The fallout continues on unabated this weekend, days after The Talk made headlines for how their on-air hosts handled a heated exchange regarding Piers Morgan, Meghan Markle, and racism.
Now, according to CBS, the network’s executives have taken it upon themselves to launch an “internal review” into exactly what happened during that contentious on-air debate on Wednesday primarily involving co-hosts Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood.
As you’ll recall from our earlier reporting, Osbourne became defensive and combative during an on-air discussion of Meghan and Prince Harry‘s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. At one point, the longtime TV personality and co-host became particularly combative when it came time to defend her friend Morgan, who had earlier walked off the set of his own show, Good Morning Britain, after his own heated on-air exchange.
Osbourne and co-host Sheryl Underwood went at it on screen, turning an emotional issue into a particularly heated debate, and one that reportedly had major ramifications backstage for both participants. A day later, Sharon publicly apologized for her role in the incident and for possibly offending “the black community,” though she decided not to include Sheryl in that mea culpa.
Now, CBS is taking back control of their show, and figuring out exactly where things went off the rails. In a public statement released to Deadline and other outlets on Friday night, a spokesperson for the network noted (below):
“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.”
Wow!
That’s obviously a pretty broad statement, and it’s at this point unclear what an “internal review” may consist of, but clearly, the network is taking things seriously…
Especially considering all the other news coming out now about Osbourne and her role on the daytime TV talk show, maybe an internal investigation wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Just saying!
Sharon Blames The Show??
BTW, Sharon spoke to Variety on Friday night and didn’t hold back in her criticism of CBS executives and producers on The Talk who she claims “blindsided” her with the whole situation.
Speaking candidly about the incident on air, Osbourne told the trade publication (below):
“I blame the network for it. I was blindsided, totally blindsided by the whole situation. In my 11 years, this was the first time I was not involved with planning the segment.”
Whoa!
According to Ozzy Osbourne‘s wife, about “eight minutes” before show began, show runners called and asked her if it was OK if they asked about Morgan and his own on-air tirade and meltdown.
Sharon took it from there, explaining (below):
“I said, ‘Sure, they can ask me whatever.’ But then I get on there, I say my piece and Sheryl turns around straight-faced, looks at me and is reading from a card with questions. I was just so hurt, caught off guard and stunned by what I was being asked and not prepared. I was honestly in shock. I felt like I was in front of a firing squad. I felt like a lamb held out for slaughter. … They had me there for 20 minutes. , I begged them to stop, to please change subjects.”
OMG!
That’s a serious accusation!
Sheryl Speak Out!
For her part, Underwood spoke out on Friday morning on The Steve Harvey Show, relaying her own POV about the on-air incident with Osbourne to listeners and fans around the world.
Explaining the response she’s gotten from fans after the tough time on TV, the 57-year-old Underwood said (below):
“I got calls from all over the world from people that I was wondering, ‘How did you find me? How do you know me?’ I was getting prayers, I was getting love. And I want people to know this, I believe that God was telling me, ‘I have a plan for you. I am about to pour down a blessing upon you. I just need to know, are you ready because you will face this again?’ I just wanted to be a better example for people that are working just a regular old job, that had to compose themselves.”
Interesting!
Reactions, Perezcious readers?
Sound OFF about all the drama surrounding The Talk, Piers Morgan, Meghan Markle, the royal family, and EVERYBODY else in this SUPER messy situation down in the comments (below)!
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