She 'Definitely Was Crossing A Line': Sherri Shepherd Weighs In On Sharon Osbourne's 'The Talk' Controversy
Former The View co-host Sherri Shepherd is weighing in on The Talk drama surrounding Sharon Osbourne and thinks that the 68-year-old "definitely was crossing a line" during her heated debate with Sheryl Underwood that prompted the show to go on hiatus.
"It crosses a line when you're a grownup and somebody tells you what you can and cannot do emotionally. When they tell you: You are not allowed to cry," Shepherd said (during the Talk segment, an emotional Osbourne told Underwood not to cry and said she should be the one crying).
If Shepherd was in Underwood's shoes, the 53-year-old would have responded, "Um, I'm grown. I'm raising children. This is a job for me, the way it is for you. So how dare you tell me how I can act?" Shepherd added, "I think that was definitely crossing the line. I would expect an apology to be forthcoming because you're two grown women."
While The View is not immune to arguments, Shepherd believes they "never had an implosion" quite like the one seen on The Talk earlier this month "because we had a great deal of respect for each other," according to Shepherd. "That's a respect thing... If we would get into spats, an apology came right away because we cared about each other," she said. She stepped down from the show after seven years in 2014.
As for the racism allegations made against Osbourne, Shepherd said, "It's a little bit hard to say, 'I'm not racist' when you get other reports from credible people. People see you defending [Piers Morgan], who has made comments that were racial in nature... That's a little bit hypocritical."
Still, "I think every situation is different," she added. "I really do. And that's why they're having an investigation." Osbourne allegedly called former cohost Julie Chen a "wonton" and "slanty eyes" and allegedly referred to Sara Gilbert, who is openly gay, as a "p***y licker" and "fish eater." Holly Robinson Peete claimed that Osbourne said she was "too ghetto."
Osbourne denied the allegations against her, calling them "crap," and said she feels like a "sacrificial lamb." However, she did put up a statement on social media to apologize to "anyone of color I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said."
- Sharon Osbourne Has Receipts! 'The Talk' Host Reveals Screenshots Claiming She Personally Apologized To Sheryl Underwood
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- Sharon Osbourne Spills Former 'The Talk' Cohost Sheryl Underwood Was Sent To 'Anger Management' After Staffers Lodged Complaints
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She explained that she panicked and got defensive on-air, as she felt blindsided and "allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over."
"I think everybody's been talking about Sharon, Sharon, Sharon. But what did Sheryl Underwood have to go through on The Talk when she had to speak in very slow and measured terms, and to talk to Sharon while Sharon was going off," Shepherd noted. "When they tried to cut to commercial and you hear curse words coming out of Sharon's mouth. They've been together ten seasons. What was that for her? I think that's a hard thing to have a woman talk to you in that kind of way. As well as a trigger for a lot of women who have to be in this situation of someone treating you like you're less than."
Shepherd thinks, had it been the other way around, Underwood "wouldn't have a job." The Talk is still on hiatus as the investigation continues but a return date is unclear.
Yahoo Entertainment was the first to share Shepherd's thoughts on Osbourne.
