A new investigation uncovers troubling allegations against Dr. Philand his daytime talk show.
STAT and The Boston Globe published an exposé on Thursday, which includes accounts from multiple guests who say their substance addictions were enabled by members of the TV psychiatrist’s staff in hopes of boosting ratings.
Todd Herzog—who struggled with alcohol abuse in the years after winning Survivor—said that when he arrived on the Dr. Phil studio in 2013, he found a bottle of vodka in his dressing room and was given a Xanax to “calm his nerves.” Herzog had to be carried on set before his sit-down with Dr. Phil (whose real name is Phil McGraw), and registered a .263 blood alcohol content—more than three times the legal limit.
Additionally, family members of guests say their health and welfare was put at risk by Dr. Phil staffers who allegedly played a role in their search for drugs. The investigation also looked into the level of medical care guests with addiction issues receive while filming in Los Angeles and Dr. Phil’s relationship with the treatment centers his guests often seek further help from.
Dr. Phil declined to comment on STAT and The Boston Globe‘s report, but Martin Greenberg, the show’s Director of Professional Affairs, described the above claims as “absolutely, unequivocally untrue.”
“We do not do that with this guest or any other,” Greenberg said when asked to address Herzog’s account. He later said in a statement to the publications, “Addicts are notorious for lying, deflecting and trivializing.
But, if they are at risk when they arrive, then they were at risk before they arrived. The only change is they are one step closer to getting help, typically help they could not have even come close to affording.”
Herzog said he detoxed for two days in a hotel paid for Dr. Phil, and was sober when he appeared for his scheduled taping. Greenberg initially told STAT and The Boston Globe that the show did not have a responsibility to monitor guests…
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