'Parks and Recreation' boss explains why Rob Lowe can't replace Charlie Sheen
'Two and a Half Men' needs to find an actor who's not under contract to another series
Rob Lowe as Chris on "Parks and Recreation."
Reporting in the internet age - particularly entertainment reporting - often turns into one elaborate, silly game of Telephone. The need for content now-now-now gives legs to stories that should have remained seated, lets rumors be treated as fact and makes even facts seem somewhat questionable. For a perfect case in point, go read Dan Shanoff's amusing/scary investigation into how the "news" of Brett Favre being considered for the latest "Dancing with the Stars" cast spread.
I don't know that the rumors of Rob Lowe being in contention to replace Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men" started the same way - Chris Connelly, for instance, first suggested it on Bill Simmons' podcast a week or so ago - but they've spread to the point where even Sheen himself is commenting on what his old pal Lowe might want to do with the gig.
At last night's Paley Festival event for the series, co-creator Mike Schur said he was "extremely optimistic" about renewal. After the Paley session, I e-mailed him to ask for a clarification on Lowe's status, and he wrote back:
"It's complete gibberish. Maybe it was just a case of people tossing around names and then the internet spun it way out of control, but whatever the case: Rob is a full-time cast member, he has a multi-year contract, we love him, end of (non)story."
So there you go. Resume partying.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupZach L
March 10, 2011 at 11:42AM EST Reply to CommentThanks for the post. i did a double take last week when Connelly brought the idea up on Simmons podcast. I kept waiting for either of them to talk about Parks and Rec, and the show was never broached, so its a shame that it seems like neither of them watch the funniest show on television. At least they didn't bring up the idea of Joel McHale or Timothy Olyphant taking over the show as well.
March 10, 2011 at 1:31PM ESTLiz
March 10, 2011 at 12:00PM EST Reply to CommentRats. Just getting a black box where the video should be. Wonder if it's Firefox acting up.
bad dad Update your flash. Then reboot.
March 10, 2011 at 1:31PM ESTRemember the (read this in) Canadian Computer Rule:
When in doubt, reboot.
Mark Ironically, if you're in Canada, rebooting won't help because we can't access Hulu.
March 10, 2011 at 1:34PM ESTDezbot
March 10, 2011 at 12:05PM EST Reply to CommentAubrey Plaza wants Charlie Sheen to play Mayor Gunderson on P&R. She was kidding...or was she? :-)
Amy Poehler did say, non-jokingly, that she thinks Bill Murray would be a great choice to play the Mayor, and an audience member suggested Jim Gaffigan, to which the cast was receptive. Also, for the rest of you P&R fans: the upcoming Harvest Festival episode is HILARIOUS. Won't give anything away, but will say that you will definitely all enjoy it :-)
Jason Potapoff Clearly Adam West should play the mayor.
March 10, 2011 at 12:33PM ESTBriand Not sure how well Sheen would mix with this cast, but getting him as the mayor would be a huge boost ratings-wise for the show. If that meant we gets more seasons of the best comedy on TV, it would completely be worth it. Not that this is actually as possibility or anything.
March 10, 2011 at 12:51PM ESTBunny Colvin Would anyone like to play Stratego? I have Stratego.
March 10, 2011 at 12:53PM EST
March 10, 2011 at 4:18PM ESTjoel
March 10, 2011 at 12:07PM EST Reply to CommentAlan, any idea if video from the Paley Festival event will be available on-line anywhere? I'd love to see the discussion.
March 10, 2011 at 4:18PM ESTsepinwall There are now some highlights here:
March 10, 2011 at 4:29PM ESThttp://www.paleycenter.org/collection-screening-room?bcpid=7367250300
Dezbot Wonder if they'll put up the part where Offerman talks about working with his wife. It was funny, but profane.
March 10, 2011 at 7:23PM ESTLeah
March 10, 2011 at 12:35PM EST Reply to CommentI don't see the video either, in Firefox or Chrome. There is just a big white space about the size of a video window.
loretta
March 10, 2011 at 12:55PM EST Reply to CommentI did have a panic moment where I wondered, with the constant talking of this rumor, if Lowe might indeed jump ship. (I knew he was under contract, but didn't know what kind of escape clauses the contract might contain.) Thanks for quashing the rumor.
sepinwall
March 10, 2011 at 1:07PM EST Reply to CommentI had a couple of friends in various settings and various operating systems load this post, and all said that the Hulu embed eventually loaded, but it took some of them a while. (Which happens on occasion with Hulu.) So unless you're in an office that blocks Hulu, or else in another country where it's geo-blocked, the video should load sooner or later.
alynch
March 10, 2011 at 1:13PM EST Reply to CommentSo do TV contracts typically not have any sort of buyout clause?
tripllle
March 10, 2011 at 1:22PM EST Reply to CommentThis may have had something to do with him playing around on twitter the other night too..."Robloweprofile: On Spring break with the family, my Two Men are running me ragged! They just go, 24-7." ... but then ... "Robloweprofile: Now taking the boys to the Parks And Recreation will be the goal!"
Johnny Leary
March 10, 2011 at 3:40PM EST Reply to CommentMike Schur (Ken Tremendous) was on the Jonah Keri Podcast last week. If you've got an hour to spare, it's an interesting listen. They talk about Parks & Rec, Ron Swanson, social media, the Internet and Fire Joe Morgan among other things.
http://jonahkeri.com/2011/03/07/podcast-29/
ParksNRecLuvr
March 10, 2011 at 5:21PM EST Reply to CommentSo is this show on the bubble for next year? I don't follow ratings, so I don't know if the ratings are good. It's certainly in my top 3 favorite shows on TV nowadays, but then, Im no Neilsen. Maybe I'm skittish from years of Chuck, but it makes me real nervous when stars and show runners talk about "if we get renewed next year".
Dezbot Mike Schur & Greg Daniels said last night that most shows don't get renewed until May, and that they weren't worrying about it yet. When Schur said Lowe was locked up with them for years, though, he sounded very confident about it, like he knew they were coming back. That could just be my hopeful interpretation, though.
March 10, 2011 at 7:21PM ESTMatt W
March 10, 2011 at 6:32PM EST Reply to Comment"Ann Perkins!" - Chris
You CANNOT take him off P&R. One of the best characters on TV right now.
Kapellmeisters STOP. POOPING.
March 11, 2011 at 10:13AM ESTChrissy
March 11, 2011 at 2:51PM EST Reply to CommentI don't love the show quite as much as Alan, but I do love Rob Lowe on it. He has really created a comic character who is both odd as heck and recognizably human. I've never seen Two and a Half Men, but I can say with 99% certainty that his talents would be utterly wasted.
I actually had no idea Lowe was a regular on P&R, I thought the last episode was a bit of a goodbye. I'm definitely more likely to keep watching if he's going to remain.