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Two years in the past, Carlos Watson, the co-founder and CEO of Ounces Media, advised CNBC throughout a stay tv broadcast that heavy metallic legend Ozzy Osbourne and his spouse, the music trade supervisor and former discuss present host Sharon Osbourne, turned associates with him and invested in his firm after a authorized battle.
“Enjoyable reality: our buddy Ozzy and Sharon sued us briefly, after which we determined to be associates and now they’re buyers in Ounces,” Watson stated on CNBC on the time. (You may watch the video above.)
It seems none of that was true, based on Sharon Osbourne, who spoke to CNBC on Thursday simply as hedge fund honcho Marc Lasry quit as Ozy Media’s chairman.
Lasry’s resignation, and the revelation from Sharon Osbourne, got here days after The New York Times reported that an Ounces govt had posed as a YouTube official on a February name with Goldman Sachs over a possible $40 million funding. Past Lasry’s resignation, veteran journalist Katty Kay has resigned from Ozy Media and investor SV Angel has decided it is giving up their shares within the firm.
“This man is the most important shyster I’ve ever seen in my life,” Osbourne stated, referring to Watson, simply after CNBC answered her telephone name. Osbourne stated she had reviewed Watson’s declare after CNBC reached out to her workforce with the small print within the wake of the varied controversies surrounding Ounces Media.
Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne announce that Ozzfest 2007 will probably be free. The announcement was made throughout a press convention on the Century Plaza lodge in Los Angeles, California on February 6, 2007.
Jason Merritt/TERM | FilmMagic | Getty Photographs
The Osbournes filed a trademark lawsuit in 2017 over the identify Ounces Fest, which is Ounces Media’s annual live performance and competition. The Osbournes had for years produced a metallic music competition referred to as Ozzfest, which has featured acts similar to Ozzy Osbourne’s authentic band Black Sabbath, Device and Slayer.
Osbourne advised CNBC that Watson tried to intimidate her after the go well with was filed, saying that his firm has a ton of assets and will draw out the authorized battle a lot that the household would have needed to proceed to pay exorbitant authorized charges.
Osbourne stated the 2 sides settled after the couple completed paying round $300,000 in authorized charges over the trademark battle between Ounces Media and the Osbournes’ firm.
The Wrap studies that courtroom paperwork filed towards Ounces Media on the time declare the Ounces Fest logos “are almost an identical in sight, sound, connotation and business impression to MLC’s well-known Ozzfest mark.”
Court docket paperwork say the settlement got here in 2018. Osbourne shared with CNBC the small print of the settlement.
“He could not have the type of artists that we now have on our invoice,” Osbourne stated, referring to Watson. “So he could not have any rock artists or different artists on his invoice. As a result of he was beginning to take rap artists and we have had a couple of rap artists on. So I am like ‘that is getting ridiculous now.’ So, he needed to approve the payments with me and he needed to approve the promoting with me.”
An Ounces Media spokesperson didn’t return repeated emails searching for touch upon Osbourne’s remarks.
Carlos Watson speaks onstage throughout HISTORYTalks Management & Legacy introduced by HISTORY at Carnegie Corridor on February 29, 2020 in New York Metropolis.
Noam Galai | Getty Photographs
Watson and his firm have been below growing scrutiny since a report by the New York Times detailed various controversies at Ounces Media. The report describes an occasion when an Ounces Media govt allegedly impersonated a YouTube consultant in a telephone name with Goldman Sachs, which was desirous about investing in Watson’s agency. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reportedly began probing the telephone name.
Watson, a former MSNBC contributor and CNN host, based Ounces Media in 2013. The corporate produces on-line articles and tv programming. It has attracted assist from a number of big-name buyers and celebrities, similar to former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez. Dr. Anthony Fauci and Mark Cuban have appeared at Ounces occasions.
In 2019, Watson, whereas sitting subsequent to Ounces investor and eventual chairman Lasry, advised CNBC that after the lawsuit was settled with the star couple, they turned buyers into his enterprise. Lasry, a hedge fund supervisor and co-owner of the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, was named chair of Ounces Media’s board in September.
After he was requested whether or not the Osbournes invested in Ounces, Watson stated, “Now they’re buyers. They’re a part of the household.” He was showing on CNBC to advertise Ounces Fest, which was set to happen in New York on the time. CNBC was the media associate for Ounces Fest 2019, which was canceled as a consequence of excessive warmth.
Osbourne, herself a longtime TV character, stated that neither he nor her husband have ever been shareholders into the corporate. Sharon Osbourne left the daytime discuss present “The Discuss” this 12 months following a heated dialog on air and an inner investigation.
(L-R) Samantha Bee, Mark Cuban, CEO and Co-Founder Carlos Watson, and Jeb Bush communicate onstage throughout OZY FEST 2017 Introduced By OZY.com at Rumsey Playfield on July 22, 2017 in New York Metropolis.
Bryan Bedder | Getty Photographs
“We’re not ever, ever a buddy, and we have no curiosity in his firm,” Osbourne stated in response to Watson’s claims within the CNBC interview. When requested whether or not she and her husband have ever invested in Watson’s firm, Osbourne stated: “You should be joking. No approach did we spend money on something.”
Osbourne stated that her husband, Ozzy Osbourne, has by no means spoken or met with Carlos Watson, whereas she and Watson and have solely spoken over the telephone.
“He is insane,” Osbourne stated about Watson. She famous that throughout the authorized battle he did provide her shares of the corporate however she declined the provide.
“To be trustworthy, he did say, ‘Properly we’ll offer you shares within the firm, however I stated ‘your organization is value nothing.’ He stated, ‘Now we have all this backing. All these billionaire individuals. And we will carry on suing you and I can provide you some shares.’ However I am like, ‘Shares in what? What do you do?”
Watson, based on Osbourne, repeatedly tried these techniques throughout these conversations.
“Then he tells me he is acquired billions behind him as a result of his important shareholder of the corporate is the spouse of a man that died [and ran] Apple,” Osbourne stated, referring to Emerson Collective’s Laurene Powell Jobs. He additionally used Powell Jobs’ wealth as an intimidation issue, based on Osbourne. “We have got her cash behind us. I will battle you all the best way,” Osbourne stated Watson advised her.
“I am like, ‘Nevertheless it’s not proper you’ve got stolen this identify,'” Osbourne stated.
Watson has appeared on CNBC quite a few occasions, together with in January this 12 months — when he was on a panel with Ben Smith, the New York Occasions editor who broke the story over the weekend concerning the Goldman Sachs name.
CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this text.
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