Ozzy Osbourne Responds to Online Death Hoax: “I’m Not Dead”

Ozzy Osbourne is declaring he’s not dead, despite what online hoaxes claim.

During the latest episode of The Osbournes Podcast, the Black Sabbath frontman informed his family that he stumbled upon a YouTube in memoriam video and was surprised to have found himself in it. “I put it on and I died!,” he said. “The thing on YouTube, which goes, ‘Celebrities Who Have Died Today,’ and there’s a picture of me.” Osbourne then referenced Monty Python and the Holy Grail, joking, “I’m not dead. I’m not really dead … just a little flesh wound.'”

The 75-year-old then voiced his disapproval towards reports, like the above video, that claim celebrities are “dead-ish,” meaning being close to death after experiencing health issues. His son Jack, however, saw a silver lining in the situation: “What’s been really good about the podcast, I’ve noticed that whenever any of the shit newspapers or whatever write, ‘Oh, Ozzy’s brink of death’ or whatever and they get him papped like walking into a doctor’s appointment, if you read the comments, everyone’s like, ‘This is bullshit. You should listen to him on the podcast. He’s fucking fine. These people are fucking liars. Stop writing fake news.'”

Osbourne added, “I’m not dead. I’m not going any-fucking-where and I’m going to go do some more gigs before I’m finished anyway.”

The rock icon announced in February that he was canceling a series of European/UK tour dates due to his health issues. In a statement shared on social media, he wrote, “My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.”

In 2020, Osbourne revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2019, he suffered injuries to his neck and back after falling. He underwent various surgeries and announced on the podcast this past September that his latest surgery would be his last, as he “can’t do it anymore.”