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The company vowed to focus on workshops and other training programs relating to “equity, inclusion and cultural awareness” for the hosts, producers and other crew members.
“Going forward,” the statement went on, “we are identifying plans to enhance the producing staff and producing procedures to better serve the hosts, the production and, ultimately, our viewers.”
The Talk returned in April without the wife of Ozzy Osbourne, featuring co-hosts Amanda Kloots, Elaine Welteroth, Carrie Ann Inaba and Underwood, who broke her silence about the debacle on Sheryl Underwood Radio to share her side of the story.
Osbourne gave her first interview since leaving the program on the April 16 episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, saying, “I am so used to being called names, but a racist is one I will not take.”
The 68-year-old personality went on, “I’m doing just fine. What about the people that are cut from the knees down who can’t afford to get lessons now on what’s politically correct? What happens to them? It’s not fair. It isn’t about being a racist. It’s maybe not knowing what is correct and woke for your language that day. It changes from day to day, what is correct.”
Later that month, Kloots expressed her hope that The Talk would survive its recent shake ups, including Inaba’s leave of absence for health reasons and Eve‘s departure last December.
“A lot of times, we look at television shows, and there’s this mask of perfection, and life is not about perfection,” she told E! News. “It is actually about how you deal with imperfections, and learning to thrive in those imperfections and being resilient. So I think that when you watch The Talk now, you’re seeing a show that’s evolving and changing and growing. And I think that’s a beautiful thing.”
The Wrap was first to report O’Connell’s current discussions.