Phil McGraw

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This article is about the person. For his television show, see Dr. Phil (TV series).
Phil McGraw
Image:Drphil.png
BornSeptember 1 1950 (1950-09-01) (age 59)
Vinita, Oklahoma, U.S.
OccupationPsychologist, Television host
SpouseDebbie Higgins (1970-73)
Robin Jameson (1976-present)
ChildrenJay, Jordan

Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, psychologist and author who is the host of the psychology themed television show Dr. Phil. He gained celebrity status following appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life

McGraw was born in Vinita, Oklahoma, the son of Jerry (née Stevens) and Joe McGraw.[2] He 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, where his dissertation was titled "Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Psychological Intervention." He also participated in the swimming programs at the two schools.[3]

[edit] Career

McGraw owned a construction business with his brother-in-law while completing his internship for his Ph.D. 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.[4]

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 television 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 television season. McGraw currently lives in Beverly Hills.

[edit] Criticisms and controversies

[edit] Unauthorized biography

The Making of Dr. Phil is a biography by Sophia Dembling, a reporter from the Dallas Morning News, and Lisa Gutierrez, a reporter from the Kansas City Star.[2] The book 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.[5]

[edit] Ethical violation

The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists imposed disciplinary sanctions on McGraw on January 27, 1989 for an inappropriate "dual relationship" reported in 1988 by a therapy client/employee from 1984. McGraw was ordered by the Board to take an ethics class, pass a jurisprudence exam, complete a physical evaluation, undergo a psychological evaluation and have his practice supervised for one year in order to continue his private practice in Texas. McGraw admits to giving the client a "job" at his office (which is not allowed), but denied carrying on a sexual relationship with the 19 year old, who says their relationship was "sexually inappropriate."[6][2][7]

[edit] Psychological approach

His technique, which differs considerably from traditional psychology, has been criticized by those inside and outside the profession. McGraw's critics regard advice given by him to be at best simplistic, and at worst, invective.[8]

McGraw never liked traditional counseling and was awkward in one-on-one situations.[9] 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."[10] McGraw himself admits that "I'm not the Hush-Puppies, pipe and `Let's talk about your mother' kind of psychologist."[9]

[edit] 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,[1] 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.[11] McGraw settled the suit in September 2006 for $10.5 million.[12] Most of the settlement ($6 million) will be paid to the plaintiffs in the form of Amway (Quixtar) brand Nutrilite vitamins.[13]

[edit] Kalpoe lawsuit

McGraw was named a co-defendant, along with CBS Television, in a 2006 lawsuit filed in relation to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.[14] The lawsuit was filed by Deepak Kalpoe and his brother Satish Kalpoe, who claimed that an interview they did with McGraw, aired in September of 2005, was "manipulated and later broadcast as being accurate, and which portrays Deepak Kalpoe and Satish Kalpoe 'as engaging in criminal activity against Natalee Holloway and constitutes defamation.'"[14] The Kalpoe brothers claimed invasion of privacy, fraud, deceit, defamation, emotional distress, and civil conspiracy in the suit, which was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court.[15][16]

[edit] Charitable foundation

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.[17]

[edit] Personal life

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 McGraw'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. It was also mentioned that both McGraw & his wife had paid a visit to see veteran game show host Bob Barker on The Price is Right while the newlyweds were seated in the audience for their honeymoon in 1976. More than three decades later at the Daytime Emmy Awards, he paid tribute to Barker for his 50 years in television.

[edit] McGraw in popular 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". 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. A Muppet character called Dr. Feel appears on Sesame Street.[18]

McGraw appeared in the opening scene of Scary Movie 4, spoofing the horror film Saw. He also starred in an episode of Frasier "The Devil and Dr. Phil." He was an old "friend" of Frasier's.

Image:Drsfeelandphil.jpg
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.[19] McGraw is parodied in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories on its soundtrack as the host of a show called "Heartland Values with Nurse Bob."

[edit] Bibliography

  • McGraw, Phillip C. (1999). Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters. New York: Hyperion Books, 320 pages. ISBN 0-7868-8459-2. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2000). The Relationship Rescue Workbook. New York: Hyperion, 224 pages. ISBN 0-7868-8604-8. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2000). Relationship Rescue. New York: Hyperion, 272 pages. ISBN 0-7868-8598-X. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2001). The Life Strategies Self-Discovery Journal: Finding What Matters Most for You. New York: Hyperion, 384 pages. ISBN 0-7868-8743-5. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2001). Self Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out. New York: Simon & Schuster Source, 318 pages. ISBN 0-7432-2423-X. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2002). Getting Real: Lessons in Life, Marriage, and Family. Hay House Audio Books, Audio CD. ISBN 1-4019-0062-3. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2003). The Self Matters Companion : Helping You Create Your Life from the Inside Out. New York: Free Press, 208 pages. ISBN 0-7432-2424-8. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2003). The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. New York: Free Press, 320 pages. ISBN 0-7432-3674-2. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2003). The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide. Pocket Books, 736 pages. ISBN 0-7434-9039-8. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2004). The Ultimate Weight Solution Cookbook: Recipes for Weight Loss Freedom. New York: Free Press, 240 pages. ISBN 0-7432-6475-4. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2005). Family First : Your Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family. New York: Free Press, 304 pages. ISBN 0-7432-7377-X. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2005). The Family First Workbook : Specific Tools, Strategies, and Skills for Creating a Phenomenal Family. New York: Free Press, 256 pages. ISBN 0-7432-8073-3. 
  • McGraw, Phillip C. (2006). Love Smart: Find the One You Want--Fix the One You Got. New York: Free Press, 304 pages. ISBN 0-7432-9243-X. 

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Day, Sherri. Dr. Phil, Medicine Man. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2006-10-23.
  2. ^ a b c Dembling, Sophia (2005). The Making of Dr. Phil: The Straight-Talking yet bullshit Story of Everyone's Favorite Therapist. Wiley. ISBN 0471696595. 
  3. ^ Woopidoo.com. Dr Phil McGraw Biography. Woopidoo.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-19.
  4. ^ "Phil McGraw." Newsmakers, Issue 1. Gale Group, 2005. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006.
  5. ^ Sophia Dembling (2004). Battling Dr. Phil (English). Media Bistro - Jupitermedia Corporation. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  6. ^ Heather Havrilesky (2003). Who's your daddy? (English). Salon Media Group, Inc.. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  7. ^ Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (2007). Disciplinary Sanctions (McGraw, Philip C. detailed on page 25/41) (English). TSBEP. Retrieved on December 17, 2007.
  8. ^ Salerno, Steve (2005). SHAM; How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless. Crown Publishers. ISBN 1-4000-5409-5. 
  9. ^ a b Lavin, Cheryl. "Dr. Tell It Like It Is." South Florida Sun Sentinel, July 3, 2001, Page 1E
  10. ^ Pamela Paul. Dear Reader, Get A Life. Retrieved on 2006-10-19.
  11. ^ CTV.ca News Staff (2005). Class-action status sought in Dr. Phil diet suit (English). CTV Globe Media. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  12. ^ Associated Press (2006). Settlement reached on Dr. Phil diet plan (English). USA Today - Associated Press. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  13. ^ Metro Times News Hits staff (2006). Slimming the Amway (English). Metro Times. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  14. ^ a b FOX News (2006). Wrongful death, Defamation lawsuits filed in Natalee Halloway case (English). FOX News. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  15. ^ Hard Beat News (2006). Surinamese Brothers Sue Dr. Phil As Halloway Parents Sue Back (English). Hard Beat News. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  16. ^ Unknown (2007). Pleading Index: Kalpoe v. McGraw (English). Apple Inc.. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  17. ^ Dr. Phil Foundation. Dr. Phil McGraw announces the formation of the Dr. Phil Foundation. Dr. Phil Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-10-19.
  18. ^ Larry King (2004). Interview with Dr. Phil McGraw (English). CNN. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  19. ^ The Austin Chronicle (2006). Over the Hedge (English). The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.

[edit] External links

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