Ozzy Osbourne enjoyed immense success with Black Sabbath and then as a solo artist but the creation of MTV reality show The Osbournes saw the star reached new audiences
Fans “just fell in love with” the Osbourne family following the release of their reality show because they adored the clan’s affection for each other, an expert said.
Speaking following the rock legend’s death aged 76, those who knew Ozzy have paid heartbreaking tributes to the star. Many have praised Ozzy’s work both as a musician and as a reality TV star, as which he found fame following the four series’ of The Osbournes on MTV. It aired between 2002 and 2005, some decades after Black Sabbath’s heyday – though the band were still going at the time – and critics say it showed a different side to dad-of-six Ozzy.
Nick Caruso, staff editor at publication TVLine, said: “You turn on this show and you get this like little jazzy cover theme song of the song ‘Crazy Train’, and there’s all these bright colours and fancy editing, and we just got to see this like totally 180-degree different side of Ozzy which was just surprising and incredible to watch. For some reason, we kind of just fell in love with them the same way that we grew to love Ozzy and Sharon as like a marital unit.”
Mr Caruso compared The Osbournes to a family sitcom, praising its warmth and ability to connect with audiences. Two of Ozzy and Sharon’s children; Kelly and Jack also starred in the programme, which ran for 52 episodes and was regarded as a pioneering programme in its genre.
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Kathryn VanArendonk, a critic for Vulture and New York Magazine, also lauded the tone of the programme. She said: “You were seeing this really fascinating, appealing, bizarre tension between the public persona of a celebrity and their mundane experiences at home. You’re realising that these things are personas and that all personas are these like elaborate complex mosaics of like who a person is.”
In the show, the family sat on the sofa, ate dinner and chatted. Ozzy urged his kids not to indulge in alcohol or drugs when they went out. He struggled to find the History Channel on his satellite TV. The family feuded with the neighbours because, of all things, their loud music was driving the Osbournes crazy. In 2002 after just one season, The Osbournes won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Programme.
Countless reality TV shows have felt The Osbourne’s influence, from The Kardashians to The Baldwins, the industry says. Ms VanArendonk continued: “It’s like you have these famous people and now you get to see what their home lives are like, what they are like as parents, what they’re eating, what they are taking on with them on vacation, who their pets are, and they are these sort of cuddly, warm, eccentric figures.”
Tributes have poured in to Ozzy, including one from Sir Elton John. He said: “He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx.”