Why The Osbournes Didn’t Get Paid for MTV Reality Show at First

The Osbournes was a game-changing reality series from the moment it first aired on MTV, but according to Jack Osbourne, the family wasn’t initially paid for the pilot. So what happened?

While guesting on the Great Company With Jamie Laing podcast, Osbourne shared his experience with the groundbreaking series and revealed that it was actually the family’s fault for the financial issue, but actually worked out in their favor in the long run.

How Did The Osbournes Initially Not Get Paid for Their MTV Reality Series?

According to Jack, when the first episode of The Osbournes aired, the family did not get paid. This, he says, was due to their own procrastination.

“So here’s the crazy thing,” Jack began, “When we signed up to do The Osbournes … We agreed to do the show and they started filming in late September / early October of 2001. We didn’t know what we were getting into. But ultimately, mom was like, ‘This is a great opportunity for you guys,’ (the kids), because MTV at the time was mega. It was the end-all, be-all for the youth. And my dad was promoting and album and a tour, so we were like, ‘This is great promo. Let’s do this.'”

He continued, “So we kept kind of kicking the can down the road with the contract for MTV. And what was meant to be like a three-week pilot that we shot turned into months and while we’re still filming they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got an airdate. We’re going to air in March of 2002. But we really need to get this release signed and the contract signed.’ And we’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah, no problem, no problem.'”

As Jack explained, the family dragged their feet a bit on getting the contracts signed. This was during a time where it took longer to review contracts so things weren’t completely finalized when it came time for the series to air.

“The show aired and we hadn’t signed anything,” he recalled. “So they hadn’t paid us and we hadn’t even signed an appearance release. So the show airs and becomes this overnight success, but none of us had signed the contract. So at that point we all kind of held all the cards and we turned around to MTV and were like, ‘All right. Pay up.'”

Jack later revealed that, despite a financial deal not being signed when the pilot aired, they were able to negotiate with MTV once the initial airing became a huge success.

In July 2002, four months after the first episode debuted, the Osbourne family secured a $7 million home video deal to distribute the first two seasons of the show through Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Was Jack Always on Board + How Did He React to His Fame at the Time?

Within the chat, Jack revealed he initially had some reluctance to take part, but one key factor ultimately swayed his decision.

He told Laing, “I flip-flopped. I initially said and then I was like, ‘Oh no, wait.’ There was a bit of apprehension about it. Ultimately, the deciding factor for me, because I was about to turn 16, was that you could drive in the [United] States at 16. And I was like, ‘Well, am I even gonna get paid for this?’ They were like, ‘Yeah.’ And I was like, ‘How much? Can I buy a car at the end of it?’ They were like, ‘Yeah,’ and I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’”

READ MORE: 25 Rockers Who Have Appeared in Reality Series

That said, later in the discussion he confessed he did not handle the newfound fame adequately.

“I really didn’t navigate it well. I had a lot of resentment. I had a lot of embarrassment. I was not comfortable with some of the stuff that made it onto the air,” he went on. “But ultimately I think I kind of used my powers for evil. I was like, ‘Screw it. I can get into any club, any bar. I can meet any chick.’ It was like I just went full on …. I went to the dark side of the force.”

Osbourne recalled an incident of literally being pulled off the street into a club in New York City when he was 16 and being served drinks.

Watch the full interview below.

Jack Osbourne Guests on Great Company With Jamie Laing

More About ‘The Osbournes’ Reality Series

The Osbournes debuted on MTV in March 2002 and chronicled the home lives of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and their teen children Jack and Kelly Osbourne. The couple’s other child Aimee decided not to participate.

The show ran from 2002 through 2005 and detailed such major life events as the aftermath of Ozzy’s near-fatal 2003 ATV accident, Sharon’s battle with colon cancer and Kelly’s rehab stint as she dealt with an addiction to painkillers.

Not only was the show a ratings hit, in 2002, it won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program.

Below, see some of the best promotional items from The Osbournes reality series.