Exclusive

Charlie Sheen Compares New Show to Two and a Half Men: "It's Smarter!"

Anger Management star reveals why he had to come back to TV

By Jenna Mullins Mar 30, 2012 7:05 PMTags
E! Placeholder Image

When at first you don't succeed and you publicly crash and burn after getting fired from your super-successful TV show, try, try again. That's the saying right?

According to Charlie Sheen, yes! We caught up with the Anger Management star at FX's Upfronts presentation to talk about his new show, and how he compares his new gig to working on Two and a Half Men. Warning: he does mention "winning," and there are some fighting words ahead!

"It's just so nice to be in an environment that is all about having a good time, doing great work, making some new friends, seeing some old friends, and just giving the people what they want and having a ball doing it," Sheen tells us about his return to TV. "I could never understand on the other show—they were always so intense and I'm like, 'Guys, we're making a comedy. That's what the com stands for in sitcom.' I just never enjoyed it. We've shot two episodes already, we're doing two a week."

That "other show" he mentioned is of course, Two and Half Men, and with every glowing review of his current team, Sheen ever so cleverly disses his old gang.

"I'm surrounded by experts and I've got the best showrunner in the business," he says. "Now I'm part of a real, I hate to say it, but a winning team. Sorry. It's smarter."

To his credit, even Sheen was aware that his out-of-control spiral was not the best way to leave the business. " At the time I wasn't settled, so I felt like I should at least put a backup in place for my children in case this whole other thing goes bad," he says. "It is by choice. I just couldn't let that other thing be how it ended for me."

—Reporting by James Chairman

To hear more about how quickly Anger Management came together and Sheen comparing himself to Brett Favre (who wouldn't want to hear that?), watch our full interview above!

PHOTOS: Charlie Sheen: Quote Machine