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May 21, 2013

Dr. Phil apologizes about Britney mess (kind of)

by Bob Sassone, posted Jan 21st 2008 1:01PM

Dr. PhilLast week, word surfaced that Dr. Phil was going to apologize on his show today for getting involved with Britney Spears and her many problems. But the "doctor" doesn't exactly apologize for getting involved in the first place, only that he made it public, which is sort of like saying you don't apologize for stealing something, only that you got caught.

On today's show, "Dr." Phil says that the only thing he's sorry for is telling anyone about what he was trying to do. He doesn't apologize for "trying to help this family or this girl in trouble."

I finally figured this out: "Dr." Phil needs help just as much as his patients do. He's the world's most arrogant superhero, thinking that he's the only therapist (or whatever the hell he is) who can possibly help someone in trouble. What he should have done is completely stay out of it, because he knew that even if he didn't say anything, it would eventually turn into a media circus. He should have either stayed out of it or called another therapist to help the family.

It's convenient that "Dr." Phil doesn't mention the special episode of his show that he was going to create out of this meeting with Spears (now canceled). I'm sure when he says he only wanted to help the family that attention and ratings and exploitation were the furthest thing from his mind. Thanks, Oprah, for unleashing this hemmoroid on the world.

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TomB

You can have a PhD in Psychology and not be a clinical psychologist. You could be a professor, researcher, etc. but having a PhD in psychology doesn't make you a licensed clinical psychologist that's allowed to treat patients. Completely different things.

You can have a doctorate in just about any field of study and you earn the academic title of "Doctor" but you can't practice or treat patients.

You can earn a doctorate in medicine but that doesn't make you a licensed physician. There are many other requirements.

I'm an RN and I could get a doctorate in nursing but I'd still be just an RN unless I specifically studied to become and took boards to become a nurse practitioner, for example.

Every state is different. Every professional licensing bureau has it's requirements.

January 22 2008 at 9:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marc

First of all, he IS a doctor. Quotes are cute, but they're wrong. But I guess I should expect this from a 'writer' like you.

Second of all, he DID talk about the show he was planning on Britney. You write, 'It's convenient that "Dr." Phil doesn't mention the special episode of his show that he was going to create out of this meeting with Spears', and I have to wonder: DID YOU ACTUALLY WATCH, DID YOU WATCH ONLY PARTS, OR DID YOU HEAR STUFF SECOND HAND?

The show's topic was gossip, and it's crap like this (I'm so surprised to read such ignorant, biased comments like this on TV Squad) -- what you're doing is PROVING HIS POINT!

Dr. Phil walks a line, and I certainly don't agree with him all the time. He obviously made some questionable choices. But that's no reason to dismiss everything about him. Including his DOCTORATE.

January 22 2008 at 11:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Will

Looks like I'm going to be the only poster so far to not throw the hatey on Dr.Phil. First off, I fully acknowledge that the Britney thing was mishandled and that he was after a nice Britney-themed show to air. So, he does lose points for that. But, why does everyone keep putting "Dr." in quotes, like he got his diploma from a sham school or something. There was a comedian on some show last week that was questioning his credentials, but, as far as I know, he went to an accredited school and earned a PHD, so he has earned the title Dr. And while his shows the last couple of years has been played a little more for ratings than he did his first year on the air, I disagree with anyone who claims he hasn't helped a lot of people. There was one family in particular the first year which included a pregnant 15-year old, an emotionaly cold mother, a father who hard cheated on the wife (part of the reason the wife was how she was) and the 2nd daughter who had some problems of her own. Dr. Phil spent untold hours working with them (and yes, it made about 2 weeks of shows) but I think they would all agree, every one of them, that with Dr.Phil's help, the family overcame all the problems and were all a lot happier when it was all said and done. Then there's the thousands of dollars (could be millions by now, it wouldn't suprise me) that the show has paid for rehab for countless other people who were feautured on the show. So, yes, I suppose you could argue it was exploiting people, but an awful lot of people have also gotten very costly care all due to the show. Dr.Phil doesn't pay these bills personally, of course, but the show makes paying those bills possible.

I wrote all his not to paint the guy to be a super-hero, saviour of the world, or something, but just to point out that's it's not right to imply that he's a fraud. If you don't like him, fine, at least understand that he did go to college and he does have a PhD. If anyone can show proof that I'm wrong, bring it on by all means.

January 22 2008 at 7:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Britney sympathy

I was reading http://www.coping-with-life.com and it said that Britney's obit is already written--when is the media going to stop acting like vultures?

January 21 2008 at 5:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Britney sympathy's comment
ORKMommy

One of the big industry magazines does write obits for celebrities before they die so they have something ready to run in the event that it does happen. They have a criteria for writing them though. The celeb has to be elderly, have a terminal illness, or be deemed in danger of dying prematurely (they said it differently though). They claim that her obit being made public was a mistake. I wish I could think of the magazine...maybe it was US Weekly?

January 22 2008 at 11:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alicia

I used to work for a newspaper and it is very common for newspapers and news agencies to have obits written for well-known people, not just ones who are in trouble. This is how they get them out so fast when the celebrity dies. Agencies like the Associated Press have rolls of literally thousands of pre-written obituaries for a variety of people from celebrities to statesmen. This doesn't make them vultures, it makes them prepared newspeople.

It's standard procedure in the news business to pre-write as much of an obituary as possible for newsmakers. When I worked for the paper, I pre-wrote obits for former governors of our states, celebrities who were born/raised in the area, church leaders, local activists and other community members. Britney's obituary being pre-written isn't the media singling her out for disaster, it's the media preparing for all contingencies. The Queen of England and the Pope both have pre-written obits ready to go too - is that exploitation to you too?

January 22 2008 at 11:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eugene

Why would anyone think that someone chosen by Oprah would be anything other than a self inflated blow hard who talks out of his ass? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

January 21 2008 at 4:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
am not

>thinking that he's the only therapist (or whatever the hell he is)<

I think he is an Analyst and a Therapist.

In tv terms it's pronounced
an-al-raa-pist

January 21 2008 at 4:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tool

I'm sorry, Dr. Phil, but you are a big dick. Actually, I'm not sorry.

This whole thing came across as self-serving. You only have to watch your show to see that you exploit people for a living and the "care" that you exhibit is completely phony.

January 21 2008 at 3:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Phatman

I remember reading somewhere that he was a friend of the family and that they asked him to come. They didn't get upset til he took it public.

January 21 2008 at 2:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Beth

"Thanks, Oprah, for unleashing this hemmoroid on the world."

So true, Bob.

"Dr." Phil, indeed.

January 21 2008 at 2:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Beth's comment
TomB

I'm ruminating again and just can't quit typing for some reason. I just started taking a mild (mild my ass) ADHD stimulant drug and I CAN"T STOP - HELP!!! lol

Beth - I like you already,
First, don’t get me wrong. I think Oprah (even though I have some problems with her – I’m sure she’d have problems with me too) is an extremely intelligent woman/reporter/interviewer/talk show host/educator/motivator/for the most part (well maybe half of the most part) a little bit of a racist – but most of us in the US are, unfortunately. I say racist (which may be too strong of a word) but this woman has been working to act “white” since she was a reporter. At least on TV. Back then she had to in TV. Now on the Ofra show she’s pretty much an intelligent oreo who interjects reminders that she’s black – usually for the sake of humor. She has back guests who are either dressed in African garb and who have won Nobel prizes or are otherwise successful and to some extent have lost their heritage (but not the costume/accent). She LOVES those Cosby throwbacks.

Don't forget the EVO queen/big mouth Rachel Ray whose air-brushed pic on on every box of crackers in the grocery store?

HOW MUCH MORE MONEY DOES THE MEGALOMANIAC OFRA REALLY NEED?

We get it you're an extremely successful AA businesswomen. You say you grew up in poverty and in really bad hoods but does she help her own community? NO. She builds a gazillion dollar school for girls in Africa. She's an American - an African descendant. If I had money I'd help out peeps from my community here in the US. I have German blood but I'd help my own - not do a media masturbation of myself helping girls in Germany for the positive press and so everybody can tell me how wonderful I am (Ofra seems to thrive on that). Don't even get me started about how her students in Africa are being abused sexually (just as all the others not in her school are).

THEN!!! SHE had to go to Africa herself and fire the person and "fix" the situation. THAT's a megalomaniac for you. She could pick amoung the best most experienced who know the cukture and the area to the administer the school for her under her perview. Is she a school administrator? Any experience running a school? Does she REALLY undertand the situation there (or only what she's been told)? SHE runs it from CHICAGO?? Because, of course, no one could do it any better than she. Even though having a talk show and a being a former journalist, does the ability to present herself as white or black that give her a unique understanding childhood development of abused worthlessly regarded girls who are often killed at birth because of their sex? Besides, unless she does it on TV she really doesn't do it.

Ever sit though O's entire show? During the second 2/3 of the hour they go to commercial about every 1½ - 2½ minutes. LITERALLY. (watch and see!! – it’s true. Time the actual broadcast minus the ads and you’ll see I’m not lying. KA- CHING!!! Yeah, she improving lives alright for 20-25 minutes between commercials. NO WONDER she’s worth a gazillion $. I would to for her salary – but instead of making $100 mill per hour in ad revenue (remember her ratings are HUGE and the ad time is very pricy and she owns the show and the production company – so the advertisers pay the prod co. – which she owns. per DAY is ad buys I’d do it for 10 min per day and give you a 45-50min “hour long” show.

About 40 mins into the show: “Ofra: so you wrote a book? I LOVED it. We’ll talk about it when we come back.” (I’m not exaggerating here).

I think soccer moms are beginning to figure out she's milkng them for their disposable incomes. Even her book list is a joke now. "I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike, I wish I had a bike.

POOF!!

I have a bike!!!! (what a joke)

She's IS articulate, VERY INTELLIGENT, a great interviewer, and somewhat of a racist (she speaks differently when interviewing AA guests. Don’t even get me started about Obama. I like Obama, but she turns off the articulate/intelligent Ofra and her speech becomes grammatically questionable and DEFINITELY Ebonic. . I would care if she she spoke a little Ebonics, but don’t pander to your target audience but talk white to your soccer mom’s on your show and use AA slang or pronunciations for a laugh. Then tour with Obama and switch to Ebonics and black pronunciations to pander to his AA audience. MLK was a great man, but the AAs in the audience don’t need you to remind them of that. And Obama (although I’m REALLY impressed with he and Clinton) doesn’t need your h

January 23 2008 at 8:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bash

Spot on.

I think Britney should've gotten in contact with Tom and Katie instead. They really DO care!

January 21 2008 at 2:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Bash's comment
Tim

Agreed, especially since Tom is the only one who can help!

January 21 2008 at 2:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TomB

They may care, but Tom is a taco shy of a combination platter. Hopefuilly the extraterrestrials will come and get him before Katie realizes that the her rich famous and delusional movie star husband gives all his money away and boards a spaceship.

Haven't decided about Katie though. She's really cute, but Tom's just a little scary when it comes to her. Hope she has support far away from Tom and his religious cult - oops I mean religion. (if you can call worshiping a SciFi fiction author a diety). How do they get away with not paying taxes? Hubbard died and worms are eating him. But if you believe what he preeched it a religion. Whatever.

She either REALLY loves him, loves being controlled, or subtly manipulated, or being fairly wealthy, or living the life of a Super star's wife (at least for now). Or she's just putting up with it all until the prenup runs out.

When NK divorced Cruise she was FREE!!, rich and successful.

January 23 2008 at 8:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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