TV personality Sharon Osbourne demanded that her co-host, comedian-actress Sheryl Underwood, to “educate” her on racism. The demand came on Wednesday (March 10), following the departure of Piers Morgan from Good Morning Britain amid the aftermath of the comments he made about the interview Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had with Oprah.
“I will ask you again, Sheryl –– I’ve been asking you during the break, and I’m asking you again. And don’t try and cry because if anyone should be crying, it should be me,” co-host of The Talk on CBS, Osbourne said to Underwood.
“Tell me, educate me, when you have heard [Morgan] say racist things,” Osbourne continues before screaming, “Educate me! Tell me!” while Underwood is trying to explain.
“It is not the exact words of racism,” Underwood begins again. “It is the implication and reaction to it. To not want to address that because she is a Black woman, and to try and dismiss it, or to make it seem like less than what it is, that’s what makes it racist,” she explains, referring to Morgan’s statement that he “doesn’t believe a word” of what Meghan Markle revealed in the interview, including her struggles with mental health as a member of the royal family.
Underwood then turns the conversation back to Osbourne. “But right now, I’m talking to a woman I believe is my friend. And I don’t want anybody here to… to watch this and [say] we’re attacking you for being racist…”
Osbourne scoffs and talks over Underwood again stating, “I think it’s too late. I think that seed’s already sown.”
Social media reacted to the clip, calling Osbourne out for her rants and missing the point Underwood was trying to make while also pointing out that she wanted to be educated on the matter but was defending Morgan anyway.
Twitter users also expressed concern for Underwood and new show co-host, best-selling author Elaine Welteroth, citing the lived experience many Black women have in the workplace.
Osbourne expressed her support of her “friend” on Twitter on Tuesday, and said on the show that racist is “a terrible, evil word to call anyone.”
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