The Talk has been placed on a brief hiatus following a heated exchange between hosts Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood. Osbourne’s recent support for Piers Morgan set the stage for the argument, with Underwood claiming Osbourne was defending racism by sticking up for the former Good Morning Britain anchor.
Morgan parted ways with Good Morning Britain after criticizing Megan Markle’s recent interview with Oprah, where Markle claimed she encountered racist behavior from the Royal Family. Morgan publicly shared his disbelief of Markle’s claims, which reportedly led to over 41,000 complaints from Good Morning Britain viewers.
“Piers Morgan I am with you. I stand by you,” Sharon Osbourne tweeted on March 9. “People forget that you’re paid for your opinion and that you’re just speaking your truth.”
During a segment on The Talk, Underwood confronted Osbourne about her tweet. “What would you say to people who may feel that while you’re standing by your friend, it appears you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don’t agree? Am I saying it right?”
Osbourne replied, “Educate me, tell me when you have heard him say racist things? I very much feel like I’m about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend, who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist? How can I be racist about anybody or anything in my life? And don’t try and cry, because if anyone should be crying, it should be me.” [via The Hollywood Reporter]
Osbourne apologized for her reaction to Underwood’s comments with a statement shared to social media:
However, former Talk host Holly Robinson Peete went on the offensive against Osbourne, claiming the Ozzfest creator said she was “too ghetto” for The Talk:
Sharon denied the accusation by posting an email from Peete along with a statement:
CBS is now investigating the claims made against Sharon Osbourne. “We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. All matters related to the Wednesday episode of The Talk are currently under internal review,” network reps stated.
