How The Osbournes Made Its Legendary Mark On Reality TV History – Looper

It’s challenging to recall a time before we were inundated with reality shows about the personal lives of famous people, but such a time existed. Back in the day, famous people were more or less exclusively seen on the silver screen, in tabloids, or — like Ozzy Osbourne – playing in rock arenas.  

However, all that changed when the Osbournes became the first celebrity reality show family. At the time, there wasn’t a template for this, and MTV believed the show wouldn’t succeed because it had no story. Once “The Osbournes” hit the mainstream, however, it was clear the show appealed to audiences for other reasons. The sight of Ozzy taking out the trash could capture the nation.

Audiences already loved sitcoms about family antics, bumbling dads, and hyper-capable moms (think “The Simpsons,” “Home Improvement,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” etc.), so “The Osbournes” had familiar elements that made it the perfect gateway show into reality TV. Viewers were immediately hooked by the Osbournes’ mundane antics; right from the jump, Ozzy’s frustration with his remote control in the pilot episode became the stuff of legends.

Although the show touches on Ozzy’s music career, the bulk of its content focuses on Sharon, Jack, Kelly, their support staff, and their multitude of dogs and cats. The big personalities of Ozzy’s family more than made up for their lack of what’s conventionally considered “talent,” and other celebs took notice — constantly working, touring, and filming is hard work, but being interesting enough to star in a reality show seemed easier. Soon Jessica Simpson, Nick Lechey, and Gene Simmons had their own shows in the works. 

Inadvertently, “The Osbournes” started the culture of people who are famous for being famous (Paris Hilton, the Kardashians, etc), creating avenues to success for non-traditionally gifted entertainers.