OPINION: Bye, Sharon

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In the words of Crissle from The Read, “Words mean things.” Simply put. 

On Friday 3/26 at 4:25pm Variety reported that Sharon Osbourne exited CBS’s The Talk. This particular saga with Osbourne came after a heated exchange with her co-host Sheryl Underwood regarding her support of Piers Morgan. Underwood calmly expressed to Sharon why her support of Morgan was problematic and had real world implications. Osbourne however literally had a meltdown. The show later went on hiatus and Elaine Welteroth filed an HR report based on the exchange. 

Here’s the thing. I don’t feel bad for Sharon. The world is changing, shape up sister. The days of white folks saying reckless things and POC folks having to just smile through it are over. When you have a platform you have a responsibility. People, young and old impressionable people, are listening and being complicit in the dehumanization of underrepresented folks has real world consequences. In case there is any confusion, Morgan’s statements and torment of Megan Markle is absolutely behavior that dehumanized her and resulted in dangerous rhetoric around her.  Sharon’s temper tantrum on the show, especially in direct contrast to Underwood and Welteroth’s handling of her emotions, was a testament to how white fragility rule(d).  

Given the comments from Osborne’s former co-host Holly Robinson-Peete that recently came out around Osbourne having her removed from the show. I’m not going to say her chickens are coming home to roost, but I’m not saying they aren’t. This isn’t an infringement on Osbourne’s Freedom of Speech. Perhaps this will signal a turn in the way we hold people in media with a platform to a higher standard.