Andy Cohen says Sharon Osbourne should have returned to The Talk after racism row

Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: CBS/Bravo

Andy Cohen thinks Sharon Osbourne should have returned to The Talk after she was caught up in a racism row last week.

Former X Factor judge Osbourne, who has hosted The Talk since 2010, came under fire for defending her friend Piers Morgan, who earlier this month said of Meghan Markle after she said she felt suicidal as a member of the Royal Family: “I don’t believe a word she says. I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report.”

During a heated televised argument with co-host Sheryl Underwood last week, Osbourne demanded to be “educated” about racism, saying: “This is the situation, you tell me where you have heard him [Morgan] say… Educate me. Tell me when you have heard him say racist things. Educate me, tell me.”

“Get back on the horse”

Following global backlash against Osbourne, Cohen told the Kyle and Jackie O Show: “In my mind, what they should have done with the Sharon Osbourne thing, is go back, get back on the horse the next day, talk it out on the air. Keep talking.”

Watch What Happens Live star Cohen continued [as per the Daily Mail]: ‘It’s the only way to get through a tide of s**t is to keep talking about it and keep being real and honest with each other.”

Before the episode of The Talk in question, Sharon had tweeted: “@piersmorgan I am with you. I stand by you. People forget that you’re paid for your opinion and that you’re just speaking your truth.”

The Talk is now on hiatus pending an internal investigation.

Osbourne his since been hit with allegations of racism concerning former colleagues, which she had denied. Journalist Yashar Ali this week published a report alleging Osbourne called her former The Talk co-host Julie Chen “wonton” and “slanty eyes”, citing multiple sources including former The Talk co-host Leah Remini.

Remini and multiple sources also claim Osbourne called former The Talk co-host and executive producer Sara Gilber, who is gay, a “p**** licker” and a “fish eater”.

On Instagram, former The Talk host Holly Robinson Peete has also claimed Osbourne said she was “too ghetto”, before referencing her exit from the show: “Then I was gone.”

Osbourne has denied all allegations against her. In response to Ali’s report, a spokesperson for Osbourne told CNN: “The only thing worse than a disgruntled former employee is a disgruntled former talk show host. For 11 years Sharon has been kind, collegial and friendly with her hosts as evidenced by throwing them parties, inviting them to her home in the UK and other gestures of kindness too many to name. Sharon is disappointed but unfazed and hardly surprised by the lies, the recasting of history and the bitterness coming out at this moment.”

A spokesperson for Sharon declined to comment when contacted by Attitude.

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