Sharon Osbourne is speaking out for the first time since exiting “The Talk.”
The defiant 68-year-old broke her silence on “Real Time with Bill Maher” and blamed her “disgruntled” former co-hosts for having a hand in having her ousted from the talk show, reported Variety.
Osbourne exited the daytime talk show last month following a heated exchange with co-host Sheryl Underwood over Piers Morgan’s controversial remarks on Meghan Markle. “The Talk” was subsequently put on hiatus as CBS launched an internal investigation.
Following their review, the network announced Osbourne would not return as a co-host, a gig she had for over a decade since the show’s launch in 2010.
“I'm angry, I'm hurt," Osbourne told Maher about how the situation went down. "I've been called so many things in my life… but a racist is one thing I will not take."
During the March 10th episode of “The Talk,” Osbourne had claimed she was being labeled a racist for defending Morgan’s comments about Markle’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
"She's [Markle] entitled to her opinion, Piers is entitled to his, and that's what it's all about," Osbourne added. "You're entitled to have a disagreement, discuss it in a normal way."
Osbourne also denied reports that she used racist and homophobic slurs to describe some of her former co-hosts, but did refer to them as “disgruntled ladies.”
"I don't even use those words," she said of the alleged slurs. "They're not in my vocabulary."
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While not specifically referencing her tense discussion with Underwood, Osbourne also blamed “woke language” for contributing to her departure.
“It’s not fair, because it isn’t about being a racist,” she continued. “It’s about maybe about not knowing what is correct and woke for your language that day, cause it changes from day to day.”
Despite the controversy, accusations and losing her job, Osbourne maintained she would prevail.
“I’m going to be just fine,” Osbourne told Maher. “I’m fine, as I said I’m a fighter, I’m fine.”
“The Talk” returned from hiatus on April 12th with Underwood and remaining co-hosts Carrie Ann Inaba, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth.
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