Entertainment
The Talk returns without Sharon Osbourne as Sheryl Underwood says she experienced ‘PTSD’ after heated clash
The Talk has made its return for the first time since Sharon Osbourne’s heated clash with Sheryl Underwood led to her exit from the show.
The CBS daytime chat show wasted no time in addressing the race-related controversy that made headlines on March 10 and the weeks after as Underwood began the show with a special address to the viewers.
Speaking backstage on the set, the co-host explained: ‘It’s time for an episode of The Talk that will be unlike any other we’ve had before.
‘As you may know, during our break, Sharon decided to leave The Talk. We need to process the events of that day and what happened since, so we can get to the healing.’
She continued: ‘Over the next hour, we will honestly discuss what occurred and explore some of our feelings. And we’ll also show you how anyone can become more comfortable discussing important issues and having difficult conversations.
‘By the end of the hour, we want everyone to feel empowered and ready to move forward.’
The episode included a conversation with Dr. Donald E. Grant, an expert on diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.
When Dr. Grant applauded Sheryl for her self-control, Underwood confessed: ‘I didn’t want to escalate things with Sharon because I thought I was having a conversation with a friend.
‘But also I feel I had to be an example for others to follow because I didn’t want to be perceived as the angry Black woman. That really scared me, I didn’t want to be that.’
She continued: ‘I wanted to remain calm and focused. I just feel the trauma. I feel fearful and apprehensive. It is difficult to go back to that day because I feel the trauma. That really scared me.’
Underwood later commented that she really wanted to move past the ‘PTSD’ that she suffered from that day.
Meanwhile, therapist and life coach Dr. Anita Phillips was also on hand to discuss healing after a painful event or conversation with Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth.
Former X Factor judge Osbourne came under fire when she defended Piers Morgan on the show after his comments about Meghan Markle.
The outspoken star attempted to defend her friend, saying: ‘I very much feel like I’m about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend, who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist? What does it gotta do with me?’
Getting increasingly emotional, she shouted: ‘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 ‘cause if anyone should be crying it should be me. Educate me. Tell me when you have heard him say racist things.’
Underwood explained: ‘It is not the exact words of racism, it’s the implication and the reaction to it.
‘To not want to address that because she is a Black woman, and to try to dismiss it or to make it seem less than what it is that’s what makes it racist.
‘But right now, I’m talking to a woman I believe is my friend and I don’t want anybody here to watch this and think we are attacking you for being racist.’
Many viewers felt that it wasn’t Underwood’s job to ‘educate’ Osbourne on racism.
The 68-year-old later faced allegations of racism against her former co-hosts, which she has vehemently denied.
Most recently, Osbourne has insisted she reached out to Underwood to apologise, despite her former co-host claiming she didn’t.
Speaking on her podcast about the drama, Underwood, 57, claimed that she and Osbourne had not spoken since they faced off on set on March 10.
When asked if Osbourne had reached out to apologise, the comedian said: ‘No’, and scrolled through her phone history to support her claim.
However, Osbourne accused her former colleague of trying to destroy her reputation, and shared messages she purportedly sent to Underwood since March 10.
She told DailyMail.com: ‘I not only sent these messages to Sheryl but I apologised to her in person in her dressing room.
‘Why are you saying I never apologized Sheryl? What are you trying to do to me Why are you trying to destroy my reputation? Just be honest. Tell me.’
Messages shared with the publication, purportedly sent to Underwood, appear to show Sharon messaging her two days after the show on March 12, and again on March 15 and March 18.
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