Sharon lets rip at reporter over Osbourne addiction battles

Sharon Osbourne lashed out at a reporter. Photo / AP

Matriarch

Sharon Osbourne

has blasted suggestions that her family's history of drug and drink addiction made them a questionable choice as hosts of a family-oriented TV variety show.

The quirky Osbourne brood - Sharon, Black Sabbath singer

Ozzy

,

Jack

and

Kelly

- are set to make their big TV comeback in the US next week with a variety show featuring comedy skits, stunts and performances.

So far, so good. But when an inquisitive reporter (no doubt armed with a wooden spoon) quizzed lady Osbourne during a press conference on whether their past would prove controversial on the

Osbournes Reloaded

show, she spat the dummy.

"

That must be the most ridiculous question I have ever been asked in my entire career

," Osbourne replied.

"

I'm really angry. Do you know how many people in this country alone suffer from addiction

?"

And off she went...

"This is a terrible epidemic that covers every race," she said. "It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, black or white. It's an epidemic of drugs and alcohol in this country. OK?

"All my family are examples of being truthful about their condition and working though it and trying to better themselves," she added.

"We are a real family and we don't pretend to be something we are not. I have taken real offence...probably half the people watching our show have someone in their family who has a problem with alcohol and drugs."

Osbourne's daughter Kelly, 24, has recently completed a second stint in rehab for addiction to painkillers. Son Jack, 23, has also fought his own demons, and revealed a previous addiction to drink and drugs. He also admits he became suicidal when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. More on that later.

"You know that we have been so open about our lives. My husband has struggled with addiction his entire life. And my son has been clean and sober for six years and lives a very, very strict AA lifestyle," Osbourne spewed.

"And, so if anything he is a beacon of hope to any young person in this country who is struggling with addiction. So when you talk about family, we are family and we are a real family."

"We live in the real world, and this world is tough," she concluded.

Osbournes Reloaded

premieres on Fox on March 31.

What do you think of Sharon's tirade? Fair, or flying off the handle?

'Suicidal' Jack Osbourne

Jack Osbourne

was so traumatised when his mother, Sharon, was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2002, he reportedly tried to kill himself.

In an interview with

In Touch

magazine, he reveals that he got so depressed, he tried to kill himself after taking a cocktail of prescription pills, including OxyContin and Valium.

He said, "I started getting suicidal. I was just doing loads of drugs and drinking. I was miserable."

The star says things began to go awry when he was 13, but became more serious during Easter 2003.

He adds, "I disappeared for the long weekend. When I came back, I knew I needed help. I was like, 'Okay, I will do this'."

Jack's father - who also battled drink and drug addiction in the past - managed to convince his son to get some help.

He then had a stint in Malibu's Visions Adolescent Treatment Center and sorted his baggage out.

"A year passed and then two and then three and now it's nearly six. I don't have a plan, I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing and hopefully not drink. I don't ever want to come back to rehab again," he added.

Jack's admission comes hot on the heels of his sister Kelly's revelation that she feared she might have died had she not gone to rehab in January.

Thanks Britney

Yet more evidence that

Britney Spears

is away with the fairies at times. She doesn't appear to know what month it is. Either that or in her world it's always tinsel time.

Here she is performing on stage in Washington this week, when she suddendly wished the crowd a "Merry Christmas!"

Bless her.

Rihanna's got her gun

Everyone's talking about

Rihanna

's new secret weapon - a handgun tattoed on her ribcage.

See Rihanna's new ink

here

The

Umbrella

singer had the tattoo etched this week by LA-based tattoo artist

BangBang

. She initially wanted the gun plastered on her guns (upper arm), but had a rethink and decided against having them in such a prominent spot - fearing it would jeapordise her lucrative deal with make-up brand Cover Girl.

BangBang wrote on his website: "I really wanted to put it here [on her arms]... She loved ‘em. But, Cover Girl wouldn't have liked it much... and they pay the bills!".

But given her alleged domestic assault, tongues have already started wagging about her choice of tattoo - claiming it glamourises violence and gun crime. How controversial? How very

Daily Mail

Rihanna flew the New York artist to Los Angeles to ink one of her mates "for a birthday present," BangBang says, "But she wound up tattooing herself!"

So why the gun art? Bang Bang tells Usmagazine.com that he thinks "It's powerful. It's protection. At least that's my interpretation of it.

"I think the gun is very strong and very powerful."

Girls, girls, girls!

British girl group

Girls Aloud

are back with a storming video for new tune

Untouchable:

Sweet as.

BBB

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