Cover Story: Denise Richards Finally Opens Up About Charlie Sheen's Hotel Meltdown
Credit: SGranitz/WireImage
It's been nearly nine months since Charlie Sheen trashed his hotel room and held a knife to porn star Capri Anderson's throat, but up until now, the details of that night have been kept largely under wraps. The actor's ex-wife Denise Richards -- who was with Sheen at New York's Plaza Hotel earlier that evening -- opens up about the actor's epic meltdown in the new issue of Us Weekly (out now).
PHOTOS: Charlie's most controversial moments
"Charlie invited me to this dinner with 'friends,' and once I realized what these women did for a living, I thought, 'It's one meal; you can suck it up and get through it,'" Richards, 40, recalls of dining with Sheen's porn star pals. "It's not my place to judge how they make a paycheck."
Richards goes into further detail in her new memoir, Real Girl Next Door (out now). "After I quieted [our daughters Sam, 7, and Lola, 6] down, I climbed into bed; I had to get up early for my press. About an hour later, I was awakened by sounds outside my door, including walkie-talkies, which is never a good sign," she writes. "A few minutes later, the cops showed up. Several officers went into Charlie's room, and a sergeant came into mine."
VIDEO: Charlie's wackiest TV interview ever
As the sergeant struggled to make sense of the situation ("Your ex-husband is staying in the room across the hall while you're in this room?" he asked Richards. "And you went to dinner with him and there were hookers there at the table?"), the actress kept her composure and told him everything she knew.
"Charlie was put into an ambulance, and I rode with the sergeant to the hospital, though I insisted I had to be back at 4:30 a.m.," she writes. "After making sure Charlie was stable and settled, the nice policeman gave me a ride back."
NEWS: Meet Denise's newborn daughter Eloise Joni!
Given her long, dramatic history with Sheen, 45, why does Richards continue to have a relationship with her ex? "I'll never cut off contact with Charlie," she tells Us. "He's my girls' dad. As they're older they'll deal with him how they can."
PHOTOS: Friendly Hollywood exes
"A lot of women can't relate to being married to Charlie Sheen or divorcing Charlie Sheen," she adds, "but they can relate to feeling sad, angry, scared and upset."
For much more on Richards' relationship with Sheen -- including their first date in 2001, how she finally found the courage to leave him in 2005, and much, much more -- pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, out Wednesday!
Tell Us What You Think
19I just read this article. None of it makes any sense. She didn't have to sit for one meal, or one minute with a table full of hook ers. Did they both happen to be in N.Y.? Why were they in the same hotel? She's not over him.....it's crazy. Yes, He's the children's dad, but don't you set limits on yourself? The kids weren't there for dinner. That's just weird.
Kay, never meant to post 3 times. Just didn't know how the US/FACEBOOK thing worked. Anyway, my point was of US making poor editorial decisions of what should be on this week's cover because so much is going on. It'd be in US's best interest to stay in-tuned, and not behind. Yes, celebs do what they need to do, as with Denise Richards. But US should be more credible and ahead of the game, if it wants to agressive compete.
Daniel, you made your point and it's not worth posting 3 times, ok. I believe the real issue is how celebs hold back on all they know until it's time to promote a book or movie. Denise is a great mom, but I'm not sure writing the book was a good idea, and seems like she's trying to cash in just like the goddess, I would have called her girlfriend, that posed in PB. Charlie doesn't seem to mind being used, because he keeps making the same mistakes over and over and over, I can go on but I will stop here.
Let's see. Amy Winehouse died. Kristin Cavallari got dumped. And the best you can do is give Winehouse a side headline? Way to be on top of things US WEEKLY. Furthermore, for a magazine that's hemmoraged readers over the last 3 years, I would think US MAGAZINE would do anything to make their print covers worth buying. LIFE & STYLE's trash, but at least they got bridal photos of Kristin Cavallari so quickly. And PEOPLE's number 1 for a reason, they go with the bleed, so it can lead. You can't tell me that US MAGAZINE lacks the resources and insight to stay ahead of the game, make Amy Winehouse a cover story, and another huge side story being Kristin Cavallari. But instead, you have Denise Richards, plus Bachelorette & J-Lo crap on the side, and Amy Winehouse in the middle of it all.
Let's see. Amy Winehouse died. Kristin Cavallari got dumped. And the best you can do is give Winehouse a side headline? Way to be on top of things US WEEKLY. Furthermore, for a magazine that's hemmoraged readers over the last 3 years, I would think US MAGAZINE would do anything to make their print covers worth buying. LIFE & STYLE's trash, but at least they got bridal photos of Kristin Cavallari so quickly. And PEOPLE's number 1 for a reason, they go with the bleed, so it can lead. You can't tell me that US MAGAZINE lacks the resources and insight to stay ahead of the game, make Amy Winehouse a cover story, and another huge side story being Kristin Cavallari. But instead, you have Denise Richards, plus Bachelorette & J-Lo crap on the side, and Amy Winehouse in the middle of it all.
Wow. Nice move, US WEEKLY, pulling down my comment so no one's able to backlash on your editorial decisions. Once again, here's what I have to say. Let's see. Amy Winehouse died. Kristin Cavallari got dumped. And the best you can do is give Winehouse a side headline? Way to be on top of things US WEEKLY. Furthermore, for a magazine that's hemmoraged readers over the last 3 years, I would think US MAGAZINE would do anything to make their print covers worth buying. LIFE & STYLE's trash, but at least they got bridal photos of Kristin Cavallari so quickly. And PEOPLE's number 1 for a reason, they go with the bleed, so it can lead. You can't tell me that US MAGAZINE lacks the resources and insight to stay ahead of the game, make Amy Winehouse a cover story, and another huge side story being Kristin Cavallari. But instead, you have Denise Richards, plus Bachelorette & J-Lo crap on the side, and Amy Winehouse in the middle of it all.
She wouldn't say anything bad about Charlie, because he's her paycheck right now. So she sugarcoats things and makes them seem a lot less chaotic than it truly is. Wait until the girls reach 18 and she will most likely write a REAL tell-all. There is no sense in buying a book from her - when it is obvious she is white washing everything.
Is anyone else disturbed that she wrote a book about this. I keep going from disliking, to liking, to not trusting her.
Now let's wait for Charlie's turn to speak out. He is not going to keep himself quiet about anything. Bad publicity is still publicity anyway. Like Heidi Montag and her ex fake drama, these two might continue the soap opera going for many editions to hold public attention and not to be forgotten.
she's such a great woman - prolly the only true lady Charlie Sheen has ever known. Too bad he's a total loser.
And here we go again...anything for publicity. If you have no talent and are some has-been starlet, you dish up anything, absolutely anything...nobody would know about her if it wasn't for Charlie Sheen, and she will milk that cow forever...boring, terrible and sad.
Oh wow - this information was exactly what I needed. A whole lotta nothing. Finally speaks out....what B.S. She just wants to get into the lime light and it is boring.
Enough already Denise
I don't think much of her as an actress, but she seems to be a very good mother. She needs some better taste in men, though - she knew he was into hoo kers before she married him, so I can't pity her much.
She hangs around him because of her girls she says, so she doesn't mind being awoken by police and drama outside her door with her daughters in bed ? Having dinner with these women hired by her ex ? Where were the kids ! Something very sick about all of this !!
i like Charlie on 2 and a half men. for some reason i can't get to hate him.
Thank GOD the real story is out....now I can finally sleep at night....lol...ugh, go away Charlie and Denise...
I wonder when Charlie looks in the mirror he sees the same haggard old man who looks older than his father that I see. I don't care for Denise but I have alot more sympathy for her than I did a year or so ago.
Thank God Charlie Sheen has a volatile lifestyle or there would be nothing to keep Denise Richards face in the press