Richard Wilkins under fire for his hosting of Charlie Sheen event
RICHARD Wilkins has been blasted for his hosting of a live in conversation event with Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen. Fans hit out at the veteran Channel 9 entertainment reporter, accusing him of being “disorganised” with “poor” questions.
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RICHARD Wilkins has been blasted for his hosting of a live in conversation event with Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen.
Fans hit out at the 64-year-old veteran Channel 9 entertainment reporter, accusing him of being “disorganised” with “poor” questions at An Evening with Charlie Sheen Hosted by Richard Wilkins.
One person who attended the Sydney show on Sunday night wrote on Twitter: “Richard Wilkins looked as though he didn’t prepare well as the questions were poor. Charlie did his best to elaborate on very simple questions. Not worth the money paid, not Charlie’s fault.”
Another commented: “Charlie Sheen wasn’t the problem. It was the interviewing by Richard Wilkins. He was disorganised and the questions he chose to ask Charlie from the audience had already been discussed showing he didn’t read script.”
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At one point, the 53-year-old even had to correct Wilkins when he incorrectly referred to the Apocalypse Now (which Sheen’s father starred in) director as Oliver Stone, instead of Francis Ford Coppola.
It’s not the first time Wilkins has been accused of not doing his research. Early this year, singer Dua Lipa called out Wilkins on Twitter after he questioned how the model turned singer had been in LA to film Jimmy Kimmel when she had been on bed rest in Australia.
“If you were a good journalist you would’ve done proper research instead of talking out of your a**,” the singer wrote on Twitter to her 1.7 million followers.
“Jimmy Kimmel was shot in Feb. in La and aired yesterday. I’ve been in Australia on bed rest and wouldn’tve cancelled my Bruno shows unless I had to.”
It had been a busy weekend for the Today Show entertainment reporter who also attended Derby Day at Flemington on Saturday, as well as hosting both of Sheen’s live shows — one in Melbourne on Saturday night and in Sydney on Sunday evening.
Wilkins’ manager Ralph Carr told The Daily Telegraph: “Both shows were unqualified successes and the fans loved hearing the Charlie Sheen stories of his colourful life …
Charlie enjoyed talking to Richard Wilkins very much who was totally prepared and professional as usual.”
Any suggestion that Richard was unprepared is complete mischievous nonsense
As promised though, no topic was off limits with Sheen at Sydney’s International Convention Centre with the actor offering insight into his early life, his battle with HIV, his time on Two and a Half Men and details into what led to his infamous meltdown in 2011. He even offered advice to a young man about to turn 21 saying “no tattoos … no crack … and get a vasectomy before you’re 40.”
Sheen’s visit to Australia was clouded by controversy before he even arrived in the country. A campaign by activist group Collective Shout called for Sheen’s Australian visa to be revoked due to his previous convictions for violence against women. Husband of murdered Melbourne woman Jill Meagher also spoke out against the Two and a Half Men star’s visit, labelling Sheen as a “violent criminal” and a “dangerous creep.”
With tickets to An Evening with Charlie Sheen Hosted by Richard Wilkins started at $195, with VIP tickets which included a meet and greet and photo with Sheen were sold for $1500.