Ozzy Osbourne is standing by Sharon Osbourne after her departure from The Talk.
The 72-year-old rocker defended his 68-year-old wife during the May 17 episode of SiriusXM's Ozzy Speaks. "Well, she's been through the mill of it and, you know, all I can tell you, if my wife was slightly racist, I'll tell you she's possibly the most unracist person I've ever met," he told co-host Billy Morrison. "And I'm not just saying that."
And while Ozzy said she's "weathered the storm" and is "marching on," he noted "it's still unpleasant."
"It's one of them things once you're accused of it, people tie with that brush," he added. "It's very hard to shake up."
In fact, Ozzy said Sharon was "devastated" when she "first got the news."
Sharon came under fire in March for defending Piers Morgan after his Good Morning Britain exit.
During the March 8 episode of Good Morning Britain, the hosts discussed Meghan Markle's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, including how the Duchess of Sussex recalled a time before she stepped back from royal life when she "didn't want to be alive anymore." Piers questioned Meghan saying, "I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she says Meghan Markle." Ofcom—a communications regulator in the U.K.— then launched an investigation after receiving thousands of complaints about Piers' comments, and ITV announced shortly after that Piers "has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain."
Sharon later tweeted her support for Piers and continued to stand by him during the March 10 episode of The Talk. "Why is it that because I supported a longtime friend and work colleague of mine for years, that everybody goes, 'If you support him, you must be racist because he's racist'?" she said. "Now, I support him for his freedom of speech, and he's my friend. I'm not racist, neither is Piers racist."
Co-host Sheryl Underwood explained that, by standing by Piers, "it appears that you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don't agree." Sharon later replied, "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?"
As the conversation continued, Sheryl told Sharon, "It is not the exact words of racism, it's the implications and the reaction to it—to not want to address that she is a Black woman and to try to dismiss it or to make it seem less than what it is, that's what makes it racist. But right now, I'm talking to a woman who I believe is my friend. And I don't want anybody here to watch this and say we're attacking you for being racist."
Sharon then said, "I think it's too late. I think that seed's already sowed."
On March 12, Sharon apologized for her remarks, claiming she "felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed" her "fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over."
"There are very few things that hurt my heart more than racism so to feel associated with that spun me fast," she tweeted in part of her statement. "I am not perfect, I am still learning like the rest of us & will continue to learn, listen and do better. Please hear me when I say I do not condone racism, misogyny or bullying."
That same day, CBS announced it had launched an "internal review" following the episode, and on March 26 the network shared that Sharon "has decided to leave The Talk."
"The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home," it said in part of a 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. At the same time, we acknowledge the Network and Studio teams, as well as the showrunners, are accountable for what happened during that broadcast as it was clear the co-hosts were not properly prepared by the staff for a complex and sensitive discussion involving race."
Sharon spoke out about her exit during an April 16 episode of Real Time With Bill Maher. "I am so used to being called names," she said, "but a racist is one I will not take."