Chuck Lorre Speaks Out About Charlie Sheen: We Were Concerned Our Friend Was Gonna Die

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- As Two and a Half Men prepares to return to primetime after a headline-raising few months surrounding the firing of series star Charlie Sheen earlier this year, creator Chuck Lorre told Access Hollywood that the well documented, behind-the-scenes moves were always aimed at helping the actor. We were concerned with our friends well-being. That was the whole thing, Chuck told Access Hollywood as he celebrated Jon Cryers star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday. We were concerned our friend was gonna die, and everything we did was hopefully to keep that from happening. Cryer too paid a heartfelt tribute to Chuck and Two and a Half Men co-creator Lee Aronsohn in his Walk of Fame star speech, for helping Charlie out. I feel the need to thank Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn, who, when they saw somebody who clearly was in distress, took every possible means to try and help their friend and who when it came time to make the ultimate decision, which is some place that nobody wanted to go, did something thatin my belief, saved my friend Charlie Sheens life, Jon said on stage in Hollywood on Monday afternoon. And I am grateful to them it is an honor that I will never take for granted that I work in this industry. During the heated conflict between Sheen and Lorre earlier this year, Lorre often turned to expressing his emotions on his famous vanity cards, which come up at the end of every Two and a Half Men episode. But, when the show returns tonight at 9/8 C on CBS, Lorre told Access it wont be a freeze-it-and-read-it moment. I dont think itll be necessary, he said of hitting pause on the television. Its pretty simple. Lorre said hes also eager for fans to see the retooled show with Ashton Kutcher. I am beyond excited that its gonna air tonight. Please let it air already, he told Access. Its been a long time in gestation. Weve been working on it for months.Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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