Top 10 Dr. Phil Moments That Did NOT Age Well
#10: The Polygamous Pastor
Top 10 Saddest Moments on Dr. Phil
Going into a 2015 episode of “Dr. Phil”, it seemed like the fact that a 61-year-old pastor named Thom Miller was practicing polygamy and had two wives would be framed as the issue. But there was a much more troubling problem. One of the women, Reba, was 19 years old and pregnant with Thom’s child. But she originally met Miller when she was younger. Seeing him try to dance around the circumstances and possible consequences was incredibly uncomfortable. Looking back at the segment now, it’s hard to understand why the show gave a platform to talk about his questionable relationship with Reba at all.
#9: Second Coming
Top 10 Times Phil Dunphy was the Best Character on Modern Family
Sometimes, Phil McGraw has guests that need professional help much more than they need to be gawked at on the TV screen. 19-year-old Haley is one such person who didn’t need cameras to broadcast her issues. She claimed she was 9 months pregnant with…Jesus Christ. While her family didn’t believe she was pregnant, she was adamant. So, Phil issued an ultrasound stunt that showed no baby. Haley refused to believe it while claiming rapper Eminem is her biological father. After getting treatment, she had come to terms with the fact that she was never pregnant. But Haley still stuck by her beliefs about her family tree.
#8: Making a Victim’s Family Member Look Bad
10 Fascinating Facts About the Making of Shogun
In 1996, the world was shocked by the slaying of the young JonBenét Ramsey. Years after the culprit remained unknown, Dr. Phil decided to interview her brother Burke in a three-part show. Instead of being sensitive and caring about, the host is accusatory throughout. He questioned why Burke, a child at the time, stayed in bed when his family searched for JonBenét. During the interview, Burke is clearly uncomfortable, with a nervous smile on his face. The expression caused many viewers to believe that Burke was hiding something. After his appearance, he stated he wouldn’t do another public interview again. Dr. Phil’s difficult and inappropriate questions easily explain why.
#7: Family Obsession
Top 10 Most Relatable Modern Family Moments
For years, Phil was captivated by one family. It all began in 2003 when a woman named Erin was preparing to separate from her husband. Upon hearing their young daughter Alexandra was pregnant, she decided to work on her marriage while attending to her daughter . But that was just the tip of the iceberg for their family drama. Over the years, Dr. Phil kept bringing them back as they dealt with domestic issues, addictive behavior and legal troubles. It almost felt like the family was dragged out every time the show needed a ratings boost or scapegoats to judge. Rewatching any of their episodes feels more cringeworthy than compelling.
#6: An Intoxicated Guest
Top 10 Shocking Dr. Phil Guest Walk-Offs
In late 2020, a news story came out about Jolynn McCabe. She was reportedly assaulted by the police after getting into an argument with them after she relapsed and got drunk. In 2021, “Dr. Phil” decided to bring her and her husband out. But at the time, Mccabe was clearly very, very drunk. Asking someone questions while they're intoxicated is an ethical issue that Dr. Phil should’ve avoided instead of exploited. But this isn’t the first time this has happened. When “Survivor: China” winner Todd Herzog appeared, he too was heavily intoxicated. He later claimed that the show ensured multiple substances were made available to him right before his appearance. But the show denied they were responsible.
#5: Toxic Environment
Top 10 TV Couples Who Are Actually Toxic
Several former staff members of the “Dr. Phil” show made accusations about the toxic work environment behind the scenes in 2022. Employees claim that they were repeatedly mistreated and yelled at by senior staff. Prior to a segment, team members that worked on the show were allegedly encouraged to ensure the guests were in the worst state possible. There were also that senior staff didn’t want guests to be people of color. For a series that’s geared towards treating people well and making their lives better, it’s not a good look to have so many negative complaints. While the show has largely called these dark claims out as false, it’s hard to look at the program in the same light.
#4: Imposter Pregnancy
Sometimes, the show likes to portray one person as a clear “villain” in a story. In 2022, that role was given to Gabby. She would promise couples they could adopt her baby despite not being pregnant. After lying to multiple people, Phil had some of the victims confront her on stage. But it was clear that Gabby had issues of her own. Her own struggles with infertility, health problems and her mental health all emerge. After being on stage, Gabby gets overwhelmed and exits. The show still frames her as a willful villain when the reality is more complicated and tragic. If the show really wanted to dive into her issues, they wouldn’t have opened Gabby up to additional pressure and scrutiny.
#3: Nick Gordon’s Breakdown
Top 10 Times Nick and Schmidt Were BFF Goals
Three years after the death of Whitney Houston, her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was found unconscious in an eerily similar way within a bathtub. While she was in a coma, Dr. Phil decided to interview her partner, Nick Gordon. He was still struggling with the loss of Whitney and Bobbi. When Gordon appeared, he was heavily distressed and extremely off balance. To make matters worse, Dr. Phil told his guest to “man up” while highlighting sensitive issues. Gordon went to rehab after the episode. Unfortunately, he passed away from an overdose in 2020. Gordon’s tragic passing makes this interview early impossible to watch now.
#2: Exploiting Duvall
The show seems to have a habit of exploiting vulnerable celebrities at their lowest points. In 2016, Shelly Duvall appeared to be the target. After ending her acting career, she was contacted by a producer for the “Dr. Phil'' show to conduct this interview. The program chooses to focus on Duvall’s most unrealistic claims. Her theories about deceased actors being alive and concerns about fictional enemies are broadcast for all to see. In the wake of the interview, the show was blasted by Duvall’s loved ones and general critics for how insensitive it felt. In 2021, Duvall said that several of her loved ones warned her against talking to Dr. Phil at the time. Their concerns were certainly justified.
#1: Turn-About Ranch
When young people appear on the show, they're often recommended to go to the Turn-About Ranch in Utah to sort out behavior issues. That was the case for Danielle “Cash me ousside” Bregoli after her appearance in 2016. She later spoke out that she and other patients were mistreated by staff. Bregoli detailed what went wrong in a shocking video. In February 2021, Hannah Archuleta, who appeared on “Dr. Phil” in 2019, sued the ranch for their misdeeds. During her time there, she claimed that she was assaulted numerous times by a staff member. When Hannah tried to tell other staff, she was punished for it with inhumane tasks. These shocking claims make any mentions of the ranch on the show incredibly dark.
0
0
report