Sherri Shepherd said thatSharon Osbourne "crossed a line" in her comments on "The Talk ."- Osbourne was criticized for her comments to cohost
Sheryl Underwood during the show. - Osbourne was defending Piers Morgan from accusations of racism.
Sherri Shepherd said that Sharon Osbourne "crossed a line" during her breakdown on "The Talk" that occurred during a controversial and dramatic conversation with cohost Sheryl Underwood.
Osbourne was defending her friend Piers Morgan from accusations of racism following his reaction to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. However, Osbourne was criticized for her comments towards Underwood, particularly when Osbourne told her not to cry.
Talk show veteran Shepherd stuck up for Underwood in an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment published Tuesday.
"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.
Shepherd told Yahoo that if she was in Underwood's position, she would have had a strong response to Osbourne's comments. She said she would have replied: "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?"
In the March 10 episode of "The Talk," Underwood questioned Osbourne about her defence of Morgan who had made disparaging comments about Markle in the wake of the Oprah interview, calling her a liar.
Osbourne insisted that neither she nor Morgan were racist and grew visibly upset before the show headed into a commercial break, where she was heard shouting expletives.
When the show returned, Osbourne said: "I will ask you again, Sheryl. I've been asking you during the break. And don't try and cry because if anyone should be crying, it should be me. This is the situation: You tell me where you have heard him say racist things. Educate me."
Of this incident, Shepherd said that she would expect an apology: "I think that was definitely crossing the line. I would expect an apology to be forthcoming because you're two grown women."
Osbourne did release a statement apologizing for the comments she made on this show, but added that the production company, CBS, blindsided her with a segment about Morgan.
CBS has since launched an internal investigation into "The Talk," which is still on hiatus while the review goes on. Meanwhile, former cohosts of the show have come forward with their own allegations against Osbourne.
Holly Robinson Peete tweeted that Osbourne called her "too ghetto" for the show. Osbourne denied this the next day in her own tweet.
-Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) March 12, 2021
Osbourne was also accused of racism and homophobia by another former cohost, Leah Remini. Remini alleged that Osbourne called former cohost Julie Chen, who is of Chinese descent, "slanty eyes" and "wonton." In the same report, multiple sources said that Osbourne called another former cohost, Sara Gilbert, who is a lesbian, a "pussy licker" and "fish eater."
Osbourne denied all accusations of racism and homophobia in a sit down interview with ET.
Shepherd, who used to host "The View," said that these reports were "pretty damning" to Osbourne.
"It's a little bit hard to say, 'I'm not racist,' when you get other reports from credible people," Shepherd said. "People see you defending [Morgan], who has made comments that were racial in nature ... That's a little bit hypocritical."
Shepherd continued: "I think every situation is different. I really do. And that's why they're having an investigation."
"The Talk" is still on hiatus, but is rumored to return on March 29 as reported by Hello! Magazine.