Sharon Osbourne's appearance on Friday night's "Real Time with Bill Maher" marked her first major interview since leaving "The Talk." Boy did Osbourne have much to say about her departure, specifically when it comes to sticking up for herself against being called a racist.
"I've been called so many things in my life. I am so used to being called names, but a 'racist' is one I will not take." – @MrsSOsbourne #RealTime pic.twitter.com/Wek5Iwqhxy
— Real Time with Bill Maher (@RealTimers) April 17, 2021
While Osbourne shared she's feeling "so many different things," and "I'm angry, I'm hurt," she did also point out "I'm a fighter."
After recapping the hot water Osbourne found herself in, for a simple tweet in defense of Piers Morgan sharing his opinion that he did not believe Meghan Markle's charges against the Royal Palace, which came to a head during the March 10 episode of "The Talk," Maher asked "Who is the racist and why? That is what I'm trying to figure out?"
. @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.
— Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) March 9, 2021
Osbourne, who has lost her job over such charges, didn't understand either. "Me too. If I’ve been called so many things in my life, I am so used to being called names but a racist is one I will not take," she said, to applause.
The two addressed the "insane" standard then of what it means to be a racist, if it was merely the act of disagreeing with Meghan Markle. "It's an insult if you're not one," Maher shared about being called a racist. "I don’t understand the other side of the argument there. In other words, you have to agree with everything Meghan Markle says or you are a racist, is this the standard now? Unless you agree with every person of color — that seems insane."
The interview also closed discussing Osbourne's departing career on "The Talk," though on a hopeful note, as she and Maher emphasized they "don't need reeducation" and will be "just fine." They offered a warning though about what could happen to those who don't have the privilege Osbourne and Maher do.
"I’m a fighter, I’m fine, I’m doing just fine, what about the people who are cut from the knees down and they can’t afford to go get lessons on what's politically correct and how to talk to people? What happens to them? It’s not fair, it's not fair because it isn’t about being a racist, it’s about not knowing what is correct and woke for your language that day. It changes from day-to-day, what is correct and what isn’t," Osbourne offered.
She closed with insisting "You cannot blanket any race, there is good and bad in every race, you don’t a blanket a blanket."
This episode of "Real Time" also drew particular attention over Maher attacking the media for their "panic porn" over Covid, which Scott covered here as well.