media tour where fans recycled his lines into image macros and remix videos1.

The meme mashed his on-camera rants with older fan trivia, like the story Sheen told about MTV visiting his house when he was 14 because he was one of Britney Spears' biggest fans2. In slang usage, 'pulling a Charlie Sheen' is defined as a multi-day drug and alcohol binge3.

How It Spread

On March 1, 2011, Sheen joined Twitter as @CharlieSheen and hit one million followers in roughly 24 hours, which Guinness World Records called the fastest run to that milestone at the time. He streamed a home-brewed web show called 'Sheen's Korner' on March 5 to more than 100,000 viewers, then announced a live tour titled 'My Violent Torpedo of Truth / Defeat is Not an Option,' which opened at Detroit's Fox Theater on April 2, 20114.

Comedy Central aired the Roast of Charlie Sheen on September 20, 2011, opposite the new season premiere of Two and a Half Men. The lineup of roasters included Seth MacFarlane, Amy Schumer, William Shatner and Mike Tyson, and Sheen closed the night with 'I'm done with the winning cause I've already won'4.

In November 2015, Sheen disclosed his HIV status in interviews that revisited four years of blackmail and fear, extending the news cycle around him well past the original meme run1.

How to Use This Meme

Posts riffing on Charlie Sheen typically pair a smirking 2011 interview photo with the words 'tiger blood' or 'winning,' or use his name as a verb for hard partying, as in 'pulled a Charlie Sheen'3.

Frequently Asked Questions