How Ozzy Osbourne Invented The Dysfunctional TV Family

Earlier than the Kardashians constructed a billion-dollar empire, earlier than the D’Amelios turned TikTok fame into primetime programming, and earlier than households just like the Chrisleys and Hogans aired their soiled laundry for hundreds of thousands, there was “The Osbournes”.

When MTV debuted “The Osbournes” in March 2002, viewers weren’t certain what to anticipate from the heavy metallic legend and his chaotic family. What they received was pure, unfiltered gold.

Ozzy Osbourne, as soon as identified solely because the wild frontman of Black Sabbath, was all of the sudden the bewildered, mumbling patriarch in fuzzy slippers, attempting to wrangle his opinionated spouse Sharon and their rebellious teenagers, Kelly and Jack. It was a cultural reset.

At a time when actuality tv was nonetheless in its infancy, “The Osbournes” shattered the mould.

There have been no competitors eliminations, no prize cash, no shiny filters, simply the messy, hilarious, and deeply human actuality of a rock star household attempting to navigate home life. Viewers had been hooked. The present grew to become MTV’s highest-rated collection ever on the time, incomes an Emmy and turning the Osbournes into family names for a completely new era.

And with that, a style was born.

With out Ozzy strolling round the home shouting “Sharon!” whereas dodging family pets, there possible can be no “Protecting Up with the Kardashians.” The blueprint was already laid. A bigger-than-life household, private drama taking part in out in real-time, and a digicam crew catching all of it. The Kardashian-Jenner clan might have elevated the formulation to empire standing, however the Osbournes created the playbook.

Reveals like “Hogan Is aware of Finest,” “Chrisley Is aware of Finest,” and “The D’Amelio Present” adopted the identical mannequin… Take a star or viral household, pull again the curtain, and let the drama unfold. It’s a format that also thrives in the present day, simply now with TikTok dances, influencer offers, and social media scandals.

However on the core of all of it was Ozzy, usually confused, at all times entertaining, and fully actual.

Whereas “The Osbournes” catapulted Ozzy and his household into a brand new sort of fame, the heavy metallic legend later revealed that the truth TV hit took a critical toll on his psychological well being, calling it one of many “worst choices” of his life.

In a 2022 interview with Metal Hammer, Ozzy admitted that signing on for the MTV present was financially tempting, however emotionally draining.

“All I can say to you is that this. If somebody presents you a sh-tload of dough to be on tv, you’d should be a mug to show it down,” he mentioned. “I assumed it was gonna be a chunk of cake. However you could have a digicam crew residing in your home for 3 years and see how you’re feeling on the finish of it. You’re feeling like a f-cking laboratory rat.”

Premiering in 2002, “The Osbournes” adopted Ozzy, Sharon, Jack, and Kelly as they navigated their chaotic house life, canine barking, teen drama, and all, in what grew to become MTV’s highest-rated present on the time. However behind the expletive-filled hilarity, Ozzy was crumbling.

“It received to the purpose the place I used to be falling aside emotionally,” he confessed. “You’ll be able to’t f-cking loosen up. It doesn’t matter the place you go for a piss, you’re paranoid there’s a digicam in there.”

Regardless of the stress, Ozzy acknowledged the present’s plain cultural affect, even when he needed no half in doing it once more. “Would I do it once more? It’s now Kardashianville. The world’s modified, man.”

Although he had regrets, The Osbournes gave followers an unfiltered take a look at the person behind the music, and in doing so, it helped redefine what actuality TV may very well be, paving the way in which for each superstar household collection that adopted.