In a guest-star role that hit a touch too close to home, Lindsay Lohan’s appearance in “Anger Management” this week received mixed reviews from critics and viewers. Charlie Sheen, the show’s leading star, didn’t help matters with his appearance on the “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” where the actor confirmed that Lohan showed up 4 hours late to work and took items from the set.
Lindsay Lohan guest-starred in an episode of “Anger Management,” which aired April 12. In the episode, Lohan plays herself, a scandal-plagued actress who hires Charlie Goodson, played by Sheen, to be her anger management therapist. The episode was filled with tongue-in-cheek references to drugs, alcohol, sex, and shoplifting – in other words, issues that have notoriously plagued the actress in real life. Some critics noted that the numerous on-camera jokes, set against the backdrop of Lohan’s very recent and ongoing real-life legal troubles, made the humor feel distasteful and ill-timed.
Charlie Sheen appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” to discuss his experience working with the actress. He accused Lohan of holding the crew “hostage” by showing up to the set four hours late on her second day of work. Sheen also addressed rumors that the actress had stolen props without asking, an accusation that would not have been out of the question, given the actress’ 2011 jewelry theft conviction. When asked by Leno, the actor clarified that Lohan had “borrowed some stuff” from the set and agreed to have the cost of the items deducted from her paycheck. While Sheen made a point of praising Lohan’s comedic timing and noting that Lohan’s work was “fabulous” on her first day on set, his “Tonight Show” appearance certainly didn’t help Lohan’s reputation as an irresponsible and professionally unreliable actress.
After a promising start in family-friendly fare like “The Parent Trap” and “Freaky Friday,” the former childhood star has been beset by a DUI, multiple stints in rehab, and a variety of other legal troubles, including a 2011 conviction for jewelry theft and a 2012 charge of assault, reckless driving, and lying to police. Within the span of a few years, she has developed a reputation for being something of a loose cannon – both off-screen and on the set. Lohan’s appearance in “Anger Management” this week coincided with the opening of “Scary Movie 5” which she and Sheen appear in together. The B-list movie represents the limited pool of work that the actress is now able to acquire, with most directors unwilling to take the risk of bringing her on. Lohan will soon be beginning a court-ordered in-patient stay at another rehab facility.