Sharon Osbourne claims 'nobody will employ' her in U.S. now: 'They say I am racist'

The media personality believes her controversial confrontation with Sheryl Underwood on “The Talk” got her “banned in America.”

Sharon Osbourne says she's having trouble finding work in the United States lately.

While appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in the United Kingdom, the media personality discussed public backlash following accusations of racist behavior on The Talk with her housemates. “I got banned in America,” Osbourne said to her costars Lauren Simon and Louis Walsh (via Yahoo!). “I did nothing wrong.”

Yahoo! reports that after Simon asked Osbourne if she was permitted to work in the U.S., the Osbournes star responded, “I can legally…but nobody will employ me because they say I am racist.” Simon observed that Osbourne is Jewish, to which she responded, “I know, and that’s what I said to them!”

“They think we don’t know what it’s like to be picked on,” Osbourne continued. “I wouldn’t pick on anyone because of their race or religion, ever.”

Reps for Osbourne did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment.

Osbourne generated controversy on The Talk in March 2021 when she defended Piers Morgan amid backlash to his questioning the validity of Meghan Markle’s comments about mental health issues during her Oprah Winfrey interview. Osbourne insisted that Morgan is “not racist” and said, "Did I like everything he said? Did I agree with what he said? No.” She explained that she wanted to defend Morgan "Because it's his opinion. It's not my opinion… I support him for his freedom of speech, and he's my friend."

Cohost Sheryl Underwood said, "While you are standing by your friend, it appears that you are giving validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist," to which Osbourne responded, "I feel like I'm about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend who many people think is racist, so that makes me a racist.”

After the heated on-air exchange, Osbourne was accused of racist and homophobic behavior behind the scenes of The Talk. Osbourne denied these allegations. She exited the series shortly thereafter.

"The events of the March 10 broadcast were upsetting to everyone involved, including the audience watching at home," CBS said in a statement at the time. "As part of our review, we concluded that Sharon's behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with our values for a respectful workplace."

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Related content:

• Sharon Osbourne to Bill Maher on The Talk exit: 'Disagreeing with someone does not make you racist'

• Sheryl Underwood reflects on 'trauma' from Sharon Osbourne discord in first The Talk episode since hiatus

• Sharon Osbourne says she was a 'lamb slaughtered' at The Talk in new cancel culture series
  

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