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TMZ's Levin to Newsmax: Ozzy Osbourne's Life Was 'a Triumph'

By Nicole Weatherholtz | Tuesday, 22 July 2025 08:11 PM EDT

As the world reacted to the death of Ozzy Osbourne on Tuesday, TMZ founder Harvey Levin told Newsmax that the pioneering heavy metal singer's life was "a triumph" that "included a major assist" from his wife Sharon.

"It's hard, but, I have to say, this one I feel like deserves a celebration of life because, for me, what life is about is overcoming adversity," Levin said on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." "I mean, that really is the test. Ozzy Osbourne had so much adversity, and he overcame it all, when you think about it. He was kicked out of his band and when he left Black Sabbath, people thought he's done. His solo career became bigger than Black Sabbath. He had 13 albums, Grammys, all sorts of accolades.

"They had struggles as a family, but they came together and they did this show, 'The Osbournes,' which became the template for so many reality TV shows that are on today, including 'The Kardashians,'" he said. "It was a seismic moment in television. His relationship with his kids and with Sharon and what Sharon did for him and how he overcame drugs and alcohol, it really is a triumph, so much of what he did. Look, everybody goes, but when you look back at that life, it's a triumph."

Osbourne, who was often the target of parents' groups for his demon-invoking stage persona, died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76.

After Black Sabbath fired Osbourne in 1979 for his legendary excesses, like showing up late for rehearsals and missing gigs, he reemerged as a solo artist with hard rock classics "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman," which both went multi-platinum and spawned such hits as "Crazy Train," "Goodbye to Romance," "Flying High Again," and "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll."

Levin said Osbourne's career, which spanned decades and several different media formats, "included a major assist from Sharon."

"Sharon was an incredible manager for him," he said. "She's awesome. It's incredible what Sharon did for Ozzy. She was Kris Jenner before Kris Jenner."

In addition to managing Osbourne's career, Sharon "guided" his personal life and helped him through his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, Levin said.

"She took him out of the darkness," he said. "She's not just a savvy businessperson, but she so loved him and cared for him and cared about him. Sharon Osbourne was a gift from God for Ozzy, seriously."

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