April 4, 2011 | 12:44 pm

Charlie Sheen: Booed in Detroit, Standing O in Chicago

Posted by Misha Henckel

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Charlie Sheen’s My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option tour is off, and well, after a disastrous start, improving. So with 18 cities to go, can this actually work out for him?

After bombing in Detroit, where the fans booed him off the stage, Sheen regrouped, reformatted the show and received a standing ovation at the second stop, Chicago. Surprised? I know most people, after Detroit, felt that this was it! This entire ridiculous farce was over, and Charlie would cancel the tour and head back to California to lick his wounds and binge away whatever little is left of his life.

This may well, still play out. But suppose it doesn’t? What if the ego in him is greater than the addict? Having thrown down the gauntlet on himself making “defeat really not an option” he might just be forced to deal with reality. Finally!

It could happen. The male ego is a powerful thing. For many men, not failing is the driving force in their lives. It’s not about winning, it’s about not failing. Winning? Who knows what that is? We can spin anything into “winning, duh!” But for a guy, failure - that is very real and it can sting. And the fear of failure is even worse than the failure itself.

After Detroit, Charlie was probably looking down a dark chute, for the first time in his life, peering into the abyss. That Detroit crowd may accomplish what no one in Charlie’s life has ever done. Staring failure in the face, his ego screaming, “defeat, really is not an option!” shocked and shamed at the possibility that all his ridiculous claims may come to nothing, he may wake up and decide to finally grow up. He may realize that it is in his best interest to clean up his act. To go get some help, for real, this time.

And who wouldn’t want to see that happen? Even in the midst of all the craziness, he still somehow maintains a likeability that is quite remarkable. I’m thinking even the so called “Trolls” would feel a twinge of happiness should Charlie turn his life around.

I guess we will see… Next stop Cleveland, Tuesday.