TV News

From Valorie Tresner, Gig Harbor, Wash.:

I was a huge fan of Dr. Phil. I felt that he gave very sound, responsible, sensible advice to the common person who had gone astray. In my opinion, I thought that it was a good thing that psychotherapy was being brought to the masses, because good was being done.

Now, I will not tune in to Dr. Phil. He has sold his soul to the devil, no longer seems to be rooted in doing what is right and good, but has given in to greed and the outrageous media hype to attract viewers who seemingly revel in seeing the worst of humankind on television. I no longer see him as a professional, but an egocentric human being who likes to call attention to himself by exploiting the worst of humanity. The individuals who agree to appear on "Dr. Phil" are not looking for help, they are looking for attention and are getting it in a big way.

From Susan Jakubowski, Sarver, Pa.:

I have believed for a long time that this guy is an opportunist. Oprah brought on Dr. Phil to give him some exposure, initially. Now, you say that Oprah is distancing herself from him. In my opinion, Oprah has gone too far herself as being an "expert" in so many areas as in politics, education, literature, addictions, etc. I just don't find Oprah or Dr. Phil creditable sources for topics that interest me. The only thing that Oprah hasn't done yet is have a coronation.

From Susan Jane:

I used to watch Dr. Phil fairly regularly until the day he talked to a young couple who were disagreeing over the cost of their upcoming wedding -- which they were paying for themselves. At the end of the segment, Dr. Phil told the young man that girls dreamed about their weddings from the time they were little and that $26,000 "wasn't all that much, really." If THAT'S not out of touch, I don't know what is!

From Michael Jaumott:

Dr. Phil is a moral, Christian man and the latter is the reason he is attacked.

From Vicky Private, Canada:

LEAVE THE GUY ALONE!!! OMG, he has been entertaining and helping us for a few years now. The problem I have is with Robin. She is just his wife and that's it. Why is she featured on the show sometimes? And who cares about her problems? Who is she to write a book about her life? She's not an expert. Just because she's married to Dr. Phil doesn't mean that she is somebody.

From Mary Orem, Piedmont, S.C.:

I loved your essay on Dr. Phil. It is so refreshing to see a well-written critical analysis on one of society's bozos. The problem is that so many people do not have information to see through these folks and it takes a voice of reason to balance the scale.

From Janice Nelson, RN:

All of us licensed professionals thank you.

From Ann Spangler, Atlanta:

Congratulations on a great factual report. It seems that anything Oprah says, does, thinks, recommends, likes or has anything to do with has the "goose with the golden egg" syndrome. People don't actually look at the credentials or the professional experience, they just take it for granted that whatever Oprah says is the gospel. And let's not overlook the fact that quite a few Dr. Phil "big bucks" are flowing into the Oprah cash bucket.

Maybe there should be a disclaimer at the beginning of the show that says the following show is nothing more than theatrics.

From Richard Stone, Chandler, Ariz.:

I think Dr. Phil knows his audience really well. He loves to get scumbag husbands on his show and teach them a lesson. This is exactly what some women like to see. They have problems in their own lives that they would love to blame on their husbands. Before you know it, their husbands are taking on some of the characteristics of some of the scumbags on the Dr. Phil show.

My wife is really angry with me over a host of issues, some of them legitimate, but it is hard to make amends when every Dr. Phil show just stokes her anger. She is a real fan, and I think I know why. I don't know if his show does more good than harm, but I can see where it can do some real harm if it is biased toward one viewpoint. I think the show is a good idea, but it could use some internal checks and controls in the form of a board of professional advisers.

From Doris Day, New York:

It's time people realized that Dr. Phil is as human as the next. The issue of his license to practice isn't valid: It doesn't matter as long as he isn't practicing as a psychiatrist for monetary gain. Right now all I can see of Dr. Phil is a television host who has a background in psychology, doling out common-sense concepts to people who can't or won't take responsibility for their own bad personal decisions. The Dr. Phil show will exploit someone's misery as well as the next television host.

From George Pehl, Houston:

Maybe Dr. Phil didn't realize that he would become so famous that his past would come back to haunt him. This is sort of like the old hucksters who move from town to town and then one day they get national attention and become too well-known for their own good.

He should have stayed just far enough back in the shadows of obscurity to continue his ruse. His big, fat, ugly ego got the best of him. But that is how criminals are always found out. They think they can do it over and over, until they're caught. Oprah is not a bad person for using people like him for her show. She just liked his so-called straight talk just like the rest of us. But we all should have realized that his showmanship had reached its limit.

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