Choking back tears, entertainment producer and celebrity impersonator Don Rugg of Apple Valley reflected on the recent death of music legend Ozzy Osbourne.
“There was only one Ozzy and his passing has left a large void in the lives of many,” Rugg told the Daily Press. “He was a wonderful man who left his mark on the music industry and the hearts of millions.”
The 76-year-old Grammy-winning rocker died just weeks after reuniting with Black Sabbath for a final show in England.
Osbourne was known as an iconic rock singer and loving family man with a heart of gold and humorous spirit, who had a unique voice and persona, which included shocking on-stage antics like biting the head off a bat.
In 2002, Osbourne and his family became famous reality TV stars while appearing the four seasons MTV series “The Osbournes.”
‘Simply a chalice’
Rugg explained that for nearly two decades, he impersonated Osbourne, who founded the band Black Sabbath and was known by many as the “Prince of Darkness.”
“I may have looked like Ozzy, but I was never him,” something Rugg emphasized numerous times during the interview. “I was simply a chalice that carried his persona to people who loved this giant of a man.”
After drawing the attraction of Ozzy fans in public, Rugg would hand out cards explaining that he was only an impersonator of the Hall of Fame rock legend.
“I respected Ozzy and the career he built, and would never attempt to share in his fame or glory,” said Rugg, a Navy veteran, former corrections officer and co-owner of Starfire Productions HD.
Meeting the ‘real Ozzy ‘
During one OzzFest, Rugg became concerned when he drew a rambunctious crowd while dressed like Osbourne, wearing all black and round “John Lennon-like” sunglasses, he said.
“One of the concert organizers pulled us aside and kept us backstage,” Rugg said. “They told me they couldn’t protect me if I went out in the crowd.”
Rugg said he and Osbourne shared a “brief moment” during one annual celebrity impersonator “The Reel Awards” ceremony in Las Vegas.
“I was working backstage when I saw Ozzy and his team of bodyguards,” Rugg said. “Ozzy stopped, looked at me and said, ‘You’re a handsome man,’ before he walked off.”
Rugg said meeting Osbourne was a surreal moment, which he cherishes and will never forget.
Becoming ‘Pseudo-Ozzy’
Rugg admitted that he stumbled into becoming “Pseudo-Ozzy” over 20 years ago while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“While we were walking through the airport, people started looking at me and yelling ‘Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!,’” Rugg said. “My wife caught on and told me to wave at them, so I turned and waved, and they started going crazy and screaming.”
Not knowing about Ozzy Osbourne, Rugg looked at the group of strangers and thought to himself, “Ozzy? Do they think I’m Australian?”
Rugg’s wife then began teaching him about Osbourne’s music, family, lifestyle and influence in music and culture.
After returning home, Rugg’s wife purchased black clothing, wigs and makeup, and transformed her husband into an Ozzy impersonator, Rugg said.
“I was all dressed up and went outside where my kids were working on their cars. They all stopped and said that I looked like Ozzy,” Rugg said. “A week later, we were watching the Osbournes on TV and my 3-year-old granddaughter looked at the screen and said, ‘grandpa.’”
After that, Rugg embraced the idea of “fully impersonating” Osbourne, and began learning his mannerisms, clothing style and accent.
“My wife set the course, and I just walked the path,” Rugg said. “It wasn’t long after that I started attending parties, weddings, shows and live events, and winning lookalike contests.”
‘Messages of hope’
Rugg said he began using his pseudo-celebrity status in public to spread “messages of hope,” like “Stay in school, don’t do drugs and work hard.”
“While I wasn’t Ozzy, people treated me as though I was, even after I corrected them,” Rugg said. “People would come up crying and hugging me, and telling me that I changed their life.”
Rugg decided to use the opportunity to share positive messages to help kids, young adults, abuse victims and those who had lost their way.
“Those people adored Ozzy, so I decided that I would use that opportunity to help them,” Rugg said. “I’m hoping that I showed them how to escape the darkness and find the light.”
Rugg said one of his motivations to help others came from having sons who were once addicted to methamphetamine.
As an ordained minister, Rugg was once asked to attend the funeral of a young man from Barstow who was an Ozzy fan.
“His father asked me how much I would charge to attend the service,” Rugg said. “I told him no charge and that it would be an honor to be there.”
Birmingham connection
Rugg also shared some thought-provoking facts about the Osbournes and his family.
Rugg said Osbourne’s death on July 22, 2025, occurred on the third anniversary of the death of Barbara Drake, a Sharon Osbourne impersonator, who often accompanied Rugg to events.
“After Ozzy died, Barbara’s daughter called to see how I was doing,” Rugg said. “Her call was one of many that I recently received from around the world.”
Rugg also noted that Osbourne was born in Birmingham, England, the same city where his grandfather was born.
“When Ozzy died, the world lost an icon similar to Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, Prince and Michael Jackson,” Rugg said. “It makes me cry, but I know his music will live on forever.”
Although Rugg doesn’t have plans to impersonate Osbourne again, he said he’d considerate it and would do so with “dignity and respect.”
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: ‘Pseudo Ozzy’ Osbourne remembers meeting the real rock legend and Prince of Darkness
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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