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SWAGGER MAGAZINE
Drew Williams
Kristen Anzelc
Randall Slavin
Just in time for Halloween, Jack Osbourne is ready to take fans into the unknown with a new season of his paranormal series Jack Osbourne's Night of Terror, along with a captivating new podcast titled Ghosts and Grit. But that's not all — Osbourne is also steering the ship at Osbourne Media and rekindling the essence of the Osbourne family podcast.
Jack: Night of Terror began as a small special I was working on, and the network decided to transform it into a limited series. This season features myself along with some friends and special guests as we ghost hunt in different haunted locations. In the series, you'll witness me taking my mom, Sharon Osbourne, on a ghost hunt, as well as Jenny McCarthy, Jamie Kennedy, and Jason Muse, and my sister, Kelly Osbourne. Filming this series was an absolute riot. Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that in the first episode with my mom, something terrifying occurred — something beyond my wildest imagination or prior belief. I can honestly say that it has profoundly altered my perspective on ghost hunting. Perhaps going forward, I shouldn't be so relaxed about it. I struggle to find the right words to describe it, except to say that it is undeniably real.
Jack: Absolutely. I have always been fascinated with the paranormal, "the fringe." When I was a kid, all I would read were some of the world's greatest mysteries and ghost stories, and I was obsessed with the show The X-Files. I often dreamed of someday pursuing a path that involved exploring the realms of the unknown. Incredibly, I've managed to turn that childhood passion into a fulfilling hobby that has become a part of my adult life. It's not something I'm obsessively consumed by, but it's been a consistent hobby and interest of mine since I was about six years old.
Jack: Choosing a podcast topic was a challenge because I have a wide range of interests, from the paranormal to fitness and outdoor adventures. Fortunately, we settled on Ghosts and Grit. It's a podcast with a relaxed and informal format where I bring on guests to share their paranormal experiences. We dive into what makes their encounters gritty and impactful. We've had a great lineup of guests come on the show, including UFC fighters, Dr. Drew, and Jamie Kennedy. The episode with Jamie Kennedy was particularly epic; we went deep into the rabbit hole with our tinfoil hats on for over three hours. Additionally, I'm excited to have my former co-host from Portals to Hell, Katrina Weidman, join me for episode breakdowns. We discuss the investigations we've conducted and provide some behind-the-scenes insights. It's been an incredible journey, and I can't wait for listeners to join us.
Jack: Reviving the Osbourne family podcast has been both challenging and very rewarding. It's funny because my dad [Ozzy Osbourne] and I are the ones who immerse ourselves in the world of YouTube and understand the dynamics of podcasting, especially when it comes to video content versus audio-only formats. Initially, our podcast was audio-only, and it did reasonably well, but it became clear that our audience wanted to see us, and we didn't want to limit ourselves to just audio. We recognized the potential in the creative content space which led us to launch Osbourne Media.
This venture allows us to create podcasts not only for individual family members but also for collaborative projects involving all of us.
I've taken on the role of President of Osbourne Media, and we've essentially built a small machine with a team of three and the family, and right now, it's firing on all cylinders. This shift in how we do business and collaborate as a family has been both exciting and transformative. Our approach involves experimenting and figuring out what works best. So far, the content we've been putting out has been well-received, and it's an ongoing journey to see what resonates with our audience. It's also nice to have complete autonomy and freedom, but the biggest challenge has been getting the whole family in the same room, as everyone's schedules are nuts [laughs].
Jack: Absolutely. I've seen the clips, and they're very funny. Here's the fun thing: with Osbourne Media, we're going to launch a subscription component next year so paid subscribers can get access to all the content we own now, as well as the original Osbourne series, and we plan to have episode-watch parties. I've seen the odd episode here and there, but no one in the family has watched an entire episode since we stopped filming it 20 years ago. So, it's going to be really funny, awkward, and incredibly painful [laughs].
Jack: I never could have anticipated in my wildest dreams that the show would have the success it did or that I would ever even be on TV. When I was a teenager, the thought of working on TV hadn't even crossed my mind. I had no idea how the industry operated, and networks like MTV were these larger-than-life entities. Back then, there were no web shows, podcasts, or easy-to-access content like today. It was just cable TV, magazines, radio, and movies. So when MTV came knocking in 2001, it was a big deal.
Kelly and I were only 16 and 15 when we got the call, and I immediately thought, whatever they want to do, let's do it. At the time, they wanted Kelly and me to do VJ work for them, so we had a meeting in Santa Monica with the producers. During that meeting, we brainstormed ideas, and eventually, the concept of doing our version of The Real World emerged.
It was decided that we would start filming when we moved into a new house. I almost forgot about the meeting because it was in the middle of spring, and then we went on summer vacation, and it slipped my mind. After my dad returned from touring, MTV informed us that they were going to wire the house with cameras. What was initially supposed to be three weeks of filming turned into three and a half years or something like that.
It was quite an unexpected journey, and I'm excited to see what this new chapter will bring to our family with Osbourne Media.
Stay connected with Osbourne Media for more entertaining and engaging content or dive into Jack's latest podcast, Ghosts and Grit. Want more thrilling adventures and spine-tingling encounters? Be sure to catch Jack's Nights of Terror on Discovery Plus or Apple TV, and if you're up for more exciting discoveries, don't miss him in Special Forces on Hulu or CTV.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
SWAGGER Magazine is North America's Men's Luxury Magazine. We focus our content on everything men love. Gear, Tech, Fashion, Rides, Sports, Health & Fitness, Food, and Feature Men and Women who possess SWAG.
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