1. Production has been shut down on the current season of Two And A Half Men, prompting Charlie Sheen to write an open letter to TMZ about the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre. Among the highlights: “I wish him nothing but pain in his silly travels especially if they wind up in my octagon. Clearly I have defeated this earthworm with my words — imagine what I would have done with my fire breathing fists.” [via Vulture]
2. Perhaps inspired by the financial success of Avenue Q, producers have announced a new off-Broadway production of Rent that will open August 11 at New World Stages. Previews begin July 14. [via EW]
3. Mark your calendars: The Beastie Boys have finally set April 19th as the US release date for their long-delayed album Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2. The record will feature Nas and Santigold among other acts. [via NME]
4. Zachary Chesser, the man who threatened violence against South Park’s creators for depicting Mohammad, has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for “inciting violence and providing material support to terrorists.” [via Gawker]
5. Last night 30 Rock parodied Jezebel when Jenna was featured on a blog called JoanOfSnark.com. (As Liz Lemon explained, “It’s this really cool feminist website where women talk about how far we’ve come and which celebrities have the worst beach bodies.”) Watch a clip here.
Bonus link: 4 Rules to Win Your Oscar Pool