Sharon Osbourne Says NBC Discriminated Against Her Son, Quits America’s Got Talent

[witchcurlgirl]

Sharon Osbourne Says NBC Discriminated Against Her Son, Quits America’s Got Talent in Protest



America's Got Talent judge Sharon Osbourne announced yesterday she is quitting the show because, she claims, NBC decided her son Jack was not fit to serve in a fake army.

Osbourne told the New York Post that NBC had established a good-faith verbal contract with her son Jack, 26, to feature him in the upcoming Todd Palin star vehicle/August television time-filler Stars Earn Stripes.

According to Sharon, the network abruptly fired Jack via email two days before he was set to begin filming the reality competition, after learning he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Said Sharon, "I just can't be fake. It's discrimination, and it was badly handled."

NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt defended the company against Sharon's accusations.

In a statement, he claimed Jack was eliminated after a mandatory medical evaluation (for all potential participants) found that he could not safely participate in the Stars and Stripes competition which will pit celebrities (and Todd Palin) against one another in challenges inspired by military training exercises. Greenblatt also said that NBC offered Jack other [lesser] roles on the show, which he declined to accept.

"… as a company that cares deeply about the health and safety of everyone on our shows - especially one like Stars Earn Stripes that requires dangerous water stunts, strenuous physical activity, and uses live ammunition - we required all potential participants to undergo medical vetting to ensure that they could safely participate. Although we did not ask Jack to participate in the competition, we were able to offer him two substantial alternative roles on the show, both of which he declined. This network does not discriminate on any basis."

Jack offered to purchase his own insurance policy if he would be allowed to participate, but producers shot down the plan.

Sharon told the Post that NBC offered to pay Jack his full appearance fee to avoid an ugly public scene exactly like the one currently playing out, but that he refused the money.

"He wanted his gig. It gave him something to look forward to when he was diagnosed. Think of the good that it could have done to show other people who have this [condition] that your life is not over."

A small hitch in Sharon's dramatic storm-off is that she remains under contract with NBC. She's not worried about that though, because she's super rich anyway, and was pretty much just identifying America's most talented citizens as a public service, to fill her days.

"They can't make me do something I don't want to do. All they can do is stop me from being a judge on another network for five years."

Osbourne's beef with seven-year-old Eden Wood famously earned her a diss in the pageant superstar's hit single Underpuppy.


Sharon Osbourne Says NBC Discriminated Against Her Son, Quits America

[Mel1973]

Damn Sharon, let your fucking kids live their lives and fight their fucking battles on their own! Cut the fucking cord already! JEBUS! Isn't it enough that your useless twat daughter has been foisted upon us??? FUCK!

[gas_chick]

I love Sharon but I gotta agree let Jack handle this shit, finish you contract and then leave if you want to.

[MrsDark]

Howard will probably have a fit if she leaves before contract is up. If anybody has been screwed by NBC, it was him. Way worse than Jack O. And he went back to work for them.

[mistify]

Okay I saw that they are disputing it, It is a reality show with like crazy stunts so it had to do with MS but not discrimination. ANd I read they offered him two other positions and he turned them down. *runs off to find article*

[albatross]

Okay I saw that they are disputing it, It is a reality show with like crazy stunts so it had to do with MS but not discrimination. ANd I read they offered him two other positions and he turned them down. *runs off to find article*

Or you could just read the quotes from NBC in the article above.

[Grimmlok]

Hey bitch, get a real job.

[NoNoRehab]

Team NBC. It's SOP for shows that involve anything physical to do medical exams. I don't care if it "gave him something to look forward to," that's not NBC's responsibility to be his therapy. It is their responsibility to keep their contestants and the people involved in their show safe. Maybe if he had been diagnosed years ago and was established to be in remittance it would be different, but he was JUST diagnosed and it could be dangerous for him to do something like this without having time to process the diagnosis and also get stablilized on any meds, etc.

[McJag]

Sharon, he has to fight his own battles. You are making him look like a wuss.

[BITTER]

She's making this about HER!!! I thought this when I saw the PEOPLE magazine cover with the headline, "I WON'T LET MY SON DIE!". It's always The Sharon Osbourne Show with her...always. This confirms it. YMMV.

[Air Quotes]

It gave him something to look forward to when he was diagnosed.

Yeah because him having his first child a few months ago just ain't cutting it anymore.

[dallison]

Hey Sharon, they didn't let him go as being a judge in some show..... this is a physically demanding 'role' that could potentially be dangerous. If all contestants were required to go through a physical examination/testing, this isn't discrimination. NBC is playing it safe.
I truly feel bad for Jack Osborne and wish him the best of health and luck, but there is a time to fight and a time to back off. He just had a baby. He should back off from this and just spend time with his family. Even his own insurance won't matter if something happens during the stunts and he is unable to take care of his family.

[KrisNine]

She's making this about HER!!! I thought this when I saw the PEOPLE magazine cover with the headline, "I WON'T LET MY SON DIE!". It's always The Sharon Osbourne Show with her...always. This confirms it. YMMV.

She did the same thing when Jack and his girlfriend had their baby. I think Sharon was front and center on the magazine cover with them.

[BITTER]

She did the same thing when Jack and his girlfriend had their baby. I think Sharon was front and center on the magazine cover with them.

Note how it says, SHARON, Jack and his fiancee'. If it's THEIR baby, why is she front and center??

Bitch get OUT of the picture!!

[greysfang]

Okay I saw that they are disputing it, It is a reality show with like crazy stunts so it had to do with MS but not discrimination. ANd I read they offered him two other positions and he turned them down. *runs off to find article*

How exactly is it ms but not discrimination?