Sharon Osbourne Pits ABC Against MTV

By Stephen M. Silverman

Tuesday November 05, 2002 12:00 PM EST

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The Osbournes -- in particular, Sharon -- were making news all over the place on Monday. By Tuesday, some reparations were being made.

The biggest bombshell came after ABC News released a transcript of an interview with the MTV matriarch conducted by Barbara Walters for a special edition of "20/20" set to air Wednesday night. In it, Sharon, 50, declares that she's not only ready to wrap up the series that made her household a household name ("We can't do it anymore"), but that she regrets even agreeing to do "The Osbournes" in the first place. ("I think if we were to do it over again, we wouldn't have done the show.")

In the ABC interview, Osbourne, who has been suffering the debilitating effects of treatment for colon cancer, does acknowledge signing a contract with MTV last spring that called for her family to make at least 20 more episodes of the series. But now she's saying that she has decided to close down the show after only 10 more, according to The New York Times.

That little tidbit was news to MTV executives, who were shocked by the statements. Network president Van Toffler, who is close to Sharon, told The Times: "I was totally unaware of it. I'm not sure Sharon was aware of it."

Rather than twiddle his thumbs, Toffler got on the phone and called Sharon, who told him: "You know you can't believe everything I say."

The result was a quickly assembled press release from Sharon saying, "I have every intention of fulfilling our commitment to MTV for a full 20 episodes. I love my MTV."

Meanwhile, in less controversial Osbourne news, the family is scheduled to host the 30th annual American Music Awards from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Jan. 13 on ABC. Their show, "The Osbournes," is still scheduled to kick off its second season on MTV Nov. 26.