2008 Woodie Awards
Pointless media frenzy harming Dr. Phil
Amanda Heidman
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Opinion
When an average person makes a mistake, the media don't bat an eyelash at it. However, when the person making the mistake is a popular television personality like Dr. Phil McGraw, the media go into a frenzy and dig up additional problems from the man's background.
There are some obvious mistakes Dr. Phil has made recently, such as talking to Britney Spears in Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and later making an unauthorized statement about it in January 2008. In 2002 he supposedly misrepresented two brothers after they were interviewed by a private detective.
These recent mistakes, however, are all simple ones that barely affect anyone (especially the people who are criticizing him), and they are all based on personal judgment. Anyone could have made mistakes such as these, and they should not be used to evaluate his merit.
Because of small incidents such as these, people immediately look into his background to find more information that would crush his public identity. Barbara Card Atkinson of MSN Entertainment News discusses some of the major issues the public is facing with Dr. Phil in her article "The Doctor is Out (of Touch)." The only two serious problems, and the only ones regarding legal issues, happened in 1973 and in 1989 - nearly two decades ago. The fact that McGraw faced these problems in the past does not affect the advice he gives to people today, nor does it affect the little mistakes he may have made in recent years. There is no reason for half of the things people are arguing to be brought up in the first place, if not just for the creation of a longer list.
Everyone seems to be overlooking the fact Dr. Phil has helped numerous people through a wide array of situations. He and his staff have counseled people of all ages, races, genders and backgrounds and have done all that is in their power to reach out to the people who need it, including paying for rehabilitation or any classes that are needed in specific cases.
After all of the great stuff Dr. Phil and his staff have done, it is amazing that people still pick at their small problems and try to discredit them. The gossip and drama people put all of their energy into ruins not only McGraw's reputation and career but also the chances of many people who could use his help in the future. By focusing only on the negative, many people will be deprived of the positive side of Dr. Phil's program.
There are some obvious mistakes Dr. Phil has made recently, such as talking to Britney Spears in Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and later making an unauthorized statement about it in January 2008. In 2002 he supposedly misrepresented two brothers after they were interviewed by a private detective.
These recent mistakes, however, are all simple ones that barely affect anyone (especially the people who are criticizing him), and they are all based on personal judgment. Anyone could have made mistakes such as these, and they should not be used to evaluate his merit.
Because of small incidents such as these, people immediately look into his background to find more information that would crush his public identity. Barbara Card Atkinson of MSN Entertainment News discusses some of the major issues the public is facing with Dr. Phil in her article "The Doctor is Out (of Touch)." The only two serious problems, and the only ones regarding legal issues, happened in 1973 and in 1989 - nearly two decades ago. The fact that McGraw faced these problems in the past does not affect the advice he gives to people today, nor does it affect the little mistakes he may have made in recent years. There is no reason for half of the things people are arguing to be brought up in the first place, if not just for the creation of a longer list.
Everyone seems to be overlooking the fact Dr. Phil has helped numerous people through a wide array of situations. He and his staff have counseled people of all ages, races, genders and backgrounds and have done all that is in their power to reach out to the people who need it, including paying for rehabilitation or any classes that are needed in specific cases.
After all of the great stuff Dr. Phil and his staff have done, it is amazing that people still pick at their small problems and try to discredit them. The gossip and drama people put all of their energy into ruins not only McGraw's reputation and career but also the chances of many people who could use his help in the future. By focusing only on the negative, many people will be deprived of the positive side of Dr. Phil's program.
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