CBS daytime discussion show The Talk returns to screens Monday after a one-month hiatus after Sharon Osbourne left the program amid controversy.
Osbourne’s departure came after a heated argument between herself and co-host Sheryl Underwood over a debate that saw her emerge in defense of her boyfriend, and fellow Briton, Piers Morgan, over allegations of racism.
Monday’s show with Sheryl Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth will resume with a discussion of race and healing.
Sharon Osbourne left The Talk after defending her boyfriend Piers Morgan’s criticism of Meghan Markle. She demanded that her black co-host, Sheryl Underwood, explain her claim that Morgan’s criticism was racist
On The Talk, Osbourne defended Morgan in an on-air debate with co-host Sheryl Underwood, which heated up when Osbourne demanded to ‘inform me’ about how Morgan is racist.
An expert in conducting difficult conversations about diversity, equality, inclusion and justice offers advice to the group along with experts on how to heal after a difficult conversation.
The advice comes too late for Osbourne who had to leave the show after the fallout on March 10, after which the show was put on hold.
CBS said Osbourne had decided to leave the show after a review partially found that “Sharon’s behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode was not in line with our values of a respectful workplace.”
The network said the internal investigation said the show’s co-hosts, including Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood, were not well prepared by the show’s team for a discussion about racing. But it said no evidence had been found to support Osbourne’s claim. CBS ordered her to be confronted about her support of Morgan.
Osbourne (far right) and Underwood (second from left) got into a heated argument over Osbourne’s support for her boyfriend Piers Morgan (third from left), who has come under fire for comments he made about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Morgan posted this photo in February 2020 of the former panel from last year’s show. Left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Underwood, Morgan, Marie Osmond and Osbourne
Morgan, a friend of Osbourne’s, left Good Morning Britain after saying he didn’t believe Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex when she said in an interview that she had contemplated suicide when she was unhappy with her life in the British royal family .
While discussing Morgan, Underwood asked Osbourne, “ What would you say to people who might think that while you are standing next to your friend, it looks like you have given validation or a safe haven to something he has expressed that is racist, even if you disagree? ‘
Osbourne replied angrily, using words that were paged out, saying she felt like she was being put on ‘the electric chair’ because she had a friend who some people think is racist.
‘I really feel like I’m about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend who a lot of people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist?’ she said.
Underwood, who is black, pushed back, accusing Osbourne of downplaying Morgan’s comments.
“Educate me, tell me if you’ve heard him say racist things,” Osbourne said.
The Talk hushed for a month after the heated on-air debate, but Osbourne was essentially forced to leave the show
After a commercial break, the discussion continued, with Osbourne at one point telling Underwood, “Try not to cry. If anyone should be crying, it should be me. ‘
Osbourne later apologized for her “panicked” defense of Morgan.
CBS said it had conducted workshops and training “on equality, inclusion and cultural awareness for the hosts, producers and crew.”
‘We recognize that the network and studio teams, as well as the showrunners, are responsible for what happened during that broadcast as it was clear that the co-hosts were not well prepared by the staff for a complex and sensitive discussion of race’ , said a statement. disclosed.
During this break we coordinate workshops, listening sessions and training on equality, inclusion and cultural awareness for the hosts, producers and crew. In the future, we are identifying plans to strengthen the production staff and produce procedures to better serve the hosts, production and ultimately our viewers, ” said CBS.
Earlier this week, Piers praised Morgan Osbourne for defending his right to an opinion, even at the expense of her job, and accused CBS of ‘hypocrisy’ for forcing her to leave The Talk.
‘When it really mattered, when I ran out of chips, she was there, she was a loyal friend. And my God paid them for that loyalty, ‘Morgan said of Osbourne (with him above)
After The Talk continued, allegations emerged that behind the scenes of the show, Osbourne had made racist or otherwise crude comments about co-hosts.
Former co-stars Julie Chen and Leah Rimini came out publicly to complain that Osbourne once referred to Chen as ‘a wonton’ and Rimini as ‘ghetto’.
A report by Yashar Ali also claimed that Osbourne, among others, called former co-host Sara Gilbert a “fish eater”; Gilbert is a lesbian.
CBS extended The Talk’s hiatus for another week after Osbourne was accused of often calling former co-host Julie Chen a ‘wonton’ and ‘slanty eyes’
Osbourne furiously denied the allegations in an interview with DailyMail.com, calling the allegations ‘all c ** p’.
In situations like this, you always get people you’ve had disagreements with in the past, people who have axes to sharpen, come out of the woodwork and they’ll come out with their BS and that’s it. It doesn’t surprise me at all. I’m not surprised, ”she said.
‘Of course it is a pile. People want to add fuel to the fire and it comes with the territory and that’s fine, ‘said Osbourne.
She added: ‘Being accused of racism is no joke. Now they get their sweet revenge. I can’t even deal with it because they are kids in a schoolyard.
Coming out with stupid, childish comments – is it really? Is that all you got? ‘
Asked if she ever called Chen a wonton, she added, ‘It’s all c ** p. It’s all c ** p. I don’t want to go there with her. She earns her living from outings. So it’s like come on.
‘It has no real basis. Allegations of calling a Chinese lady a wonton, is it like … is that all you got? Is it really true? ‘
Osbourne shot to TV fame with the 2002-2005 reality show The Osbournes, which she produced and starred in alongside her heavy-metal rock star husband Ozzy Osbourne and two of their three children.
Sharon Osbourne, a manager for her husband and other musicians, was a judge on British talent show The X Factor and America’s Got Talent.