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Ozzy Osbourne’s Passing Recasts Him as a Reality TV Trailblazer

Critics now credit The Osbournes with pioneering a sitcom-like reality format that bridged Ozzy’s menacing stage image with his everyday family life.

Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne in "The Osbourne."
Sharon, Kelly, Jack and Ozzy Osbourne, shown here in 2004, were the stars of MTV's "The Osbournes."
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Ozzy Osbourne was flummoxed by his celebrity lifestyle (Photo: MTV Networks)

Overview

  • Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22, 2025, and subsequent coverage is reflecting on his transformative impact on celebrity television.
  • The Osbournes premiered on MTV in 2002 with a raw, heavily edited approach that earned it an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program the same year.
  • The series juxtaposed Ozzy’s ominous Prince of Darkness persona with his bumbling family-man side, reshaping his public image for a younger generation.
  • Its unfiltered chaos and sitcom-style editing set the template for later celebrity reality shows, notably influencing Keeping Up With the Kardashians in 2007.
  • Late-career collaborations with younger artists like Post Malone underscored a cross-generational appeal that extended beyond his television persona.