Emmy-nominated Sheen wants a pay raise from CBS

Charlie Sheen got his Emmy nomination. Now he wants his reward.

The star of the hit CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men” is about to demand a big hike in his paycheck, two sources familiar with the matter say, possibly as much as $1 million per episode, or $24 million per year. That would be about five times what the actor currently makes and would vault him into the stratosphere of TV’s highest-paid actors. The six leads of NBC’s “Friends” each made $1 million per episode in that show’s final seasons.

Sheen’s costars, Jon Cryer and 12-year-old Angus T. Jones, are also seeking raises, although neither makes as much as Sheen. The negotiations with Warner Bros. Television, the studio that makes “Men,” were expected to start officially on Friday and could take weeks or even months to resolve.

Technically all three actors are under contract at least through the 2006-07 season. But Warner Bros. earlier this month concluded lucrative deals to syndicate the comedy on cable network FX and elsewhere. The cast members are now coming forward for their share of the loot, some of which may be paid in the form of advances against future profit participation in the show.

Sheen and Cryer just received their first Emmy nominations for their work on the show (Sheen as a lead, Cryer as supporting actor), bolstering their agents’ cases for a pay boost. Though not particularly loved by the critics, “Two and a Half Men” is TV’s most-watched half-hour sitcom and will likely prove a gold mine for Warner Bros.

It’s already been an eventful year for Sheen. In April his wife, Denise Richards, filed for divorce with a 17-page court filing that was lurid even by Hollywood’s standards.

Richards alleged the actor threatened to have her killed and was addicted to drugs and porn. However, after a flurry of depositions in recent days, the pair are close to a custody agreement for their two young daughters, people familiar with the situation say, although sizable financial issues remain. It’s unclear what effect, if any, a raise for Sheen would have on the divorce.

A Warner Bros. spokeswoman declined to comment. Calls to representatives for Sheen, Cryer and Jones were not immediately returned.

Wait a sec -- you asked them what?

The competition is already heating up for Channel Island’s very own “1st Annual Jiminy Glick Awards”!

Named in honor of Glick, Martin Short’s famously clueless show-biz interviewer on Comedy Central, the Glicks salute questions asked during press conferences at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena that merit distinction for being off-point, ill-informed, irrelevant or simply batty.

Of course, more contenders will emerge before it’s over. But the field is already strong, as indicated by the following sample:

“Where do you get the bear spray? Where can you buy it?” -- asked of Jenny Bicks, creator of ABC’s “Men in Trees,” which is set in Alaska.

“When using an ATM, do you find yourself getting nervous?” -- asked of the cast and creators of ABC’s “The Nine,” a drama about the aftermath of a bank robbery.

“Do you try to solve mysteries? Like, if you are just sitting watching a mystery movie or something, would you try to figure it out before the credits roll?” -- asked of Kristen Bell, star of CW’s “Veronica Mars.”

“What makes you really cranky and irritable? Is there anything?” -- asked of the usually perky cooking expert-talk host Rachael Ray

“I’m very serious, looking for a serious answer from you: Have you ever had an experience where you truly felt there was an angel or a higher being looking out after you?” -- asked of Rick Worthy, star of ABC Family’s “Fallen,” about a character who’s half-man, half-angel.

Channel Island is a blog about the TV industry. For the latest posting, go to latimes.com/ channelisland. Contact Scott Collins at channelisland@ latimes.com.