NEWSSharon Osbourne Quits 'America's Got Talent' After She Claims NBC Fired Son Jack
Aug. 6 2012, Published 3:58 p.m. ET
Don't mess with Sharon Osbourne! After conflicting reports as to why she's not returning as a judge on NBC's America's Got Talent, the 59-year-old finally revealed to the New York Post she's quitting because she says the network fired her son Jack after he announced he has multiple sclerosis.
OK! NEWS: SHARON OSBOURNE SAYS SHE HAS NOT BEEN ASKED TO RETURN AS A JUDGE ON 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT'
Jack, 26, was being considered to be part of a new reality show titled Stars Earn Stripes, where celebs engage in military training exercises and Sharon is claiming NBC fired her son by email two days before he was supposed to start work and lied about it to the media because he has MS.
"I just can’t be fake," she said. "It’s discrimination, and it was badly handled."
OK! NEWS: SHARON OSBOURNE ANNOUNCES SHE'S LEAVING 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT'
Sharon discussed the situation with NBC and after they refused to allow Jack to participate on the show, she decided to leave AGT even though she's still under contract.
"It’s time to move on," she said. "They can’t make me do something I don’t want to do," she insisted. "All they can do is stop me from being a judge on another network for five years."
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Meanwhile, NBC has said Jack was someone they were in talks with, but a contract was not signed, which both Osbournes say is true. But Sharon says, "I was working without a signed contract right up until the live shows started on America’s Got Talent. Everything is done at the last minute. We took six months to negotiate back and forth."
Producer David Hurwitz admits, "The rigors of the show were too intense for him," and the network offered to give Jack his full fee, but Sharon refused.
"He didn’t want the money. He wanted his gig. It gave him something to look forward to when he was diagnosed. Think of the good that it could have done to show other people who have this condition that your life is not over.”
A network rep said, “Sharon has been a valuable part of the NBC family. We regret any misunderstanding and wish Jack well.”
What do you think of Sharon leaving America's Got Talent?
