A hit sitcom created by Chuck Lorre. The star of the sitcom becomes an addict. Clashes between the star and Lorre.. The show has several shutdowns as the star seeks help. Finally the show is cancelled despite the fact the network still wants it.
While similar to the path of Charlie Sheen and "Two and a Half Men," it’s actually the story of Brett Butler and "Grace Under Fire," as reported by our friend Michael Schneider in TV Guide.
Writes Schneider: "Charlie Sheen may think that he’s winning, but Brett Butler knows he’s fighting a losing battle. It was 13 years ago that ABC and producers Carsey-Werner opted to pull the plug on Butler’s hit sitcom, ‘Grace Under Fire,’ after deciding that her addiction to painkillers left her in no condition to continue working. Now living on a farm in Georgia and celebrating 12 years of sobriety, Butler says she’s still aghast at the events that led to her show’s demise — and surprised to be alive."
The article notes, Butler "adds that she wasn’t on the hard stuff (like crack or needles), and that she never lost sight of the fact that she was an addict. (In comparison, Sheen has told interviewers in recent weeks that he doesn’t believe he has a problem.) Eventually, the show had to endure several shutdowns as she got help."
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The networks and audiences are fascinated with the bold personalities of people like Brett and Charlie. Chuck Lorre has a track record of creating funny vehicles to display them.
The need to continually perform up expectation can be difficult for these types. There is a long list of those that have succumbed to this pressure.