Jon Cryer Defends Two and a Half Men Role After Rep. Matt Gaetz Says Charlie Sheen 'Carried' the Show
Alex Wong/Getty Images; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Jon Cryer, Matt Gaetz
Jon Cryer is defending his role on Two and a Half Men against Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
On Saturday, a Twitter fight ensued after Cryer, 55, shared a series of tweets criticizing the Republican congressman, 38, and announced that he was endorsing Gaetz's Democratic opponent, Phil Ehr.
"Rep. @mattgaetz invited a white supremacist to the State of the Union, attempted to intimidate a federal witness, and endorsed a sociopathic bigot who applauded the deaths of migrants for congress," Cryer wrote.
Gaetz, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, fired back at Cryer on Twitter, writing, "Charlie Sheen totally carried two and a half men."
Charlie Sheen totally carried two and a half men. https://t.co/bNxQ9EegY7
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) September 6, 2020
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But Cryer — who starred on all 12 seasons of the CBS sitcom — did not back down, responding to Gaetz, "Is that why, after he left, it lasted for 4 more years and I won an Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy?”
"What’s an Emmy? An award Hollywood gives itself? I win elections," Gaetz replied back.
In a follow-up tweet, Cryer explained that his rebuttal to Gaetz "wasn’t meant as a slam on Charlie."
"He was undeniably the star of the show. And a fantastic actor," he said of Sheen, 55. "Despite his issues, we had many more highs than lows. But you can’t say he 'carried' a show that lasted four years without him."
And FWIW, this wasn’t meant as a slam on Charlie.
He was undeniably the star of the show. And a fantastic actor. Despite his issues, we had many more highs than lows.
But you can’t say he “carried” a show that lasted four years without him.— Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) September 6, 2020
Two and a Half Men, which premiered in 2003, starred Cryer and Sheen as brothers Alan and Charlie, respectively. In January 2011, the show went on hiatus when Sheen entered rehab.
Shortly afterward, Sheen was infamously fired after a public meltdown that included insulting creator Chuck Lorre. The next season, Sheen’s character was killed off and replaced by Ashton Kutcher, who played a billionaire businessman and the buyer of Charlie’s house after his death.
The show concluded in 2015.
Cryer won two Primetime Emmy Awards (2009 and 2012) for his role on the show. Sheen was nominated four consecutive times for an Emmy (2006 to 2009) but never won.
Tony Esparza/CBS/Getty Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen
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During an appearance on PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing in April, Cryer said he only has fond memories of his time working with Sheen on the hit CBS sitcom — despite Sheen’s tumultuous exit from the show.
"Charlie and I just hit it off. We had a great first few years on that show,” he said. “It was incredibly smooth, we had a lovely time, it was working really well.”
