Charlie and Martin Sheen

This has nothing to do with the Bay Area journalism scene, but we thought we’d pass along a link to a remarkable column in the main Chinese Communist Party newspaper, Global Times, and its take on Charlie Sheen. The point of the column is that the Sheen controversy would have never happened in China because of their superior culture. In the second to the last graf, the editorial says:

He ignored his own father’s advice to keep quiet, who was once the president of the US. Sheen is a disgrace, unfilial to his father and his fatherland.

Well, Martin Sheen did play the president on “The West Wing.”

Other quotes from this column:

Sheen attracted 1 million Twitter followers in just 24 hours, yet more evidence that microblogs spread the most unhealthy contagions in society like a disease. Chinese family, coworkers, or the authorities would have taken firm steps to make sure someone like Sheen did not make a public spectacle of himself. … 

His employers are unhappy that he was distracted with prostitutes and drugs, and didn’t show up to work on time. Why not take a tip from the Chinese business community, and make visits to a KTV parlor part of Sheen’s workday? 

And instead of epic parties at his home with porn stars, why not keep Sheen occupied with business banquets? 

Sheen goes on television and boasts that he has two girlfriends, who both sleep in the same bedroom. Is he too poor to set up his wives and mistresses in different houses?

Global Times concludes by advising readers that “Racism, spousal abuse, addiction, politics, mental illness, boasting about mistresses — these are all subjects best dealt with behind closed doors.”