Looks like Angus T. Jones' plea fell on deaf ears.
Thursday night's episode of Two and a Half Men—the first since the actor encouraged fans to stop watching his show, which he called "filth"—was a ratings winner. The CBS hit drew 13.8 million viewers and a 4.1 preliminary rating among adults 18-49, enough to tie a season-high mark set two weeks ago.
Maybe any publicity really is good publicity.
And just what did viewers find when they tuned in? An episode in which Jones' Army-enlisted Jake reveals to dad Alan (Jon Cryer) that he's contracted an STD. (Hence the episode's title, "I Scream When I Pee.") While Alan's horrified by the news, Jake's proud since it proves he's having sex.
Earlier this week, Jones bashed the Chuck Lorre-produced sitcom for its risqué humor in a religious testimonial posted on YouTube. (The actor has since apologized to the show's cast and crew for the clip, which stirred up a flurry of media attention and even inspired a clever parody or two.)
Of course, Jones' rant isn't the first controversy Men has weathered, or even the first time its ratings have proven scandal-proof. The comedy's September 2011 season premiere—which brought Ashton Kutcher into the fold after Charlie Sheen's public firing--logged 28 million viewers, making it the most watched episode of a sitcom since the series finale of Everybody Loves Raymond in 2005.