Want concrete proof that there is a serious disconnect between Hollywood and the real world? Exhibit A, Charlie Sheen, ladies and gentlemen.

Only in Hollywood can someone go off the deep end and increase their celebrity tenfold.

But that seems to be the case with Good Time Charlie, who has morphed his reputation as a drug-abusing, bad boy into something far stranger.

And people love him for it.

Sheen has waged a one-man media blitz in the past week as his professional career and personal life has sort of come crashing down around him and been celebrated at the same time.

His myriad of TV appearances have all been marked by rambling tirades that show his intelligence and way with words equally as much as his unhinged perspective on reality.

But through it all, Sheen seems unfazed. In fact, just ask him, he is … WINNING!

You had to have been living under a rock this past week to not have seen some of the outrageous interviews and quotes that the Hollywood actor has been dropping.

Here are a few in case you missed them:

“Imagine what I would have done with my fire-breathing fists.”

“Can’t is the cancer of happen”

“Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.”

“I’ve got tiger blood and Adonis DNA.”

In LaLa land, talk about tiger blood, being extra-terrestrial and curing diseases with your mind and what do you get? A date with Matt Laurer on The Today Show and a million Twitter followers.

Do that here in the real world and you get a nice, cozy, padded room and enough medication to stop an elephant.

This entire train wreck has been perfectly indicative of America’s fascination with celebrities.

People have been entranced by Sheen and the wacky things he says, myself included.

Regardless of what happens in Charlie’s little world, hopefully somewhere along the way he has a wake up call and gets whatever sort of help he needs.

But maybe the American public needs a wake up call, too.

Now is time for us to stop the idol worship and realize that they are people just like us but, absurdly, we keep letting them play by a different set of rules.

Country music singer Brad Paisley may have hit the nail on the head with his song, “Celebrity.”

The first chorus goes like this:

“Cause when you’re a celebrity

It’s adios reality

You can act just like a fool

And people think you’re cool

Just cause your on T.V.

I can throw a major fit

When my latte isn’t just how I like it

They say I’ve gone insane

I’ll blame it on the fame

And the pressures that go with …

Being a celebrity.”

But, shoot, what do I know? My blood and DNA is just normal old homo sapien.

Michael Caldwell is publisher of The Tribune. To reach him, call (740) 532-1445 ext. 24 or by e-mail at mike.caldwell@irontontribune.com.