PHIL MCGRAW

'Phillip Calvin McGraw' (born September 1, 1950), best known as 'Dr. Phil', is a four-time Emmy Award–nominated television personality, psychologist and author who is the host of the popular American psychology TV show ''Dr. Phil'', who gained celebrity status following appearances on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. McGraw is noted for his Texas accent and for his one-finger wave to his wife Robin, in the audience at the beginning of every show.

Contents

Biography

Criticisms and controversies

''The Making of Dr. Phil''

Ethical violation in Texas

Psychological approach

Supplements

Miscellaneous

Books

Brief filmography

References in pop culture

Notes

External links

Biography

Born in Oklahoma, to Jo and Jerry McGraw, McGraw grew up in the oilfields of North Texas, where his father was an equipment supplier. During McGraw's childhood, his family moved so his father could pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a psychologist. McGraw attended Shawnee Mission North High School in Mission, Kansas. He was awarded a football scholarship to attend the University of Tulsa, but was injured and transferred to Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. McGraw graduated from the Midwestern State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. He went on to earn a master's degree in experimental psychology and a Ph.D in clinical psychology at the University of North Texas. (His dissertation was titled "Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Psychological Intervention.") He also participated in the swimming programs at the two schools.^[1]
McGraw owned a construction business with his brother-in-law while completing his residency. He did one-on-one sessions in private practice in Wichita Falls, Texas and conducted life skills seminars with his father and Thelma Box, before getting out of private practice and founding Courtroom Sciences, Inc., a trial consulting firm, in 1989 with neighbor Gary Dobbs. As president of CSI, he advised Fortune 500 companies and injured plaintiffs alike in achieving settlements.^[2]
In 1995, Oprah Winfrey had help from Phil McGraw to prepare her for the Amarillo Texas beef trial. Winfrey was so impressed with McGraw that she thanked him for her victory in that case, which ended in 1998. Soon after, she invited him to appear on her show. His appearance proved so successful that he began appearing weekly as a "Relationship and Life Strategy Expert" on Tuesdays starting in April 1998. In 2002, he launched his own syndicated daily TV show, ''Dr. Phil'', produced by Winfrey's Harpo Studios. The format is an advice show, where he tackles a different topic on each show, offering advice for his guests' troubles. McGraw has authored a number of self-help books on topics such as relationships and weight loss.
In 2005, he signed a five-year extension of his syndication deal with his show's distributors, King World Productions, Inc. The deal will pay McGraw a reported US$15 million and keep him on the airwaves through the 2013–2014 TV season. McGraw currently lives in Beverly Hills.
McGraw announced the formation of the Dr. Phil Foundation, which raises funds to fight childhood obesity, on October 22, 2003. The Foundation also supports charitable organizations that help address the emotional, spiritual and monetary needs of many children and families. ^[3]
McGraw was married to Debbie Higgins McCall, his high school sweetheart, from 1970 to 1973. He married Robin Jameson, a college sweetheart, in 1976, and they have two sons, Jay (1979) and Jordan (1986). Jay McGraw has partially followed in his father's footsteps, publishing books aimed at teenagers based on Dr. Phil's books and working for his father's production company, Stage 29. Jordan is currently a sophomore at the University of Southern California and is pursuing his interests in music.

Criticisms and controversies

''The Making of Dr. Phil''

''The Making of Dr. Phil'' (ISBN 0471696595), a biography by Sophia Dembling, a reporter from the ''Dallas Morning News'', and Lisa Gutierrez, a reporter from the ''Kansas City Star'', probed McGraw's history, with interviews of his childhood friends and former classmates. The book reported that McGraw used unethical business practices in a gym business early in his career, that he was abusive to his first wife, and was also abusive to his staff, while noting that he overcame adversity through setting goals and was persistent in achieving success. The book received no promotional help from McGraw or his associates. [1]

Ethical violation in Texas

After being reprimanded by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for an "inappropriate dual relationship" with a therapy client in 1988, McGraw was required to take ethics classes in order to continue his private practice in Texas. McGraw admits to giving the client a job at his office^[4] (which is not allowed) but denied carrying on a sexual relationship with the 19 year old, who says their relationship was "sexually inappropriate". [2]

Psychological approach

His technique, which differs considerably from traditional psychology, has been criticized by those inside and outside the profession. Many critics^[5] regard advice given by him to be at best simplistic and, at worst, invective.
McGraw never liked traditional counseling, and was awkward in one-on-one situations.Lavin, Cheryl. "Dr. Tell It Like It Is." ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', July 3, 2001, Page 1E McGraw, like Dr. Laura, does not emphasize discovering the ''cause'' of emotional distress earlier in life, and instead focuses on ''behavior modification therapy'' — that is, changing an unwanted behavior without necessarily investing time in discovering its cause. In ''Psychology Today'' journalist Pamela Paul writes that McGraw "knows what's best and he's not afraid to tell you. Dr. Phil issues counsel as marching orders."^[6] McGraw himself admits that "I'm not the Hush-Puppies, pipe and `Let's talk about your mother' kind of psychologist."

Supplements

In 2003, McGraw entered the weight-loss business, selling shakes, energy bars, and supplements. These products' labels, which carried the brand name "Shape Up", stated: "These products contain scientifically researched levels of ingredients that can help you change your behavior to take control of your weight." This met with swift criticism from various sources,^[7] accusing McGraw (a clinical psychologist, and not a physician) of lacking the expertise to recommend weight-loss products. Facing a Federal Trade Commission investigation into Shape Up's claims, McGraw pulled his supplements off the market in March 2004, and the FTC dropped its probe. In October 2005, several people who used McGraw's products declared an intent to file a class-action lawsuit against him, claiming that although the supplements cost $120 per month they did not stimulate weight loss.^[8]
McGraw settled the suit in September 2006 for $10.5 million.
^[9]
Most of the settlement ($6 million) will be paid to the plaintiffs in the form of Amway (Quixtar) brand Nutrilite vitamins.
[3]

Miscellaneous

★ He was ranked fourth on www.thephoenix.com's list of the "100 unsexiest men in the world."^[10]

★ He is an avid tennis player, golfer and scuba diver.[4]

★ He is the father-in-law of 1998 Playboy Playmate Erica Dahm, who is married to his son Jay.

Books

★ ''Family First'' (2004) ISBN 0-7432-6493-2

★ ''Family First Workbook''

★ ''Getting Real'' (Audio: 2001) ISBN 1-56170-932-8

★ ''Life Strategies'' (1999) ISBN 0-7868-6548-2

★ ''Life Strategies Workbook''

★ ''Love Smart'' (2005) ISBN 0-7432-7209-9

★ ''Relationship Rescue'' (2000) ISBN 0-7868-6631-4

★ ''Relationship Rescue Workbook''

★ ''Self Matters'' (2001) ISBN 0-7432-2423-X

★ ''Self Matters Companion''

★ ''The Ultimate Weight Solution'' (2003) ISBN 0-7432-3674-2

★ ''The Ultimate Weight Solution Cookbook''

★ ''Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide''

Brief filmography

★ ''Scary Movie 4'' (2006)

★ ''Treehouse of Horror XVII'' an episode of ''The Simpsons'' (2006)

References in pop culture

★ In The Suite Life of Zack and Cody episode "Ask Zack," when Darlene takes Shirley's (a.k.a. Zack) advice to date Zack, she tells him that she can open up to him, to which Zack responds, "just think of me as Dr. Phil with hair." [5]

★ McGraw appeared in the opening scene of Scary Movie 4, spoofing the horror film ''Saw''. [6]

★ McGraw starred in an episode of ''Frasier'', ''The Devil and Dr. Phil''. He was an old "friend" of Frasier's. [7]

★ Dr. Phyllis, an obvious parody of McGraw, is mocked when Drake and Josh in ''Drake & Josh'' go to Dr. Phyllis to patch their relationship after a big fight. The parody was also used in a Brandy and Mr. Whiskers episode. [8]

★ On ''The Late Show with David Letterman'', Letterman showed short clips from the TV series called "Dr. Phil's Words of Wisdom." It would feature McGraw delivering a one-liner, taken extremely out of context, making him look like a foolish or demoralizing person. ^[11] Letterman also frequently jokes that Dr. Phil and Oprah Winfrey are married to each other.

★ A Muppet character called Dr. Feel appears on ''Sesame Street''. [9]

Dr. Phil with Dr. Feel

★ The show was spoofed during a scene where R.J. and the forest friends flip channels on the HDTV set in the film ''Over the Hedge''. [10]

★ McGraw is parodied in the video game '' on its as the host of a show called "Heartland Values with Nurse Bob" [11]

★ Comedian Patrice O'Neal regularly gives relationship advice on the Opie and Anthony Radio Show as Black Phillip. [12]

★ On The BOB & TOM Show, a voice impersonator playing McGraw frequently makes telephone calls to the radio program.

★ McGraw is quoted on Stargate SG-1 (during "Counterstrike")

★ A McGraw self-Help book is mentioned in the 2005 movie ''Red Eye'', [13], which implicitly takes place during the inception of Dr. Phil's television program.

★ McGraw was spoofed on the television show ''Sealab 2021'' as a character named Dr. Phrill who gave a little girl with progeria a makeover.

★ McGraw guest starred in the ''Simpsons'' episode "Treehouse of Horror XVII" where he was eaten by Homer.

★ McGraw along with Oprah have been parodied in episodes of MAD TV and ''Chappelle's Show''.

★ Diana DeGarmo makes a reference to Dr. Phil in her song "Then I Woke Up", asking him to "please fix me".

Notes

1. Dr Phil McGraw Biography
2. "Phil McGraw." Newsmakers, Issue 1. Gale Group, 2005. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC
3. Press release
4. The Making of Dr. Phil: The Straight-Talking True Story of Everyone's Favorite Therapist, , Sophia, Dembling, Wiley, 2005,
5. SHAM; How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless, , Steve, Salerno, Crown Publishers, 2005,
6. Dear Reader, Get A Life Pamela Paul
7. Dr. Phil, Medicine Man
8. Class-action status sought in Dr. Phil diet suit
9. Settlement Reached on Dr. Phil Diet Plan }}
10. http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid7852.aspx
11. "The Good Doctor: The Popular TV Psychologist Brings His Show Back to Post-K New Orleans." ''New Orleans Times-Picayune'', August 8, 2006. Page E1.

External links

★ ''Dr. Phil'' (official site)

★ Official Biography

★

★ 2003 interview with University of North Texas alumni magazine

★ Dallas Observer article details much of Dr. Phil's life, including many critical views.

★ Scholarly article in which authors claim that the narrative arc of Dr. Phil's show is comparable to the religious conversion story