Sharon Osbourne has indicated that she will be leaving her position as one of the judges on NBC's “America’s Got Talent” because, according to the reality show star and spouse of rocker Ozzy Osbourne, the television network discriminated against her son Jack Osbourne when, after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he was eliminated from the cast of an upcoming reality show.
The program in which Jack was scheduled to take part, “Stars Earn Stripes,” counts among its cast members Todd Palin, husband of former GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Sharon reportedly shocked NBC executives, when during the Television Critics Association summer press tour last month, she posted a message on her Twitter account to fellow judge Howard Stern.
“My darling @HowardStern,” Sharon tweeted. “Money is not the reason I'm not returning to @nbcagt, it's because...”
Her reason for departing the show was left open, only to be revealed later to the New York Post.
“I just can’t be fake,” Sharon told the Post. “It’s discrimination, and it was badly handled.”
The newspaper indicated that although Jack's contract was never signed, he was moving forward with the network based on a good-faith, verbal commitment.
Sharon said that based on her current contract, NBC cannot compel her to stay on the “America’s Got Talent” show.
“They can't make me do something I don't want to do,” she said. “All they can do is stop me from being a judge on another network for five years.”
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