Ozzy experimented in crime as a teen but failed as a crook. The aspiring musician liked to lift Beatles albums and was easily nabbed for stealing £25 worth of clothing from a shop.
This is where he famously tattooed O-Z-Z-Y across his knuckles using a sewing needle and graphite. His father refused to pay the £40 fine, so he was sent to Birmingham’s Winson Green Prison and served a few months.
Long Before “The Osbournes” Ozzy Osbourne Rocked the World
He was one of rock’s hardest rockers and he made his mark. Quite literally. He was known for out-of-this-world antics such as biting the head off a bat on stage. His theatrics drew more and more fans but also brought lots of critics.
Much of Ozzy’s identity as rock’s most rebellious madman revolved around his penchant for blatant anti-religious imagery on album art, and of course, in his songs.
Black Sabbath Introduced Heavy Metal
With Sabbath, Ozzy took on the nickname “Prince of Darkness,” and he may as well have been the devil himself, as far as most parents were concerned.
Ultimately, he, along with Black Sabbath, pumping out iconic sounds like “Iron Man,” introduced heavy metal music to this world, and it was destined to stay.
Black Sabbath Promoted Their Controversial Reputation
Black Sabbath, from the start, felt that selling their act to the tune of controversial messaging would nab a large audience. The band observed that horror movies sell, so why not perform a scary act?
In an interview with “The Guardian,” Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi said they were into horror films, and they even brought witches to their shows.
Parents Freaked Out
As Ozzy gained popularity, parents did their best to ban the Prince of Darkness from the lives of their teens.
In a sit-down interview with his own kids, Ozzy was asked by Joan Rivers how he felt about so many parents trying to ban his music. One set of parents even tried to sue him for the negative impact his music had on their child.
50 Years On, Religious Groups Celebrated the End of Black Sabbath
With songs like the Grammy-winning “God is Dead?,” as well as “Paranoid,” and “Iron Man,” and with lyrics such as, “With God and Satan at my side,” this band made zero friends in the religious community.
In 2017, Seventh Star Church gathered to celebrate the band’s demise at the “Reclaiming the Sabbath” event.
Corporate Types Felt Wary
One time, as Ozzy embarked on his solo gig, he and Sharon planned to walk into a corporate boardroom with two white doves. It was a meeting with top CBS execs in L.A., and it seemed like a clever stunt to assuage his reputation as a bat-killer.
Unfortunately, Ozzy was intoxicated when he went into the meeting. He impulsively grabbed one of the peaceful doves and chomped its head off. It was not a good impression. Security threw them out of the building and the head of legal threatened to “destroy” Ozzy, according to Sharon in “The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne”.
“Blizzard of Ozz” Wiped Out Any Corporate Complaints
The meeting generated plenty of headlines regarding the poor dove. Luckily for Ozzy, at the same time, “Blizzard of Ozz” was shooting up the charts. The multi-platinum album sold like wildfire.
The single “Crazy Train” went off the tracks on FM radio. It became his musical I.D. and was even used in the theme song for “The Osbournes.”
The Manager Demanded Another Album
With “Crazy Train” ripping up the tracks, Sharon, the savvy manager that she was, demanded more material. She asked the band if they could crank out another album before the launch of the Crazy Train world tour.
In one month, Ozzy and his band delivered “Diary of a Madman” and it soared up the charts just as relentlessly. The albums came out in 1980 and 1981, respectively, and, in a rare occurrence for an artist, two studio albums shared top spots on the charts.
Ozzy Came From Birmingham
Growing up on the Aston side of Birmingham, England, John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne was very poor. His mum worked in a factory and his father worked night shifts, but it was never enough to provide for the six Osbourne children.
Ozzy had two younger brothers and three older sisters. They were all raised in a modest two-bedroom home. Ozzy gained his nickname in grade school where he was terrorized by school bullies.
Doing Time: Ozzy Went to Jail for Petty Theft
Ozzy experimented in crime as a teen but failed as a crook. The aspiring musician liked to lift Beatles albums and was easily nabbed for stealing £25 worth of clothing from a shop.
This is where he famously tattooed O-Z-Z-Y across his knuckles using a sewing needle and graphite. His father refused to pay the £40 fine, so he was sent to Birmingham’s Winson Green Prison and served a few months.
Challenging Childhood
In 2002, Sue Crawford published a biography about Ozzy that revealed new details from the rocker’s rough beginnings in Birmingham. In “Ozzy Unauthorized,” she detailed his home life as a child growing up in a family of eight squeezed into a 2-bedroom home.
When he was 14, the young Ozzy faced such utter despair that he was on the verge of self-harm. Luckily, his dad walked in at that very moment.
A Working Bloke
Ozzy credits the Beatles song “She Loves You” for inspiring his dream to be a musician. But at 15, he went to work doing trades such as plumbing, construction, and working in a slaughterhouse.
This inspired him to catapult chunks of meat into the audience at one of his concerts during the Diary of a Madman tour.
The Bat Incident
At one show in Des Moines, Iowa, a kid threw a dead bat on stage. Ozzy grabbed it, bit into its head, and threw it back into the crowd. It was a repulsive experience.
He later talked about the disgusting taste of goo oozing into his mouth. He also complained about the many rabies shots he had to endure over several days. It wasn’t worth it.
Ozzy’s First Family
Osbourne met his first wife Thelma Riley at a Birmingham nightclub she where she worked during his early years with Black Sabbath. They married and had two kids, Jessica and Louis, and Ozzy adopted Thelma’s son Eliot from her first marriage. According to the “I Am Ozzy” biography, he called it a “terrible mistake.”
In the documentary film, “God Bless Ozzy Osbourne,” he revealed that he couldn’t even recall their births.
Jessica
Jessica Starshine Osbourne, Ozzy’s firstborn with Thelma, did not appear on “The Osbournes.” Today, she works in entertainment writing, directing, acting, and costuming. Her name came up on “The Osbournes” when she made Ozzy a grandpa for the first time with the birth of her daughter.
Jessica is the only Osbourne kid to not show up on the MTV reality program. It's rumored that she dislikes the entire Osbourne family and their show. It’s no wonder when you find out Ozzy, in one documentary, could not recall Jessica’s birth, at all. He did not even know if she was born in 1970 or 1971.
Louis
Little brother Louis Osbourne, an international club D.J., was known to drop by the L.A. mansion in Beverly Hills. He is Ozzy’s eldest son, born in 1975. He appeared in the family show early on.
Louis says that Ozzy calls him on Sundays to catch up and also visits his family when he’s in the U.K. Ozzy is a doting grandad and a much better grandpa than a dad, according to his oldest son.
Ozzy Treated Thelma Badly
Growing up in dire straits, Ozzy thought money “would fix everything.” He bought a house for his young family with money from Black Sabbath’s success but being rich did not solve all his problems. Instead, it was spent on vast amounts of alcohol and illegal substances, and it made him behave abysmally.
He admitted later that he treated Thelma and the two kids badly and that it was wrong to do so. He confessed to having been very selfish and self-centered, and to have been unfaithful to his wife from day one, which, in hindsight, was no way to treat your family.
Rock Bottom
Ozzy’s father had just passed. He fell into despair and responded as he always would, by drowning his sorrows in alcohol and other substances. Then, the other shoe dropped. His closest friend from Sabbath, drummer Bill Ward, brought him the news—he’s out.
As a lead singer who was perpetually wasted and skirting band responsibilities, like showing up for practice, the band decided to throw Ozzy overboard before he sank the ship. Ozzy said it was painful, “It was just like a divorce.”
He Set a Chicken Coop Ablaze
In another of the rocker’s animal-related escapades, Ozzy rebelliously torched a chicken coop. Ozzy’s ex-wife Thelma had good intentions when she gave him some chickens as a hobby to keep him off alcohol. It backfired in a big way.
The budding Prince of Darkness resented taking care of the birds. He detested the chores and ended it once and for all when he shot the roost of chickens in a drunken rage. Then he set it afire and threw live ammo into the mix to revel in the explosive spectacle.
The Glory Days of Sabbath
It was tough on everyone when Ozzy was fired from the band. The band members had been great friends. In “Nine Lives,” they reflected on the early days, talking about jamming together all the time.
Ward said, “We just used to get together, jam for about two hours. Usually, magically, this riff would appear, and we’d just like all latch onto it, and just keep jamming until we’d finished the song.” They traveled together, relied on each other like family, and then, poof, it was gone.
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch in Birmingham...
While Ozzy jammed with Black Sabbath, it was just Thelma and the kids in the house he bought for them. Jessica said she has no recollection of her father putting her to bed or doing anything father-like while raising her.
In the 2011 “God Bless Ozzy Osbourne” documentary she also said that he wasn’t there for them. According to her, he never joined any sports day, school trips, or anything like that. When asked if she thought he was a good parent, Jessica answered with one word, “No.”
Louis Recalls Ozzy in His Childhood, Barely
Louis just wanted his dad to remember his birthday which he never did. He also said Ozzy was rarely home but never sober when he was.
According to him the occasions when he was both at home and sober, he was a good father. Sadly, those occasions were very rare so most of the childhood memories he has from him involve his father being intoxicated. He said he remembers his dad crashing cars in the middle of the night, pointing out that his behavior wasn’t conducive for family life.
Enter Sharon
According to the Prince of Darkness, a title he smugly assumed, he got together with Sharon before his divorce. Sharon confirms the relationship saying that as she was getting romantically involved with Ozzy, the two were “having the time of our lives” when, at the same time, he had his wife and kids back home. This was a lot but they powered through.
That affair turned out to be a love story for the ages. They are one of rock and roll’s most epic couples.
Getting Kicked Out of Black Sabbath Nearly Destroyed Ozzy
When the band decided to fire its lead singer, Ozzy was devastated. He believed all was lost and went on an even worse bender. Recalling the time, Ozzy said, he’d got £96,000 for his share of the name, so he’d just locked himself away for three months during which he didn't do much except for numbing his pain away with different substances.
He recalls thinking this was his last party. Sharon’s father, Don Arden, who managed Black Sabbath, looked to salvage the leadman’s career and recoup Jet Records’ talent investment, so he sent Sharon to the States to help.
Sharon Saved Ozzy
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Ozzy Osbourne, rock and roll’s most notorious madman, was re-released to the world. Undoubtedly, the spot he sunk to was dark. The industry frowned upon him and no one was calling.
That’s when Sharon demanded that he start making music again. Fans still adored him, she said. Sharon convinced Ozzy that he was sitting on a diamond mine. As a solo act, she said, he had a dazzling future.
Randy Rhodes
If it wasn’t for Randy Rhodes, a classical guitarist who could really shred, Ozzy Osbourne might not have rebounded as a solo artist.
Up until then, he was wallowing in self-pity because Sabbath dumped him. Sharon encouraged the singer, but Ozzy didn't make a music move until the day he heard Randy Rhodes play guitar. He knew instantly he had a band.
Randy Rhodes Remembers Getting the Gig
The then Quiet Riot guitarist said Ozzy was so hammered during his audition that the Prince of Darkness did not remember hiring him.
Ozzy admits he was drunk in “The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne,” but after sobering up, and hearing him, Ozzy said Rhodes’ talent was unbelievable. He called him “a gift from God.” It was a lucky break, to be sure, and it got Ozzy back in the recording studio.
Recovery Was Not on the Playlist
Hitting bottom with Sabbath would not alter Ozzy's substance abuse problems. Eventually, he tried sobriety, seven times in all, relapsing again and again. In fact, after launching his solo gig, the problem soared to epic proportions.
The 1984 world tour with Motley Crue is known as one of the “craziest [...] tours in the history of rock and roll” in terms of consciousness-altering substances. Numerous drunk-in-public arrests happened.
Ozzy Shocks Motley Crue
Recalling the legendary 1984 world tour with Motley Crue tour, bassist Nikki Sixx said that he jokingly challenged Ozzy to do his infamous line of ants.
He was shocked as Ozzy was able to handle the entire line of ants in one powerful go!
Sharon's Role in Ozzy's Sobriety
Sitting down for an interview at the “Mirror,” the Prince of Darkness discussed Sharon’s role in his sobriety efforts. He said the last time he relapsed, Sharon was pretty mad at him. He recalls her waiting “like a praying mantis” to catch him.
Getting caught wasn’t pretty. Ozzy recounted that Sharon would throw books at him if he wasn't sober.
Sharon and Father Don Arden: a Contentious Relationship
Sharon’s father Don Arden, the notorious boss of Jet Records, was roundly feared for his intimidation tactics. He managed Black Sabbath.
When Ozzy was booted, Arden gave the contract to his daughter as a wedding gift. She repaid him, as a true acolyte, by signing Ozzy to Epic. She proved an adept promoter, Ozzy’s best asset.
They Hated Each Other for 20 Years
Don threatened Sharon physically and sued her for signing Ozzy to the Los Angeles label. A $1 million payout was finally settled out of court. She said that at the time, she felt her life was at risk.
She eventually took matters into her own hands, plowing after her father in her car with the bat-biting madman in the passenger seat terrified and cowering.
Sharon Reignites Ozzy’s Career With Ozzfest
The Ozzfest rock festival only came to be, ironically enough, after Lollapalooza wouldn’t book Ozzy. The newly forming festival, founded by Jane’s Addiction leadman Perry Farrell, deemed the former Black Sabbath frontman a has-been.
His wife, who had stepped in as manager to save his career repeatedly, was indignant. The dig dealt by the Lollapalooza organizers infuriated her. Hence, Sharon spearheaded Ozzfest to prove Ozzy was still marketable. Her effort delivered yet another smash success for Ozzy with fans clamoring for dates. The festival has grossed $100 million.
A Heavy Metal Rocker Turned TV Personality
“The Osbournes” hit television as sales of Ozzy’s Ozzfest performances were fading to black. In the documentary film “The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne,” Ozzy comments about the transition from rock concerts to becoming a TV star. He said that Ozzfest was a big success, but it was only when the TV show took off when things got really weird for him.
Explicating, Ozzy said that it was bizarre going from performing sold-out shows to having a camera crew in his house. He complained that it felt like he was some kind of experiment. On the other hand, doing the MTV show paid off for the family.
A Family Affair
The novelty of “The Osbournes” eventually wore off, yet the show ran for four seasons. Winding down in 2005, the entire family signed off as stars in the entertainment world signing onto various projects.
Sharon was hired by “The Talk” as a co-host. Kelly Osbourne, Sharon and Ozzy’s second child, became a television personality and fashion designer. The youngest, Jack Osbourne has a career as a media personality doing TV shows and producing documentaries. Aimee, the eldest daughter, wanted nothing to do with reality TV.
Aimee Osbourne Hid From the Cameras
In an interview promoting her band ARO’s new single, Aimee divulged that she never wanted to be on the MTV reality show, and she doesn’t regret bowing out. One reason is, she did not want to become a person who is only remembered for being a teenager.
Summing it up, she added that it didn't align with what she wanted her future to be. Her mom Sharon discussed Aimee’s decision on “The Talk” once saying that the idea was “appalling to her” and that she did not want to “grow up on camera.”
Aimee on Her Own
Aimee, who was born in 1983 during the heyday of Ozzy’s solo success, started writing song lyrics as a teenager but did not form her band ARO until 2010. It’s a synth-pop sound, also recognized as trip-hop. She had been working on her music career prior to the family’s MTV show and released her first song in 2016.
While she refused to show up at “The Osbournes,” she did take a starring role in MTV’s 2003 version of “Wuthering Heights.” During the craziness of the reality show tapings, Aimee had to move out of the family home. She was 16.
“Fame and Fortune:” the First Osbourne Family TV Show
Long before Ozzy invited MTV into his family home, he put his young family on TV in “Fame and Fortune,” a 1997 U.K. documentary.
The Osbournes at the table enjoying family time foreshadows the reality show made five years later. The “Fame and Fortune” documentary also allowed Ozzy to showcase one of his sobriety stints.
Ozzy and Kids Visit “The Joan Rivers Show” on Father’s Day in 1991
Ozzy made a television appearance with the Osbourne children even earlier in his career. Proving he is just a normal guy with kids he loves, he visited The Joan Rivers Show via satellite. The kids were 7, 6, and 5.
Rivers pressed Ozzy about the parental censorship issues surrounding his rock reputation. He expressed frustration that people don’t see he is just an artist and entertainer. He said that at times he feels he's seen as a clown.
Ozzy Tried Responding to Negative Publicity in His Music
The rocker fostered an extreme personality with Black Sabbath. In his comeback solo act, “Crazy Train,” the titular song speaks to the negative media the band invited.
He sings, “I know that things are going wrong for me / “You have to listen to my words/ “Maybe it’s not too late / to learn how to love / and forget how to hate.”
“No More Tears” Was Slated to Be the Last Album
In 1991 as Ozzy explained to “The Joan Rivers Show,” he was ready to quit rock and roll to spend more time at home with the kids. He had just finished recording “No More Tears,” a hit that easily made it to the Top 10. He toured in 1992 and touted it as his last. But he was back on the world tour circuit by 1993 with “Live & Loud.”
Almost 10 years later, just as his music career seemed to fade to black again, the hard rock king came out with his 12th album, “Ordinary Man,” in collaboration with Elton John, Post Malone, and Slash from Guns N' Roses.
Enter “The Osbournes”
“The Osbournes” hit the airwaves on March 5, 2002. With its massive ratings, the reality spot was a virtual Ozzmmercial for the rocker’s properties. Right off the bat, “The Osbournes” boosted record sales. Weekly sales of his latest release “Down to Earth” shot up 40 percent, bumping the album back onto the Top 200 chart.
Not only that, but Ozzfest ticket sales went through the roof, yet another way the MTV Midas touch shined up the family brand. With the reality TV venture, the family was able to launch Osbourne Media, the family’s own production company. The show brought Ozzy fame from a younger audience and new fame to his family.
“The Osbournes:” Moving Day
The very first episode of the MTV program featured the mayhem of moving trucks, stuff strewn, pets adjusting. One exception: Ozzy played a song from his new album on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” More chaos moving into their Beverly Hills mansion saw the kids brawling, the pets fighting, and Ozzy having a fit because he didn’t know how to work the new TV remote.
We meet the new security guard, hired to watch over the property. After Jack set up the remote, Ozzy watched a replay of his Tonight Show performance, totally cringing out. The security guard watched it too, cringing just as much.
The Pets Drive Ozzy Mad
A lot of the drama and comedy at “The Osbournes” revolves around pets. There are cats and dogs in the mix, but they all cause problems, especially Lola, constantly triggering Ozzy.
Lola’s bad behavior even drove Sharon to hire a pet therapist.
It Wasn’t All Fun and Games
Halfway through the show’s four-season run, Sharon was diagnosed with a serious medical condition. The dramatic news affected the entire family as they braced to lose her.
Ozzy was also in an ATV accident where he injured himself badly. Luckily, both parents were treated and recovered.
Sharon and Dad Don Arden Scripted Reconciliation
Many fans of the show theorized that scenes of reconciliation between Sharon and her father had been heavily scripted. One instance is the time Ozzy demanded that his wife call her dad. “I strongly suggest you pick up the [freaking] phone and call him.” Then, he said he regretted it.
According to him, that was the worst thing he has ever done as now they are always on the phone with each other.
Taking the Good With the Bad
In an interview with “The Telegraph,” Ozzy memorably said of the reality show, “The good side was that it was the biggest thing since sliced bread around the world.”
However, he added that the stress of the show drove him and his kids towards substance abuse.
Kelly Is an Open Book
Kelly talks about it in her memoir recalling the bad times during which she would take an increasing amount of pills every day and hoping to never wake up. Thankfully, Sharon forced her daughter into a treatment center.
Since then, Kelly has gone there several times and stayed sober for four years this last stretch. According to her post on Instagram, she relapsed again in 2021.
Jack Is Holding on
Jack Osbourne has been counting his years sober since a 2003 rehab stint. Being on “The Osbournes” triggered his dependency issues.
Talking with Chris Cornell’s daughter Lily on her podcast, “Mind Wide Open,” Jack said he wasn’t in a good place then. He also told her that he struggled with depression even before the show began and that it drove him into dependencies very quickly.
The 2016 Rout
Ozzy really seemed to ruin everything this time. A cheating scandal with the family hairdresser blew up and Sharon, as a co-host at “The Talk,” could not sweep it under the rug. She told the panel he had a years-long fling.
Through tears, she said it was embarrassing having to talk about it publicly, especially since it affects the whole family.
Rolling Stone Magazine: What’s Your Secret?
Sitting down with “Rolling Stone” after the rout for a Q&A, Ozzy was asked about the secret to his long marriage. Irreverent as usual, he replied that the secret was not getting caught being unfaithful.
After a chuckle, he went on to say that marriage was figuratively like rock n' roll — there are the rocks and the rolls, the good and the bad, and you have to accept them together.
Sharon Files for Divorce
Ozzy had stayed sober for almost four years, and the couple was approaching their 34th wedding anniversary. It blew up big time in 2016 after his affair came to light.
Sharon kicked Ozzy out of the house, stating that she needed time to think and decide what she wanted to do.
Ozzy Thought He Lost His Family
Ozzy’s relapse came after his longest stint of sobriety. He said that at one point it seemed like he was about to lose his family.
Sharon told him that she'd had enough to deal with as it was and that he was becoming too much for her to handle. Ozzy said he could not blame her at all.
Ozzy Got Caught Sending an Email to His Mistress
One of Ozzy's affairs was discovered when he accidentally sent an email intended for one of his mistresses to Sharon. She piped up and demanded to know why Ozzy had sent her such a "stupid email."
Ozzy said he hadn’t sent her anything. Sharon explained that it was then that she knew the message was meant for another woman. She knew there were at least six other mistresses.
Sharon Forgives Ozzy Again
These two were born to be together. She praised her husband because he was doing well in treatment, working at “being a better person for his family.” She couldn’t leave him, ever, saying, “Oh I’m never divorcing him. What on earth for? He’s nearly [freaking] 70!”
Ozzy asked her to marry him again and they renewed their vows at a Las Vegas ceremony on Mother’s Day. Ozzy said, “I made a huge mistake. Without Sharon I am nothing. I love her. I can honestly say that I have never loved anybody other than my wife.”
Why Kelly Hated Family Holidays
Sharing the reality of being a child of a rock and roll legend, Kelly gave a little peek into how it really was for her. She said that in her family if everything is going swimmingly, she braces herself.
After every family scandal, the family would go on a holiday to some tropical locale, which is why she doesn't like being around the beach. In an A&E documentary, she recalled that the family would go somewhere beachy after her dad did something he shouldn't have done.
The Good Side: ‘My Dad Has a Really Cool Job’
Jack says he weighs the good and the bad when talking about his dad never being home. He was either on the road touring or in the studio when he was home. He got to see his famous dad in small chunks of time.
In the “Nine Lives” A&E documentary, Jack said he remembers his dad at home as the guy on the couch. It was not an ideal childhood, but in the end, Jack has a sober perspective. He accepts his parents as his parents, whatever happens.
Growing up on the Road With Dad
The kids tagged along on many of the tours with their Prince of Darkness dad. Sharon scheduled the shows to coincide with school schedules. They helped out on the tour.
Kelly admitted that at times it wasn't the most appropriate environment for children.
Ozzy and Sharon Married in Hawaii
Sharon and Ozzy met in 1970 but did not marry until 1982. They tied the knot at a beautiful Hawaiian wedding on the island of Maui.
They had been dating for three years and married as soon as the divorce from Thelma was secured. Ozzy said he chose July 4 so he would not forget their anniversary date.
The Osbourne’s Love Story Is Slated to Be a Hollywood Film
Sony Pictures and Polygram Entertainment have signed a big picture deal to showcase Ozzy and Sharon’s enduring but crazy rock ‘n’ roll love story. British playwright Lee Hall, the writer of several films including “Rocketman”, has signed on to write the script.
Hall’s accolades include an Academy nod for “Billy Elliot”. He will work with Polygram, the film division of Universal Music. The rock couple’s outrageous big screen backstory will be set to Osbourne’s hard rock tunes.
Osbourne Media Plays a Part
The film about the Osbournes will be co-produced by none other than Osbourne Media, the family-run label. In collaboration with Sony and Polygram.
Polygram will be a great partner for the Osbournes, it has co-produced pop music movies about The Velvet Underground, the Beastie Boys, and Ariana Grande.
The Time Sharon Hid Ozzy’s Clothing
Smack in the middle of Ozzy’s aptly titled “Diary of a Madman” tour, the height of his riotous rock and roll lifestyle, this happened.
Sharon, completely fed up with Ozzy’s drunken debauchery every single night, decided to hide all his clothing from him. Problem solved? Nope. He put on one of her dresses and went out on the town in a wild rampage.
Sharon’s TV Ambitions
Being on “The Osbournes” gave Sharon a bump in Hollywood. She landed her own talk show called “The Sharon Osbourne Show,” but it flopped after one season. In 2006 she tried again with a talk show of the same title, but it did not make it off the block.
Her next adventure as a judge at “The X Factor” was significantly more successful and she paneled for three seasons. In 2010 she landed her most enduring gig as a co-host on CBS’ “The Talk.”
Getting Fired From The Talk
When Sharon landed “The Talk” it was the beginning of a career that was truly her own. She stayed on the air for ten years and was loved for her spunky perspectives. The network canned her over backing Pirce Morgan in his controversial case, an accusation that was very difficult for this spitfire soul that has braved Ozzy Osbourne for over thirty years.
Her plea reverberated around the media. Claiming her innocence on “The Talk” that fateful day she squealed that if anyone should be crying, it should be her. But the mistake of taking Piers Morgan’s side would haunt her.
Sharon Apologized
In a tweet the following day, Sharon reached out to defend herself and beg for love and compassion. She apologized deeply for offending anyone. She acknowledged she is not perfect but “still learning” and promised to “continue to learn, listen and do better.”
Clearly stating that she does not accept misogyny, bullying, or discrimination of any kind, it was too little, too late. She was forced to resign a few weeks later.
The Osbournes Want to Believe
Spearheaded by Jack, the “The Osbournes Want to Believe” is a Travel Channel reality gig. Jack is the host and his parents chime in for color commentary about one of his TV passions: ghost hunting and paranormal activity.
He’s been tracking the undead for years on the Travel Channel hosting shows featuring spooky encounters. This one has remarkably stayed on TV for two seasons.
Jack’s Ghost Hunting Show
As president of Osbourne Media, Jack has launched more than one paranormal program on The Travel Channel. In 2019, he teamed up with Katrina Weidman, a paranormal researcher and investigator. Together they host the scary-sounding “Portals to Hell” series. They visit locales with a ghostly reputation all around the world and investigate for paranormal activity.
This show launched “The Osbournes Want to Believe.” Sharon and Ozzy appeared on “Portals to Hell” in a watch party episode, opining on whether Jack and Katrina’s evidence of ghost encounters are real or not.
Kelly and Aimee Don’t Talk
Kelly acknowledges her relationship with her big sister Aimee is not in good standing. “People” quoted Kelly saying that the two are very different and don’t really talk. According to her, it is mutual and the two just don’t each other.
Aimee has said in past at “The Independent” that she only speaks with her parents. About the rest of the family, she mentioned she wouldn’t say there is an ease between them, but they accept each other. They don't socialize though.
Ioomi Bullied Ozzy as a Kid
You know Black Sabbath was a band of madmen when you find out the irreverent badass Ozzy was bullied in grade school by Tony Iommi, a Sabbath guitarist.
This story came from Ozzy in a 1982 interview.
Ozzy's Confession at the “The Howard Stern Show”
The first time he landed in rehab, at the Betty Ford Clinic he thought he was going to learn how to handle his alcohol intake. Perhaps as a social drinker, something more civilized than his behavior. Instead, it was cold turkey. It did little good, and he ended up in rehab six more times.
Finally, he made up his mind to be sober. The man was quoted saying that he couldn’t stand living and was simultaneously afraid of dying. Ozzy called this state “a god-awful place” to be in. He made it four years. Five if you ask him.
Jack’s Sobriety Made Ozzy Get Sober
Jack has been successfully resisting his vices for about two decades. When he sobered up, Ozzy witnessed his feat, and took on the challenge himself.
It was the first time the rocker embraced sobriety. He was proud of himself for living clean and it stretched into four or five years until the messy infidelity scandal derailed his train.
The Tipping Point
According to Ozzy, the moment that ultimately derailed his crazy train of substance abuse was something his son said during a little “row” they had. Ozzy often says, to fend off any complaints, that his kids have never once lived in want, he has provided all they ever wanted or needed.
This time Jack retorted, “What about a father?” Ozzy said it hit him between the eyes. He even quit smoking tobacco.
Ozzy Gets a Driver’s License
Being perpetually under the influence, there was never a time when he could legally drive. He was not sober long enough to even go through the process of obtaining a license. He tried previously, 19 times, he said.
One tester refused to get in the car with Ozzy and another advised him to never drive again. He “was always drunk or something.” Finally, at the age of 60, he was legal. In “God Bless Ozzy,” he drives around in an outing in going wherever he wants to go.
Ozzy Gets a Ferrari
It was 2010 and Ozzy fulfilled a boyhood dream of driving a Ferrari. He had just gotten his license and bought the luxury speedster. Sharon said he barely had 20 miles on the odometer when he rear-ended a Mercedes entering an L.A. freeway.
They exchanged insurance information and it turned out the other driver was a lawyer. Unimpressed by the famous singer, he informed Ozzy he would call the cops.
Kelly's Journey
By the time Kelly was 35, she had checked in to a rehabilitation clinic seven times. It was near the end of 2021 when she was last treated. According to “Radaronline,” Kelly planned to quit Hollywood afterward.
Her mother’s ouster from “The Talk” was traumatic, especially as it came off the cuff of her father being diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Her longest-known period of sobriety was four years long.
Kelly and Ozzy’s Duet
Kelly is very proud of this recording. Together, they recorded a version of “Changes” by Black Sabbath. It gave him his first-ever U.K. No. 1 hit song, and of course, the younger Osbourne too. They altered the lyrics to sing about a daughter’s relationship with her father. It reflects a very sweet picture of a loving father and maturing daughter.
The 2002 release was featured on Kelly’s first album which also featured a cover of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach.”
Ozzy Postponed His 2020 World Tour Due to Health Issues
It also troubled the family. Doctors discovered the disease when he was at the hospital being treated for a bad fall at a New Year’s Eve performance at the Forum in L.A.
He had surgery on his neck, and they told him he had Parkins, a strain of Parkinson’s. “It’s PRKN 2,” Sharon said. “There are so many different types of [this condition]; it’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body.”
Louis Osbourne on “The Osbournes”
Ozzy’s son from his first marriage shows up on the very first episode of “The Osbournes” helping the family move into their Beverly Hills home. He appeared very briefly and can only be heard in two instances. Once, he is joining Ozzy to tease Kelly about an Ob-Gyn appointment Sharon scheduled.
He had a more significant role at the family Christmas special. In the episode, “Get Stuffed,” Louis is seen helping Ozzy clean up a mess caused by one of the cats.
Jessica on “The Osbournes”
Jessica had no interest in being on the reality show from day one, but, unexpectedly, she shows up on the moving day episode. She bailed out of the house soon after realizing it would be impossible to hide in an environment that turned domestic living into a media circus. You can spot her in the kitchen, she is the person who is blurred out.
Looking back, Jessica said in a radio interview, “It definitely worked great for the rest of my family, but for me and who I am, I just knew it was never something that I would have been able to consider realistically.”