Sharon Osbourne's Last Cash Grab

Before Ozzy Osbourne's really, really, really last show yesterday, wife/manager Sharon Osbourne chirped up in the media: "An unnamed group 'wanted to make a profit, and it’s not the time to make a profit.' Sharon, 72, added, 'After the show, I’ll let everybody know who it was. I think people will be shocked.'"

Let's stop right there. I have a love/hate relationship with Sharon Osbourne, and you should too.

In 1979, Sharon Osbourne saved Ozzy's life. After being fired from Black Sabbath, Ozzy could have given up and quietly slinked into the gutter and died. Sharon picked him up, hosed him off, and moved him forward. The person who's most responsible for Ozzy's Career is Sharon.

But, by 1996, Sharon's reputation as being a tenacious businessperson behind the scenes really started to take shape. She started the Metal Festival Ozzfest, and right from the beginning, artists complained it was a great deal for Ozzy, not necessarily a great deal for young metal bands. Sharon's response was that bands were getting rewarded with exposure, Ozzfest was the premier Metal Festival in the world.

In 2002, The Osbourne's debuted on MTV and Sharon had successfully transitioned Ozzy from the fringes of society to the mainstream. Ozzy wasn't the Prince of Darkness anymore, he was the cuddly ol' Dad next door. That transformation was 100% on Sharon. Ozzy had become the Metal Golden Goose.

Soon the millionaire Osbournes parlayed their millions into tens of millions, tens of millions into hundreds of millions. As of the year 2024, the couple was worth over $400 million. Other metal artist griped that Sharon never did anything past the turn of the millennium unless the Osbournes made a boat-load of money on their endeavor.

Which circles us back to today.

I wanted to watch the Livestream of Ozzy's Final Concert. Looked on streaming services, not there. Looked on YouTube, not there. Looked on cable, not there. The concert was on a website that streamed the concert on a 2-hour delay for $30. Sharon claimed all proceeds went to 3 charities in Birmingham, England. I believe her. Well, once the platform got paid. And Sharon got paid.

So for her to claim a band wouldn't play because they wanted to make a profit, that sounds like someone who has a history with Sharon.

Now many metal artists love Ozzy, they weren't looking to be at the last show for anything more than the chance to say they were at the last show.

To be continued.....

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The Glastonbury Festival sparked controversy last week with the performances of Kneecap and Bob Vylan. Both artists played in front of raucous crowds waving Palestinian Flags. The music of the young is rap and hip hop.

I would argue that Sharon Osbourne's legacy was worrying about getting her family paid versus nurturing the art form of metal.

It is entirely possible that Ozzy's brand of metal dies with Ozzy.

And, if you want to go on an internet scavenger hunt, you'll also know the subtext between Sharon and rappers Bob Vylan and Kneecap.