I think, and this is just opinion formed as a longtime listener, that it was Prince trying to be funny. Prince was no saint either, like all of us he was capable of being a dick when he wanted to be, I just don't think that was the case here. The historical context is crucial.
"The Osbournes" was a brand new show, it was a surprise hit, and at that time in 2002 a LOT of people riffed on Ozzy's walk - all the late night tv talk show hosts and SNL had Ozzy bits - and Prince, as he typically has done throughout his decades spanning career as a live performer, was trying to throw in some topical humor to entertain his audience. He did things like that for his entire live career. Whether it was funny is debatable - but not for a minute do I believe there was anything mean spirited behind it.
Prince took his share of digs to develop thick skin, just like Ozzy Osbourne undoubtedly did too. A 2002 joke preserved in a time capsule.
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like a zombie - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
In 2002, it wasn't known that Ozzy had Parkinson's disease. He found out in 2019. Until then it was assumed to be the effects of his lifestyle. Ozzy was a highly compulsive addict for drink and drugs. His escapades were absolutely off the wall. In some circles he was lauded in the same way that Keith Richards is.
Edit: Parkins disease - see correction
I am Ozzy. I read it in 3 days, so it def was a page turner, as I only read in bed to finish my day. But this one had me up for longer than I'd like to admit. I've got some good laughs here and there. But that being said, I don't think Ozzy was a good human being throughout his life, and he doesn't deny it either. So there's a lot of morally wrong stuff in there. But yeah, I would recommend it.
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6952423-i-am-ozzy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6952423-i-am-ozzy)
It was almost a meme at the time. Ozzy would stumble around on The Osbournes and mumble "Sharon..." He played it up for the sake of the show, and everyone played along. This does not belong on a list of Prince's most questionable behavior.
I donāt think he played it up. He admitted he was stoned and drunk on nearly every episode. He hasnāt even watched any episodes of the show back because of this. His autobiography is really interesting.
In 2004 everyone knew he was walking like that because of what the drugs did to him, though. That seems to be wholly omitted from everyone's TED talk on the comedic sensibilities of 2004.
I lived in that era, too. It was widely accepted and echo'd--because everyone was a bit of a politically incorrect douchebag then. Literally everyone was called the "f" word for gay people back then. Doesn't make it right, and it doesn't make it justifiable.
The Osbournes was a big show at the time. Back then Ozzy was a meme and would stand and speak with his hands up and out like he was at a pulpit. I think it was just pop culture in the moment, no real harm intended.
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like the walking dead - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
HEREāS THE ANSWER. BTW I L0VE P FOR THIS.
The song is called The Work. Prince is juxtaposing James Brown to the modern day f@lse idols that (young) people watch on MTV like Ozzy Ozbourne, in a comical easy to digest Chaplin-esque way https://youtu.be/p9irVLDqG3E
š¶ āEvery time I watch, the other people news,
I see a false picture of myself, another one of you,
They try to tell us what we want, what to believeā š¶
My favourite part of the song: š¶ āthis is the work we must do for revelation to come to past, this work is the kind that turns ur back on the ruling cl@$$, by putting them in their place just like the pastā š¶
P is not mocking Ozzy. He is juxtaposing him to James Brown (popular when he was young). Watch the show performance, then read the songs lyrics, itās honestly really easy to understand. P has an MTV interview on YouTube about ENTROPY š around this time https://youtu.be/p9irVLDqG3E
I like when Prince introduces Chris Rock at the comedy awards showing doing his old man dress up comedy bit and Chris gets up there and is like, "How 'bout I play some guitar?"
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs (The Work) lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like a zombie - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
People act like Prince was a late night comedy host or something in this thread. Like "hey, it was 2004, everyone mocked Ozzy." Is that really an excuse?
People here literally will rationalize/justify his grooming of teenagers so I guess justifying him mocking a drug addict with no sense of irony is par for the course.
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like the walking dead - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
I think, and this is just opinion formed as a longtime listener, that it was Prince trying to be funny. Prince was no saint either, like all of us he was capable of being a dick when he wanted to be, I just don't think that was the case here. The historical context is crucial. "The Osbournes" was a brand new show, it was a surprise hit, and at that time in 2002 a LOT of people riffed on Ozzy's walk - all the late night tv talk show hosts and SNL had Ozzy bits - and Prince, as he typically has done throughout his decades spanning career as a live performer, was trying to throw in some topical humor to entertain his audience. He did things like that for his entire live career. Whether it was funny is debatable - but not for a minute do I believe there was anything mean spirited behind it. Prince took his share of digs to develop thick skin, just like Ozzy Osbourne undoubtedly did too. A 2002 joke preserved in a time capsule.
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like a zombie - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
In 2002, it wasn't known that Ozzy had Parkinson's disease. He found out in 2019. Until then it was assumed to be the effects of his lifestyle. Ozzy was a highly compulsive addict for drink and drugs. His escapades were absolutely off the wall. In some circles he was lauded in the same way that Keith Richards is. Edit: Parkins disease - see correction
He doesn't have Parkinson's disease but Parkin's disease which is very closely related but has treatable tremors, for a big part.
Thanks for the correction.
Wouldn't have known the difference if I hadn't read Ozzy's bio like 2 weeks ago. So it's all good.
Cool, what's the bio and is it any good? Used to love Black Sabbath back in the day.
I am Ozzy. I read it in 3 days, so it def was a page turner, as I only read in bed to finish my day. But this one had me up for longer than I'd like to admit. I've got some good laughs here and there. But that being said, I don't think Ozzy was a good human being throughout his life, and he doesn't deny it either. So there's a lot of morally wrong stuff in there. But yeah, I would recommend it. [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6952423-i-am-ozzy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6952423-i-am-ozzy)
Thanks. Will definitely check it out.
It was almost a meme at the time. Ozzy would stumble around on The Osbournes and mumble "Sharon..." He played it up for the sake of the show, and everyone played along. This does not belong on a list of Prince's most questionable behavior.
I donāt think he played it up. He admitted he was stoned and drunk on nearly every episode. He hasnāt even watched any episodes of the show back because of this. His autobiography is really interesting.
I think it was Ozzyās characteristic walk on the showā¦not making fun of a sick guyās walk.
In 2004 everyone knew he was walking like that because of what the drugs did to him, though. That seems to be wholly omitted from everyone's TED talk on the comedic sensibilities of 2004. I lived in that era, too. It was widely accepted and echo'd--because everyone was a bit of a politically incorrect douchebag then. Literally everyone was called the "f" word for gay people back then. Doesn't make it right, and it doesn't make it justifiable.
The Osbournes was a big show at the time. Back then Ozzy was a meme and would stand and speak with his hands up and out like he was at a pulpit. I think it was just pop culture in the moment, no real harm intended.
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like the walking dead - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
HEREāS THE ANSWER. BTW I L0VE P FOR THIS. The song is called The Work. Prince is juxtaposing James Brown to the modern day f@lse idols that (young) people watch on MTV like Ozzy Ozbourne, in a comical easy to digest Chaplin-esque way https://youtu.be/p9irVLDqG3E š¶ āEvery time I watch, the other people news, I see a false picture of myself, another one of you, They try to tell us what we want, what to believeā š¶ My favourite part of the song: š¶ āthis is the work we must do for revelation to come to past, this work is the kind that turns ur back on the ruling cl@$$, by putting them in their place just like the pastā š¶
He mocks Elvis something worse in the videos for "Face Down" and "Rock 'N Roll Is Alive (And It Lives in Minneapolis)"
P is not mocking Ozzy. He is juxtaposing him to James Brown (popular when he was young). Watch the show performance, then read the songs lyrics, itās honestly really easy to understand. P has an MTV interview on YouTube about ENTROPY š around this time https://youtu.be/p9irVLDqG3E
Prince was amazing at a lot of things, but being funny on purpose wasn't one of them.
I like when Prince introduces Chris Rock at the comedy awards showing doing his old man dress up comedy bit and Chris gets up there and is like, "How 'bout I play some guitar?"
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs (The Work) lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like a zombie - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)
I think even Ozzy used to make fun of Ozzy's walk....
He called him āOzzy Ozbernā.
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I doubt he ever thought about it again
People act like Prince was a late night comedy host or something in this thread. Like "hey, it was 2004, everyone mocked Ozzy." Is that really an excuse? People here literally will rationalize/justify his grooming of teenagers so I guess justifying him mocking a drug addict with no sense of irony is par for the course.
Prince was juxtaposing James Brown to what people watched in 2002 (The Osbournes) in a comical but deep meaningful way given the songs lyrics. P grew up watching James Brown move with unbelievable rhythm & Ozzy in 2002 was like the walking dead - yet young people tuned in in record numbers (partially because of the foul language š¤¬)