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By Jenna Bush Hager
TODAY.com
updated 10/13/2011 11:05:31 AM ET 2011-10-13T15:05:31
Correspondent's Notebook

Driving through the hills of Calabasas, lined with impressive houses and shiny sports cars, I know that this is one doctor's appointment I will never forget. On this ideal California day, I am not going to a traditional, sterile, bleak office. This doctor lives in an exquisitely decorated home with accessories expected, not from an M.D, but from a rock 'n' roll star.

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Video: ‘Dr. Ozzy’: ‘I’ve lived to tell the tale’ (on this page)

I have signed up for an appointment with Dr. Ozzy Osbourne. We know him as the heavy metal star that is incessantly pushing the edge. Whether he is biting the heads of bats, or engaging in family drama on his ground-breaking MTV reality show "The Osbournes," he has captured the attention and awe of fans and critics alike for over 30 years.

Story: Ask ‘Dr. Ozzy’: Notorious rocker offers medical advice

I am sitting down with the legend for an interview about his new book, "Ask Doctor Ozzy," which is based on letters he has written in his newspaper and magazine column. These are hilarious letters to fans, answering questions raging from drug abuse to parenting to dealing with grief. But, when Ozzy walked into the room, he was beyond any stereotype I had of the star. He came in unassumingly, without an entourage; And he was pleasant, kind and direct.

TODAY
Jenna and Ozzy, at his Calif. home, where the two talked Beatles and rabies shots.

We spent an hour laughing and talking both about the funny and the heartfelt. One minute he was sharing the pain of "golf ball"-sized shots he received after biting that infamous bat; and the next the pain he felt when he watched Sharon go through grueling cancer treatments. He spoke about his love of music, the Beatles, his family and his newly found love: exercise. He told me he has traded a drug addiction for an addiction to the Elliptical.

After my appointment, I drove away with an unexpected feeling of happiness that only comes when someone surprises you for the better. Ozzy wasn't the "crazy" musician I expected. He is a true family man, who is passionate about what he does. He is an artist and a husband with a tendency to use four letter words. He made our whole crew comfortable instantly.

And at this session, he taught me one important thing: laughter is always the best medicine.

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Video: ‘Dr. Ozzy’: ‘I’ve lived to tell the tale’

  1. Closed captioning of: ‘Dr. Ozzy’: ‘I’ve lived to tell the tale’

    >>> we are back now at 8:18 with life lessons from rock music 's ultimate survivor. today contributing correspondent jenna bush hagar recently caught up with the one and only ozzy osbourne .

    >> that's right. somebody has to do it. we all know him as a legendary heavy metal star who pushes things to the limit. but when i sat down with ozzy i got to see another side of him that just may surprise you. he's the prince of darkness , a family man. and now ozzy osbourne has taken on the role of doctor. he's written a new book "trust me, i'm dr. ozzy " a collection of letters from his weekly newspaper and magazine column where the 62-year-old rocker gives tongue-in-cheek advice on everything from parenting to drug and alcohol abuse . tell me about how your new book came about.

    >> it started as kind of a joke at first. but i've survived rock 'n roll lifestyle and the drinking and the drugs and, you know, what goes on in rock 'n roll and i've lived to tell the tale. and so people along the way would say, what's this pill, what's that pill? is this any good for that? and i'd go, well, i've sampled quite a variety and so i thought it would be funny to do a spoof on that.

    >> reporter: so in some ways this is a perfect job for you.

    >> you know, ignorance is the biggest killer. go see your doctor. you know. that's what they're there for.

    >> reporter: but in some ways, who better to give that advice than ozzy ? a man who has survived 40 years of drug use and that infamous run-in with the bat. your advice for somebody that is going to bite a bat?

    >> don't even try it. you see, every action has a reaction. okay? you bite the head off something and you're going to have some shots. that ain't cool. when i took the rabies shots it was like somebody shoving a golf ball in my [ bleep ].

    >> reporter: and he has seen his fair share of doctors.

    >> incomplete' a hypochondriac. if i wasn't there is a good chance sharon wouldn't be -- i'm always going for these new tests. i went. sharon went and they found the cancer.

    >> reporter: in 2002 his crazy life was on display when "the osbournes" premiered on mtv. during the show's run, audiences watched as ozzy and his wife sharon battled her colon cancer .

    >> to see the woman that you're married through go through these chemotherapy stuff -- a kick in the pants you know. she went through hell.

    >> reporter: throughout the entire run of the show, ozzy was admittedly high on drugs. so you're sober now.

    >> ish.

    >> reporter: soberish.

    >> i'm sober but i'm still crazy .

    >> reporter: how do you feel now that you've got control over drugs and alcohol?

    >> well, i have to take a bunch of medication because of this thing called hereditary parkinsonnian tremor which is a tremor that i have. and for many years i was getting diagnosed -- i've spent fortunes because i thought it was the dts from coming off the alcohol.

    >> reporter: he credits much of his sobriety to sharon 's tough love.

    >> sharon !

    >> reporter: what has she done to help you get where you are?

    >> she wouldn't take any crap. i remember one occasion when we were in new york and i'm having a bad time with it and i said to sharon , i wanted her to cuddle me and tell me it's going to be all right. and i go, i think i'm dying. sharon goes, die quietly. i've got an appointment at 9:00. i'm like, what sympathy do i get?

    >> reporter: at home, ozzy enjoys spending time with his 11 dogs.

    >> shut the [ bleep ] up.

    >> reporter: and his brand new ferrari.

    >> well, this is a direct result of being sober. my first car.

    >> reporter: this is your first car because you just got your driver's license?

    >> yeah, yeah, yeah.

    >> reporter: that's crazy.

    >> i know. i am. rock 'n roll.

    >> reporter: with the rock 'n roll career that spanned more than 40 years, ozzy shows no sign of slowing down.

    >> so we're here in your man cave.

    >> yeah.

    >> reporter: your recording studio , right? do you spend a lot of time down here?

    >> recently i have. when i'm writing songs i spend a lot of time here.

    >> reporter: sharon seems to always be looking at you, right?

    >> that's right. don't you dare think about taking drugs.

    >> reporter: is that why you hang that up there?

    >> i didn't hang it up there.

    >> reporter: who hung it up there?

    >> who do you think?

    >> reporter: sharon put it up there, right? ozzy says another key to staying sober is he has traded alcohol for exercise. and his son jack is expecting his first child so ozzy will have another grand baby. he is a grandfather.

    >> a lot of roles for ozzy osbourne . i like how, you know, was it easy for you to read the supers as he was talking so you could understand what he was saying?

    >> i actually could understand every word out of his mouth. i don't know what that says about me but i loved him. i think he's a great guy and he puts family first and, well, rock 'n roll first and family quite second.

    >> jenna bush hagar, thank you

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