I have to admit that I don't watch Dr. Phil. THis is not because I don't like him, I do, but I'm working when his show is on.

Anyway, I saw an ad for him that was in a major national magazine and it made me curious. The headline was, Backstage Secrets Revealed - Memorable Guests Caught on Tape!

This totally surprised me. I thought he stayed away from that approach and had a show similar to Oprah's. Thoughts from those who watach him...

I used to be an avid Dr Phil fan, and thought he was helping a lot of people with his show. But I eventually had to stop watching because it felt to me like it was becoming too "Hollywood-ized", getting dangerously close to being more like Jerry Springer than Oprah. Every so often I watch to give it another chance, but usually have to turn it off because his adament "I'm right you're wrong" tactics, and pseudo-bullying of his guests really turns me off. Hopefully it's just my perspective, but he appears to me to becoming increasingly harsher and more impatient with people's inadequacies and limitations; I just don't see much compassion there anymore. Perhaps that's just due to time limitations...I'm sure he still helps a lot of people, but I simply can't watch him do it anymore!

My hubby has thoughts similar to Eagle's although he has been helped enormously by reading his books. We're usually just settling when he comes on here so we often watch, sometimes turning tv to something else because the subject matter doesn't relate to us at all. His straight forward approach is a turn-off to some and to others it seems his tougher tactics are very much needed. He does seem to have a good sense of who's lying or not really into being helped. I agree it's gotten a little more "Hollywood-ized" than it was when it was new. For us it largely depends on the subject matter but some of the guests stress me out more than he does!

I'm fairly addicted to Dr. Phil. I used to really dislike it, and there are times I start watching and then turn it off. I agree that it's Hollywood-ized and that he does get bullying and "I'm right." I think I watch it more to see what the guests are thinking and saying. It's always interesting to watch when he doesn't get through or he's working really hard to get through and just not making it because the people aren't willing to let go of their baggage or their own need to be right.

Sometimes I agree with what he does and sometimes I don't think he's allowing the whole story to come forth.

Some of the guests have appeared after the show, but that's not on all the time and I don't think it's working for him.

Eagle, I didn't like him when he first appeared on the Oprah show and still don't. I know someone who knows him personally and he's an opinionated fat head. Now here is the perfect example of someone who is ALWAYS right in his own mind, and I bet if he wasn't so filthy rich, Robin wouldn't still behanging around either. Notice how he always mentions his son married a Playboy centerfold!!! Big deal, but money talks.

I think he has "gone Hollywood," and gone all the way.
Often, once a person has success and fame, it causes them to surround themselves with "yes men," which are people who will agree with them no matter what.
This, as is known in the business by some, causes your circle to be your worst enemy. Should you develop bad habits, even something like drinking too much, or drugs, or maybe just being totally overbearing, your circle won't tell you. Your "yes men,(and women,) will agree with you no matter what so they can touch up upon fame and live through you.
Once this happens you are on the road to nowhere, or being cancelled or dropped. You have to get more and more outlandish to keep your audience and the cycle causes you to die, (so to speak.) It has happened to so many people in the public eye when you think about it.
It's sad but true that when you have fame, your only true friends are those that will tell you the truth and do not fear doing so.
I think Phil has come to a stage where he has many "yes men," in his camp and perhaps has one or two that are not that keep him on the air.
He may know this and if so, that is good. However, I think the syndrome got hold of him and he is riding the wave of it.
dancer

This is a good discussion. I can follow what Eagle said word for word. The show is all about ratings. The higher the drama, the higher the ratings. I don't watch him any more, nor do I visit the message boards. I don't care how relevant the topic may be to me or someone I care about, I still won't tune in due to the Jerry Springer type antics on Dr. Phil.

This ad was so shocking ot me. I thought Dr. Phil was above all that. I guess I'm learning from all of you that his show is on a different level from Oprah's. Interesting.

I read his wife's book, Robin McGraw - Inside My Heart: Choosing to Live with Passion and Purpose. While she made some good points about living live with purpose, I thought if I read the word "I" one more time I would get sick.

Hi Dotsie, you always find the good without a criticism in sight. Her book is autobiographical, a first person narrative, so a reader would expect the "I"...Are you saying that she doesn't get around to anyone else, or how someone else might learn from the "I"? I have resisted reading the book so I don't really know what to think. It's interesting to hear your perspective. I hear she's really into design of her own house. But I do get news that the foundations they have started are doing good for others. I don't know..I won't follow them anymore, and I've taken their picture off my visualization board.

The few times I've been able to listen to him for a short bit, he came close to "shaming." Shaming is a no-no in his feild. It plays well to an audience to see a guy or woman with problems "getting theirs," but it is still wrong and not the way to solve problems.
Just an opinion,
dancer
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