It’s been less than a month since Sharon Osbourne left as co-host of daytime talk show The Talk.
Now, she has expressed her opinion on why she was ousted following a controversial exchange between her and her co-hosts last month in regards to British media personality Piers Morgan. During an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, Osbourne said “disgruntled” ex-colleagues from were the reason for her departure.
Maher was interviewing Osbourne and discussing the circumstances of her losing her job due to comments she made that many deemed racist. Osbourne got into a heated exchange during a March 10 episode of The Talk after she had defended controversial commentary from Morgan about Meghan Markle and her interview with Oprah Winfrey. During the interaction, Osbourne stated she had been accused of sympathizing with the racist rhetoric from Morgan, whom she admitted is a friend of hers, and got into a back-and-forth with co-host Sheryl Underwood.
During her interview with Maher, Osbourne stated that she resented being referred to as a racist due to her defending Morgan.
“I’ve been called so many things in my life,” Osbourne told Maher. “I’m used to being called names. A racist is one I will not take.”
READ MORE: Sheryl Underwood hasn’t spoken to Sharon Osbourne since controversy: ‘It was a trauma’
As reported by NBC News, two of The Talk‘s former co-hosts, Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini, each came forward saying that they both heard Osbourne using racist language and slurs on the set of the show. Remini said specifically that Osbourne made insensitive comments about the Asian ethnicity of another former co-host, Julie Chen Moonves. Osbourne was the only remaining original co-host from The Talk‘s premiere over 11 years ago.
Maher also acknowledged the comments from Robinson Peete and Remini, while also stating that the current co-hosts — Underwood, Amanda Kloots, Elaine Welteroth and Carrie Ann Inaba — have all denied that Osbourne had ever said anything racists in their presence.
Osbourne flatly denied Remini’s accusations, saying, “I never, ever said that. I don’t even use those words. They’re not in my vocabulary.”
She also stated that Remini, who stated publicly that Osbourne got her fired, sent her a text regarding her own removal from the show in 2011 after its first season, saying that she felt it was the other co-hosts, Julie Chen being among them, who were behind it.
Osbourne blamed her ouster on the same reasons.
“It’s disgruntled ladies,” she said.
READ MORE: Sharon Osbourne leaving ‘The Talk’ after racism allegations
According to the Los Angeles Times, CBS released a statement about Osbourne’s departure following an investigation after the March 10 broadcast:
“The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home,” CBS said in the statement. “As part of our review, we concluded that Sharon’s behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace. We also did not find any evidence that CBS executives orchestrated the discussion or blindsided any of the hosts.”
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