Dr Phil was once stripped of his licence to practice medicine – but carried on anyway.
The famous TV doctor, whose real name is Phil McGraw, has only just retired his long-running show, with the final air date coming last year. In the programme, Dr Phil would take on a range of patients and psycho-analyse them, giving them treatment or advice, or sending them to the famous “ranch” rehab facility.
However, the dark side of the show manifested itself when production staff came forward on allegations of abuse and mistreatment, not only at the crew, but also at the guests appearing on the show. Further allegations of mistreatment came from Danielle Bregoli, known for her meme phrase ‘Cash me outside, how ’bout that?’, when she demanded a public apology from Dr Phil himself.
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Despite denying any wrongdoing and outright refusing to take responsibility for the mistreatment of Britney Spears during her infamous meltdown, Phil’s questionable ethics raised eyebrows. This then led to the revelation that Phil’s licence to practice psychology had been taken away from him for some time.
(Image: CBS)
In an interview, it was revealed that Dr Phil was able to obtain a doctorate in clinical psychology. However, what stunned many was that the licence to practice psychology outright has been inactive since 2006.
As a result of this, Dr Phil was believed to have broken the law by illegally giving counsel to Britney Spears in hospital when she underwent her meltdown in 2008. Responding to the claims, Dr Phil said that his intentions were never self-centered, adding: “We never intended to do a show with Britney at all – I was followed into the hospital, I was followed out of the hospital; I didn’t need to draw attention to the fact that I had been there.”
When challenged on why his licence to practice was not renewed, he defended himself viciously, stating: “I retired my licence. I don’t need a licence – I’ve chosen instead to pursue another course and use of my education.”
Through the loophole of plausible deniability, Dr Phil was able to carry on hosting his show until last year, as he was playing the role of a medical professional on TV, despite having no qualifications. Speaking to TheThings, Kirk J. Nahra, head of the law firm Wiley Rein in Washington, D.C., said that by not charging for sessions, Phil was able to get away with his questionable ethics for years.
(Image: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
“If he never bills anybody for counseling services, he very well may not be covered by HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act),” Nahra said. “Depending on his licensing, he may not have professional ethical obligations, either.”
Other allegations against the star were made in the wake of these revelations, including the toxic work culture that dominated the show. Many ex-staffers said they had been told to withhold medication from guests before putting them onstage, while others suffered mental health breakdowns regularly.
(Image: Getty Images)
Responding to the claims, Dr Phil’s attorney said that the accusations being made against him were nonsense. “Manipulation’ is ridiculous,” the legal representative said, “these guests find a caring place, a safe place to face their challenges, even if told what they need to hear instead of what want to hear.”
As well as this, allegations of abuse and mistreatment at Dr Phil’s “ranch” rehab retreat hit headlines, as previous guests sued the star for negligence at the treatment facility. Many of these lawsuits were eventually dismissed from court.
Dr Phil would eventually run its last episode on May 25, 2023, 21 years after the first series. According to reports, the show was retired by Phil himself.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
