Sharon Osbourne Officially Quits America’s Got Talent

Just a few weeks ago, rumors were swirling that Sharon Osbourne was parting ways with NBC’s televised competition “America’s Got Talent”. At the time these allegations started popping up, fellow AGT judge Howard Stern suggested the reason for Sharon’s departure was purely financial. However, it would seem Osbourne has a much bigger bone to pick with the network.

In a recent interview with the New York Post, Osbourne revealed it was NBC’s firing of her son Jack that prompted her to leave “American’s Got Talent” behind. Sharon alleges that the network canned her son from the upcoming reality show “Stars Earn Stripes” following his multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Feeling her family had been discriminated against, Osbourne decided to call it quits.

“I just can’t be fake,” Osbourne explained to the Post. “It’s discrimination, and it was badly handled.”

According to Sharon, Jack had completed a rigorous physical exam back in January in order to compete in the program, which finds celebrities engaging in various military training exercises. However, when her son was diagnosed with MS, the show removed Jack from the lineup. According to producer David Hurwitz, who insists that Osbourne’s offspring had never been hired, the show would have been “too intense” for him.

When the network reportedly offered to pay him his full appearance fee to help ease tensions, Jack refused. “He didn’t want the money,” Osbourne said. “He wanted his gig. It gave him something to look forward to when he was diagnosed. Think of the good that it could have done to show other people who have this [condition] that your life is not over.”

NBC, meanwhile, calls the whole fiasco a misunderstanding. In a statement, the network said they viewed Sharon as a valuable part of their family, and wished both her and Jack well in their endeavors.