Debmar-Mercury is talking to Charlie Sheen about starring in a sitcom that would likely follow the "Tyler Perry" model of sitcom production and distribution. No deal has yet been signed, however; no executive producer or production staff has been hired and Debmar-Mercury hasn't officially taken the project out to any prospective buyers.
Radar Online first reported Monday that such a deal was in the works. Radar said that Lionsgate, which owns a large stake of Debmar-Mercury, would produce, although Debmar-Mercury operates independently from Lionsgate. Radar also reported that TBS was the lead bidder, although sources say that speculation is premature.
Debmar-Mercury has produced several sitcoms using the model that they first created with producer, writer and star Tyler Perry. Perry wrote and produced the first ten episodes of House of Payne, which was then tested on TV stations. The test ratings were strong, encouraging basic cable network TBS to sign on for 90 more episodes. Since then, TBS has acquired two more Perry-originated sitcoms: Meet the Browns and For Better or Worse. Debmar-Mercury also sold Ice Cube and Joe Roth's Are We There Yet? to TBS using that model.
Sheen was the star of CBS' hit sitcom Two and a Half Men until he went on a very public rant against show creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre. Sheen was fired from the show in March; Warner Bros. and CBS hired actor Ashton Kutcher to take his place in May. Since then, Sheen has been on a live tour of the U.S., which has been received with mixed reviews.
