Osbournes to return for 20 more shows

HOLLYWOOD — What, pray tell, would prompt Ozzy Osbourne to agree to do 20 more episodes of the reality series "The Osbournes" for MTV?

"Because I miss the (expletive) cameras, to be honest," Osbourne said.

(Yes, he really does use that certain four-letter expletive all the time.)

Apparently, Ozzy convinced his wife, Sharon, and their children, Kelli and Jack, to do another season of the show because, "It's what I do. I'm an entertainer and . . . it's been one hell of a journey these last couple of years," Osbourne said. "I went from the gates of Buckingham Palace to the gates of hell when Sharon got colon cancer. I met your president, (expletive) hell. I think I did, anyway.

"This whole MTV thing has been just an incredible adventure, and I didn't want the adventure to end so soon, so we agreed to do 20 more shows."

The cameras will return to the Osbourne household in the fall, with new episodes airing in early 2004. This is despite the fact that ratings for "The Osbournes" have declined significantly. However, MTV president Brian Graden said he jumped at the chance to renew the show. "It's still the highest-rated series in the history of the channel, so when we had the chance to do 20 more there was zero hesitation."

Osbourne said that while he enjoys having the cameras around, he isn't exactly a big fan of the finished product. "No, I don't particularly watch the show. Why do I want to watch me watching me kind of thing?"

But he did say he has learned something about his family in the course of the filming.

"Yeah. That we're all (expletive) crazy," he joked.

"What I've learned is the fact that the word 'family values' comes up in this country all the time and whether we curse a lot in our family, there is definitely a lot of love in our family and there's a lot of family values."

And he resists any suggestion that he, his wife and his children are acting for the cameras.

"I think what you see is real. It's not prompted. There's no acting," Osbourne said. "And I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the people who edit the show because they do such a wonderful job."

JACK'S BACK: Teenager Jack Osbourne returned home from drug rehab in time to participate in the decision to do more episodes. He was interviewed recently on MTV about his drug problems. And his father didn't entirely discount the notion that "The Osbournes" may have contributed to those problems.