Those Outrageous Osbournes

Scorpio energy fires up Ozzie and his family

The antics of British rock star Ozzie Osbourne and his clan made for a riveting (some would say shocking) reality show on MTV. The Osbournes, which aired from 2002 to 2005, featured Ozzie, his wife Sharon, and their kids, Kelly and Jack. The family members share some startling astrological influences: A provocative Scorpio influence runs through the entire household, and helps to account for the wicked intensity of the show. But that's just the beginning of the intrigue among MTV's First Family.

Ozzie Osbourne (December 3, 1948)
Once best known as the lead singer and frontman for the heavy-metal band Black Sabbath, Ozzie "Prince of Darkness" Osbourne has his Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius, which gives him a fiendishly candid personality. But it may come as a surprise that he has a pragmatic streak via his Moon, Mars, and Jupiter in practical Capricorn. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of hardship, which accounts for his impoverished upbringing. Still, having lived through poverty, a stint as a burglar, alcoholism, drug addiction, and numerous scandals -- and finally rising to the heights of fame -- says a lot for the determination and longevity of Capricorn. Not to mention Ozzie himself.

This influence also accounts for his 20-plus-year marriage to Sharon, his second wife. They both have Venus in Scorpio, which lends them a passionate and tumultuous connection -- and a willingness to stay together through all sorts of upheaval. She met Osbourne when she was 14, because her father was his manager. After Black Sabbath fired Ozzie in 1979 because of his erratic behavior (presumably drug-induced), Sharon took over the management of his career. It certainly hasn't been a smooth ride: She stood by her husband through addictions and affairs, to name just a few of their challenges, and he was at her side during her battle against breast cancer.

A couple with Venus in Scorpio has the ability to stick it out through their darkest hours, but it's no wonder Sharon entitled her autobiography Extreme.

Sharon Osbourne (October 9, 1952)
The powerful conjunction of Sun, Mercury, Saturn, and Neptune in Libra gives this savvy lady an intelligent, charming persona -- and a sharp bite. Mercury suggests that she has a strong mind, while Saturn gives her a head for business. Neptune is where she derives her love of all things artistic: In addition to being a manager, she's also a successful television personality. But it's her Mars in Sagittarius that makes her as outspoken as her Sagittarius husband. This shared Mars energy probably fires up the passion between them, as well.

Kelly Osbourne (October 27, 1984)
This young woman is intense! With four placements in Scorpio -- including a forceful Sun-Pluto conjunction -- Kelly is willful, deeply emotional, and quite certain of her own power. According to Rolling Stone's review of The Osbournes, at age 16 "Kelly emerged as a wickedly funny, brutally honest, pint-size, potty-mouthed spitfire." And so she was! And is.

Most interestingly, she follows closely in her parents' astrological footsteps with not only strong Scorpio influences, but Sagittarius ones as well: Kelly has Venus, Neptune and a Moon-Uranus conjunction in the sign of the Archer. This conjunction indicates a rule-breaker who forges her own path. She's a spitfire, all right. She's also highly creative, and is a singer, an actor, a dancer, and a writer.

Capitalizing on their astrological ties, she and her father recorded a duet of the Black Sabbath song "Changes" in 2003, and it became a #1 hit in the UK. More recently, she showed off her graceful side on the popular television show Dancing With the Stars. And in September of 2009, she released her autobiography, Fierce -- an apt title for a tome from this fiery Scorpio.

Jack Osbourne (November 8, 1985)
With Sun and Saturn in Scorpio, and Mercury and Uranus in Sagittarius, Jack is perfectly attuned to his family's astrological pattern. What's more, Venus in Libra gives him a strong tie with his mother. The Sagittarius influences, which are associated with adventure, exercise, and sports, certainly mold Jack's career as a television personality. In true Sagittarius fashion, his reality TV series Adrenaline Junkie documents his six-month quest to get into shape in order to climb Yosemite's El Capitan. The show is the perfect vehicle for his Moon in Virgo, too, since Virgo rules health. This Moon influence also provided additional motivation for him to get sober: He began drinking while he was in his teens, and suffered badly from depression later on. Like his father and his sister, who was once addicted to painkillers, he's an example of the transformational power of Scorpio.

We can't wait to see what this quirky and energetic crew dream up next, but we know it'll be interesting, creative... and very intense.