CBS is extending its hiatus of The Talk following a heated conversation between co-hosts Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood, who came to blows over Osbourne's defence of Piers Morgan's insensitive comments about Megan Markle and the royal family.
The hiatus was meant to end today, but following a scathing report by journalist Yashar Ali that alleges Osbourne has a history of using homophobic and racial slurs against her former colleagues, Julie Chen and Sara Gilbert, CBS has reconvened on the matter and will resume filming next Tuesday (March 23) pending a further internal review.
A CBS spokesperson told Variety:
CBS is committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace across all of our productions. We're also very mindful of the important concerns expressed and discussions taking place regarding events on The Talk. This includes a process where all voices are heard, claims are investigated and appropriate action is taken where necessary.
In the report by Ali, multiple sources, including former Talk host Leah Remini, allege that Osbourne would frequently call Chen, who is Chinese American, "sl**nty eyes" and "w**ton," and Gilbert, who is a lesbian, "pussy licker" and "fish eater."
Prior to the most recent allegations, another former co-host Holly Robinson Peete alleged that Osbourne once told her she was "too ghetto" for The Talk.
Peete wrote in a tweet: "I bring this up now bc I was mortified watching the disrespectful condescending tone she took w/ [Underwood] who remained calm & respectful because...she HAD to."
Osbourne disputes the accusations, as relayed by her spokesperson in a statement to 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.
The episode that sparked the controversy saw Underwood and Osbourne arguing about whether Morgan's comments on Good Morning Britain — about Markle's experience with the royal family and her mental health issues that led her to contemplate suicide — were racist or not.
In the episode, Osbourne yelled at Underwood for questioning her support of Morgan: "I very much feel like I'm about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend, who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist?"
The hiatus was meant to end today, but following a scathing report by journalist Yashar Ali that alleges Osbourne has a history of using homophobic and racial slurs against her former colleagues, Julie Chen and Sara Gilbert, CBS has reconvened on the matter and will resume filming next Tuesday (March 23) pending a further internal review.
A CBS spokesperson told Variety:
CBS is committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace across all of our productions. We're also very mindful of the important concerns expressed and discussions taking place regarding events on The Talk. This includes a process where all voices are heard, claims are investigated and appropriate action is taken where necessary.
In the report by Ali, multiple sources, including former Talk host Leah Remini, allege that Osbourne would frequently call Chen, who is Chinese American, "sl**nty eyes" and "w**ton," and Gilbert, who is a lesbian, "pussy licker" and "fish eater."
Prior to the most recent allegations, another former co-host Holly Robinson Peete alleged that Osbourne once told her she was "too ghetto" for The Talk.
Peete wrote in a tweet: "I bring this up now bc I was mortified watching the disrespectful condescending tone she took w/ [Underwood] who remained calm & respectful because...she HAD to."
Osbourne disputes the accusations, as relayed by her spokesperson in a statement to 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.
The episode that sparked the controversy saw Underwood and Osbourne arguing about whether Morgan's comments on Good Morning Britain — about Markle's experience with the royal family and her mental health issues that led her to contemplate suicide — were racist or not.
In the episode, Osbourne yelled at Underwood for questioning her support of Morgan: "I very much feel like I'm about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend, who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist?"
