Lowe to replace Sheen on 'Men'?

LOS ANGELES, March 8 (UPI) -- Associates of "Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre are courting actor Rob Lowe as a replacement for Charlie Sheen on the U.S. sitcom, TMZ said.

The show's producers fired recovering drug addict Sheen Monday after weeks of erratic behavior.

Although the future of the series is unclear, TMZ Tuesday quoted unnamed sources as saying Lorre's representatives are exploring the option of producing "Two and a Half Men" without Sheen.

The entertainment news Web site said Lorre's camp and Warner Bros., the show's producers, have been talking to Lowe's agent about having the actor join the "Men" cast.

Lowe, who, like Sheen, was a popular film actor in the 1980s, has most recently co-starred on the TV series "The West Wing," "Brothers & Sisters" and "Parks and Recreation."

Lowe co-starred with Sheen's brother, actor-director Emilio Estevez, in the films "The Outsiders" and "St. Elmo's Fire."