On March 10, the panelists of the CBS show “The Talk” were doing what they always do: talking about current events. One of the biggest stories that day was the Oprah Winfrey interview of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
The conversation eventually turned to Piers Morgan, who walked off his morning TV show in the U.K. after criticizing Meghan and saying he didn’t believe a word she said. “The Talk” co-host Sharon Osbourne, who is friends with Morgan, defended Morgan’s right to express his opinions.
Co-host Sheryl Underwood asked Osbourne what she would say to those who felt Morgan’s comments were racist. Osbourne snapped back asking what was racist about it and that’s when the conversation flew over the guardrail. Osbourne said she felt like she was being put “in the electric chair” (and later claimed she was blindsided by the topic). The exchange continued through the break with Osbourne shouting over Underwood and, at one point, telling Underwood, “Don’t try and cry, because if anyone should be crying, it should be me.”
The show went on hiatus the next day. Osbourne apologized and — following a Yashar Ali report that quoted sources saying Osbourne used racist, anti-gay and bullying language in the past — ultimately left the show.
This week, “The Talk” finally returned. And the panelists dove right into the topic.
Co-host Elaine Welteroth said, “I think when you go back and watch what happened in that episode, you will see two Black women walking the same tightrope that Black women are walking every single day in the workplace. We knew that we had to stay composed in that situation. Even in the face of someone who was a) not listening and b) who went off the rails into disrespect, when we were maintaining our respect within the context of this very complex, charged, emotional conversation.”
Underwood recalled the moment Osbourne told her not to cry.
“If I had responded,” Underwood said, “then I would have been the angry Black woman. And I think I’m talking to my friend, somebody I can trust. And I think that’s what resonated with Black women out there.”
Osbourne has said she reached out to Underwood since that last show. Underwood said on air, “I want to clear something up. There was a discussion about Sharon and I communicating with each other. I have not spoken to (her), and do not have any phone call, missed or received, that I can find in my phone (from her).”
Underwood said Osbourne did text her but she didn’t “speak about or acknowledge those text messages” because she wasn’t sure if she should because CBS is investigating the whole matter.
Don’t dismiss this story as just some gossipy infighting on some daytime talk show. It’s way more important than that. It goes beyond a TV show.
As Underwood said to start Monday’s show, “We need to process the events of that day and what’s happened since so we can get to the healing. Over the next hour we will honestly discuss what occurred and explore some of our feelings. And we’ll also show you how anyone can become more comfortable with discussing important issues and having difficult conversations.”
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