Dr. Phil's Legal Issues: A Look at the Talk Show Host's Controversies
Phil McGraw in May 2013. Photo by Angela George under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Dr. Phil McGraw has handed out a lot of advice over the years. However, the well-known TV personality has also found himself embroiled in legal controversies. We've gathered the dirt on some of Dr. Phil's run-ins with the scales of justice.
CSA Nutraceuticals Controversy
Dr. Phil allowed CSA Nutraceuticals to use his name and image to promote its line of dietary supplements and meal replacement products. In 2004, the company stopped making the products after the Federal Trade Commission began looking into complaints about misleading advertising. A year later, a class-action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County, and this settlement puts an end to those allegations. In 2006, CSA Nutraceuticals reached an agreement to settle the lawsuit claiming that CSA Nutraceuticals and Dr. Phil McGraw falsely advertised diet products. Customers who bought the Shape Up! dietary supplements and meal replacement products before July 1, 2006, were offered cash refunds or replacement products as part of the $10.5 million settlement. As part of the settlement, a recovery fund provided $4.5 million in cash to cover costs and attorney fees, along with $6 million worth of Nutrilite® Daily Multivitamin Multimineral supplies for those affected. Dr. Phil was not held personally responsible for any payments.
Toxic Workplace Accusations
In 2022, 12 current and former employees from Dr. Phil's long-running talk show opened up to BuzzFeed News about their experiences working on the show. They shared stories of verbal abuse, fear, intimidation, and racism that they faced behind the scenes. Many described a toxic environment where they felt unsafe and disrespected. Along with the claims of a toxic workplace, seven employees have accused Dr. Phil of manipulating guests who are already in vulnerable situations. One former employee even reported being told to ensure that a guest did not take her prescribed medication during filming. Patrick Morris, Dr. Phil's personal attorney, said the accusations were nothing more than "clickbait."
A spokesperson from the show gave Variety Magazine this statement: "Buzzfeed's 'click-bait story' containing verifiably and objectively false characterizations and reporting of the publicly available contradictory results of these legal cases, including dismissal with prejudice due to a lack of merit, not even being a party and other factual errors, raises significant doubts about the credibility of the other unsubstantiated, anonymous claims relating to the show and its staff, which are not true. Buzzfeed has been provided with dozens and dozens of attributed statements of fact, from current and past staff. Verifiable data contradicting the entire premise of their 'anonymously attributed,' sensationalized and baseless article."
Copyright Case
Leah Rothman, an employee on the Dr. Phil Show, attempted to capture a quick video on her phone of Dr. Phil having a furious outburst behind closed doors about a press leak. She said that Dr. Phil's rant was so intense and harsh that it caused her extreme emotional distress. In fact, she felt so affected by the experience that she also included a claim of false imprisonment in her actions against him. Rothman decided to sue Dr. Phil and the show, but then Peteski Productions, Dr. Phil's production company filed a countersuit. Peteski claimed that Rothman was trying to sell the video she recorded to the "National Enquirer." In 2017, a judge ruled in favor of Dr. Phil and Peteski Productions, citing that the video could not be viewed as "fair use" since she was trying to use it to back her lawsuit.
While Dr. Phil has built a career on helping people, he is not immune to accusations and lawsuits. A well-known television personality and psychologist who has spent much of his career helping people deal with their personal problems, Dr. Phil is often seen as direct and straightforward, encouraging his guests to face their issues honestly. But a number of his associations have resulted in controversy and legal action. This makes Dr. Phil a complex figure — someone who is admired for his contributions to mental health but also criticized for some of his practices and associations.
References: 'Dr. Phil' Accused of Toxic Workplace in Report | Dr. Phil Wins Copyright Case Against Woman Who Accuses Him of Imprisonment | Dr. Phil Supplement Maker Settles
