{alltv} Chen ticks off 'The Talk' team

Monday, August 15, 2011

{alltv} Chen ticks off 'The Talk' team

Julie Chen's "queen bee attitude" is forcing the ladies of CBS's "The Talk" to flee the daytime gab-fest after just one season.

Sources say fed-up Leah Remini plans to quit on the heels of Sharon Osbourne's bombshell that she's taking a break. Co-host Holly Robinson Peete last week said she will not return for Season 2.

The last straw for Osbourne and Remini was Chen's order, passed down from her master-of- the-universe husband, CBS President Les Moonves, following their South of France break, that the women were not allowed to discuss the Casey Anthony case without her because she's the only host with journalistic credentials.

"[Julie] said, 'My husband feels strongly that you should not be talking about news [without me], you are not news people,' " our source told us. "Sharon just said, 'I don't know about this.' She'd had enough. "

Despite the friction, one program insider called Chen "the glue that holds the show together" and firmly placed the blame on Remini.

"[Remini] was a disruptive force," the source said. "She had a huge morale problem," adding that Remini often brought her mother on set, who refused to follow studio rules.

"Her mother never parked in her assigned space," the insider said. "She was told not to park in the lot anymore. "

Two executive producers have abandoned the show since it began last fall. But co-host Sara Gilbert is slated to return.

A CBS spokesperson told us, " 'The Talk' just finished a strong first season . . . The producers are currently working on a creative game plan for Season 2, which launches on Sept. 6."

Osbourne's rep said she was "not reachable." Remini's agent said, "I don't believe anyone's option has been picked up. Her mom does go to the show every day as does Sara's mom and Holly's mom."

He declined to comment about the parking-lot matter because Remini couldn't be reached by deadline.