CBS has canceled ‘The Talk’, the daytime talk show featuring Sharon Osbourne, amid last week’s heated debate regarding Piers Morgan’s doubtfulness on Meghan Markle’s suicide contemplation revelation in Oprah’s interview with Prince Harry and Princess Meghan.
CBS canceled its episodes for todays Monday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 16 episodes according to Deadline, executives want to probe further into the heated conversation that occurred last week when co-host Sharon Osbourne defended her friend Piers Morgan after he slammed Meghan Markle for her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace,” CBS said in a previous statement to Fox News. “All matters related to the Wednesday episode of ‘The Talk’ are currently under internal review.”
There was a slew of celebrities who actually came to Morgan’s defense including Jake Tapper, Ben Shapiro, Megan Kelley, Tucker Carlson and not surprising his friend for decades, Sharon Osbourne.
Piers Morgan Cancelled?
Piers Morgan is accusing Meghan and Harry of damaging the royal family and seeking publicity on their own terms without accepting the responsibility and scrutiny that come with their position.
Morgan picked up on the duchess’s claim that her request to senior Buckingham Palace officials for help was rejected, after she told Oprah she had had suicidal thoughts.
“Who did you go to?” he said. “What did they say to you? I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report. The fact that she’s fired up this onslaught against our Royal Family I think is contemptible.”
He also referred to the duchess as the “Pinocchio Princess” in a tweet later that morning.
Following the outcry, he said on Tuesday’s episode that “I still have serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what” Meghan said, but that it was “not for me to question if she felt suicidal”.
Morgan continued, “My real concern was a disbelief frankly… that she went to a senior member of the Royal household and told them she was suicidal and was told she could not have any help because it would be a bad look for the family.”
This led to an on-air clash with weatherman Alex Beresford, who criticised his colleague on Tuesday for “continuing to trash” the duchess, prompting Morgan to walk off set. Piers returned within 10 minutes.
The network that runs ‘ Good Morning Britain’ (ITV) received over 40,000 complaints because of Morgan’s perspective, leading the controversial host to a departure from the company.
It was said that Piers Morgan was ordered to apologize but he refused and quit, saying he had the right to tell viewers his ‘honestly held opinions’ and declaring: ‘Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on’.
Speaking outside his London home later, the presenter described his departure as “amicable” as well as standing by his opinion on Markle despite the backlash.
“If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it,” said Piers Morgan.
Sharon Osbourne
Osbourne was one of the first people to give her support for Morgan over his criticism of the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.
That led to a clash with Sheryl Underwood, who claimed Osbourne “gave validation” to what she seemed to “racist” views by Morgan.
The clash…
Osbourne: Did I like everything he said? Did I agree with what he said? No, because it’s his opinion. It’s not my opinion, but why is it that because I supported a long-time friend and work colleague of mine for years that everybody goes, if you support him, then you must be racist because he’s racist?
With Underwood looking upset, Osbourne continued.
Osbourne: You tell me where you have heard him say, educate me, tell me when you have heard him (Morgan) say racist things. ‘Educate me. Tell me.’
Underwood said that the issue was not with Morgan’s words as much as his tone.
Underwood: It is not the exact words of racism,’ said Underwood. ‘It is the implication and the reaction to it. Right now I am talking to a woman I believe is my friend. I don’t want anybody here to watch this and think we are attacking you for being racist,” said Underwood.
Osbourne: ‘I think it’s too late. That seed is already sown.’
Her other co-host, Elaine Welteroth, added that it was a moment to ‘stand up for anti-racism.’
Welteroth: When we give passes or give space to people who are saying damaging, harmful things, what we’re kind of doing is permissing it,’ she explained. And I think that’s what people are reacting to. To not want to address that, because she is a black woman, and to try and dismiss it or to make it seem less than it is. That’s what makes it racist.’
Osbourne has apologized for her part in the heated exchange, saying she “panicked, felt blindsided and got defensive” when she felt she was accused of being racist for defending Morgan.
Osbourne Racist Hirtory?
Meanwhile, Osbourne has denied a claim that she described former The Talk co-presenter Holly Robinson Peete as “too ghetto”, which Robinson Peete suggested led to her departure from the show in 2011.
Osbourne responded that she has “never had the ability/authority to get anyone fired from The Talk” and never said her former colleague was “too ghetto”.
Moreover, Osbourne said Saturday that CBS ‘blindsided’ her when she was asked live on The Talk about her support for Morgan. The network has announced it has launched a probe into her bust up with co-host Underwood.
She said she was used ‘like a lamb held out for slaughter’ by CBS, claiming she was left out of planning the segment for the first time in 11 years and the topic of conversation was only mentioned to her minutes before it aired.
Meanwhile, Morgan has demanded an apology from the show for “their disgraceful slurs”.