Awkward! New Two and a Half Men star Ashton Kutcher comes face to face with predecessor Charlie Sheen for the first time

By ANITA BENNETT


Uncomfortable: Ashton Kutcher looks at the floor as he chats to a magnanimous Charlie Sheen at the Emmys tonight


This is the moment that new Two and a Half Men star Ashton Kutcher came face-to-face with his controversial, yet undeniably illustrious predecessor at the Emmy Awards tonight.

Entourage star Jeremy Piven captured the incredible meeting that took place backstage at the star-studded event held at the Nokia theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.

Sheen took to his Twitter, too, of course, and wrote: 'Giving the new kid a little advice..! With @aplusk backstage at the Emmy's...,' under his own picture.

But it's Piven's snapshot that managed to capture how awkward the meeting actually was.

No posed up scene could convey 33-year-old Kutcher's unease as Charlie, 46, tails off from a smiling tirade about his glory days to look at his feet.

Indeed, Kutcher's segment with Jon Cryer in the ceremony was lacking somewhat in bite after the older man, who has baited Kutcher so publicly, gave a humble, heartfelt speech.

In a move that was clearly planned to get the audience talking, current Two and a Half Men stars Cryer and Kutcher took to the Emmy stage moments after Charlie walked away.

'This just happens!: Entourage star Jeremy Piven tweeted the fascinating snap


The two poked fun at Charlie with Cryer opening their bit by joking: 'Hello, I'm that guy from Pretty in Pink.'

Then Kutcher chimed in saying: 'I am not Charlie Sheen', as he looked at Cryer he added: 'Jon, I want to tell you something. I do not think that you are a troll,' referring to a insult Charlie levied at his former co-star a few months ago.

But both they and the audience had been wrong-footed by the sincere, and incredibly sad words from the man who once branded himself a 'warlock.'

Juxtaposed with this contrite monologue, their routine almost seemed like a cheap dig - proving that Sheen still knows how to steal a show when you least expect it.

Charlie, who was a surprise Emmy presenter, took the stage and offered a heartfelt good luck message to the cast and crew of the series from which he was dramatically fired.

Surprise: Charlie Sheen was only recently tapped to be an Emmy presenter, although there are reports his ex-boss, Chuck Lorre, wanted him removed from the awards show line up

The embattled Hollywood star presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, which he called 'my old category.'

Then he stunned the audience when he declared: 'I want to take a moment to get something off my chest and say a few words to everybody at Two and a Half Men.'

The star said: 'From the bottom of my heart, I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season.

'We spent eight wonderful years together and I know you will continue to make great television.'

It's been widely reported that Fox and the producers of the Emmy telecast were pressured by Two and a Half Men show runner Chuck Lorre to drop Charlie from the awards show line up.

While Fox refused to cave in to Lorre's reported demands, it's natural he would have misgivings about Charlie after the star branded him 'a little worm' and used several other choice words to describe the TV exec, earlier this year.

Jim Parsons, whose series, The Big Bang Theory, is also produced by Lorre, won in the category that Charlie presented.

Contrite: Charlie offered a heartfelt message to the cast and crew of Two and a Half men, wishing them luck with their new season


The two actors hugged, then Parsons said: 'This is so odd for so many reasons.'

Six months ago Charlie was fired by Warner Brothers from his role on Two and a Half Men.

A short time later, he launched an extraordinary tirade against Lorre during a broadcast on his internet TV show, Sheen's Korner.

During one episode of the web series, the star declared war on his old TV bosses in a rambling soliloquy.

Then he said about his famous firing: 'A high treason has occurred. The scales of justice are in a state of radical disarray,' adding: 'We must right this infantile wrong... see you all on the battlefield soon'.

In May, after it was announced that Ashton Kutcher would be joining Two and a Half Men, Charlie had even more to say.

And the winner is: Charlie prepares to open the envelope revealing who would receive the outstanding lead actor in a comedy series award

ongratulations: Charlie hands Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory his Emmy Award

Awkward: Parson's, whose show is also produced by Chuck Lorre, accepts a hug from Charlie


He told TMZ: 'Kutcher is a sweetheart and a brilliant comedic performer... Oh wait, so am I!!'

'Enjoy planet Chuck, Ashton,' he added, referring to the show's creator and his nemesis, Chuck Lorre. 'There is no air, laughter, loyalty, or love there.'

Charlie also predicted a steep drop in the ratings, adding: 'Enjoy the show America. Enjoy seeing a 2.0 in the demo every Monday, WB.'

But last week the controversial Hollywood veteran changed his tune. He admitted he would be open to returning to the show, during a candid interview with Matt Lauer on the Today Show.

He even voiced his support for his replacement, Ashton Kutcher, whose first episode airs tomorrow (Monday) night.

'If they thought that was a good idea, then I am completely open for that,' Charlie said about a possible cameo on the show which is relaunching after a summer long reboot.

Perfect timing: The current stars of Two and a Half Men took stage moments after Charlie walked away and they couldn't help but poke fun at the controversial actor


The new season is set to begin with a funeral service for Sheen's character Charlie Harper, who has been killed off.

But Sheen insists that despite his character being 'dead' there is still an opportunity to return.

'There was no body at the funeral, there was no urn.'

The actor has been doing the rounds of the chat shows to promote his roast, which airs on Comedy Central tomorrow night.




source: dailymail