Sorry Charlie

The office war that rages here at SOAPnet.com HQ is in full effect. Sometimes Denise Richards seems like a scorned ex-wife on a rampage. And sometimes Charlie seems like the happy ex-husband who was moving on with his life. But then, there are crazy voicemail messages and everything turns on a dime. Isn't that always the way?

Charlie Sheen is publicly apologizing for using the n-word in a profanity-laden voice message he left for Denise Richards more than three years ago. The message, which was leaked onto ye olde internet yesterday, has since been removed.

"I deeply apologize by my choice of words to all I have obviously offended; especially to Tony Todd, an African-American, who was my best man at my first two weddings," Charlie said in a statement yesterday.

But he's not apologizing for retaliating against what he claims is Denise's bad behavior. "Three and one-half years later, the reasons that caused the anger and frustration displayed on that voice mail continue to be manifested on a daily basis," he said, adding that the rant was prompted because "my children did not show up today for a custodial visit without explanation."