For people who don't like Dr. Phil - a question

[winniedapooh]

He scares me and I have only seen him 3 or 4 times, don't laugh please.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I like Dr. Phil most of the time.

Who I don't like is his wife. Something about her rubs me the wrong way.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I've only watched his show a few times, but I'm not a big fan. He seems to take the guys side a lot during the couples shows. He also seems a bit condescending. I haven't read any of his books.

What qualifies him as a diet guru? I don't understand how he can claim to have the magic formula for weight loss?

 

[bumcat]

What qualifies him as a diet guru? I don't understand how he can claim to have the magic formula for weight loss?
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LOL that is so true.

 

[KittyKitty]

I stopped watching after he had women who were against the war on the show. This was in the beginning of the Iraq war.

He has no expertise on this subject.

And it was like he was attacking these women for their viewpoint. And getting the audience riled up with him.

Whether I agreed or not, it was not right to do this to these women.


Susan

 

[Jenn Lynn]

One example of a show that I didn't like was the Working Mom vs. Stay at Home Mom. I feel neither side got anything out of that "discussion." And Dr. Phil didn't help much either. The whole show seemed kind of pointless.

 

[jipsy]

Originally posted by Jenn Lynn
One example of a show that I didn't like was the Working Mom vs. Stay at Home Mom. I feel neither side got anything out of that "discussion." And Dr. Phil didn't help much either. The whole show seemed kind of pointless.

That's the way I've felt about any of his shows I've watched. There never seems to be any kind of positive resolution.

And, like someone else said, I've noticed he always seems to take the man's side, whether the man is right or not. Also, I agree with the diet thing - what qualified him, all of a sudden, to be a diet guru?

 

[faithinkarma]

I liked him at first. I thought he had a pretty good no nonsense approach to problems. But now he has people just exposing way too much of themselves and their lives. I began to perceive him as Jerry Springer with a PHD......very distasteful. With apologies to all who enjoy his show. He is just no longer my cup of tea.

 

[Feralpeg]

He may be right on, but it's the way he delivers the message that bothers me. I find him to be pompous and condescending. Sorry, I don't like him.

 

[auntpolly]

I can see what you say, those of you that think he's full of himself. I always wonder what life is like for Robin - do you think he <i>ever</i> admits he's wrong???

And yet I like him, because although it seems that what he says is so easy and logical that anyone could figure it out -- they don't. I like that he just says what you really think people need to hear.

Like once on this board there was a psychologist that was trying to say that when a spouse cheats, it's both people in the marriage's fault. I felt (and I think this is classic Dr. Phil ) that problems in a marriage might be both people's fault, but if you cheat -- that's all yours!!! I think too many other psychologist are really too.....can't think of a word...full of it.

Thanks for your answers; they were interesting!

 

[chrissyk]

I like some of what Dr. Phil says, although I don't really like his show all that much. He always says that "you teach people how to treat you." The older I get, the more I agree with that statement.

As for Dr. Laura, I used to listen to her strictly for the entertainment/shock value a few years ago. I must say, however, that I NEVER would have considered being an at-home parent if it weren't for listening to her show. I didn't grow up with a mom at home, and I wasn't about to "waste" my education staying home with my kids. Her show really made me think, and now I am committed to having 1 parent home with our kids.

 

[Lewski709]

Originally posted by shortbun
I'd like Dr. Phil loads better if I thought his #1 goal was to
help people. I see him as a "me first" kinda guy and good for
him but exploiting people to make money is despicable.
I've watched a few times and usually turn him off because I'm
afraid the buttons will pop off his shirt as his chest swells.LOL!

ITA as well as pompous, condescending and never does anything wrong. Besides all those things.....he's just wonderful.

He's not the kind of person I would want to be around. I think he needs to be the center of attention and the boss of everything. His son seems a lot like him too.

If he did what he did without doing it on tv, maybe I would respect him more. All the vitamins, books, tapes and other things he promotes makes me think it's all about him. I think all he wants is a great big pat on the back and while he is doing that himself, I sure hope he doesn't break his arm.

 

[dmadman43]

Originally posted by Feralpeg
He may be right on, but it's the way he delivers the message that bothers me. I find him to be pompous and condescending. Sorry, I don't like him.

Yea, what Feralpeg said. I've only watched a couple of times, because my MIL loves him and she happened to have it on when we were visiting. Once I found out his show was a Harpo off-spring, that explained enough for me. He reminds me of Steve Martin's character in "Little Shop of Horors". He looks to enjoy making people miserable. Didn't Harpo fall in love with him when she was being sued by the Texas Cattle Ranchers and his company was hired as a jury consultant.

I love what Letterman said about him: "He's a magician or a psychiatrist or something. I think Oprah was married to Dr. Phil, and Dr. Phil helped Oprah when she was going to prison. The guy's a goofball. He's just a big dopey guy."

 

[Val]

I don't necessarily disagree with Dr. Phil, and I have never met him, so I can't say if I like him or not.....but, as a psych prof (disclaimer: I work with rats and do basic research, although early in my career I worked with profoundly mentall ill clients!) it REALLY bothers me as unethical/borderline unethical that he is trying to "do" therapy on TV. I know that people give consent, etc., but I just don't like any media psychologist dispelling personalized advice rather than generic advice. It seems rather, well, dangerous!

By the way, Dr. Laura is NOT a psychologist. Her degree is an advanced degree in physiology, and not psychology. She is not trained to dispense counseling advice- but that has never stopped her.

 

[grinningghost]

I like Dr. Phil 1000X more than Dr. Laura. In fact, I'll watch an entire episode of Dr. Phil, but I can't take more than one minute of Dr. Laura's radio show. And her TV show was even worse.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Just waiting for his 15 minutes to end.

 

[Laurajean1014]

By the way, Dr. Laura is NOT a psychologist. Her degree is an advanced degree in physiology, and not psychology. She is not trained to dispense counseling advice- but that has never stopped her.

Has this stopped anyone on the Disboards?

 

[momof2inPA]

Originally posted by auntpolly
I can see what you say, those of you that think he's full of himself. I always wonder what life is like for Robin -

Did you ever notice when they leave the stage together, Phil takes his long purposeful strides and Robin runs along side him, like a Shih Tzu trying to keep up?

I would scream at my husband to slow the heck down.

I agree with what faithinkarma said about Dr. Phil being a Jerry Springer. He attracts people to his show with the shocker story lines, gives some common sense advice that the people could have gotten from their neighbor, and leaves his subjects looking bewildered while he goes for the next shocker.

I know he does the season-long family spectaculars, but those people seem to just be in it for the trip to the show, creating new family issues, when their stories are becoming stale.

Nah, I don't respect Phil, but I watch him and listen to Dr. Laura sometimes for the train-wreck value.

 

[TimeforMe]

Originally posted by Jenn Lynn
I like Dr. Phil most of the time.

Who I don't like is his wife. Something about her rubs me the wrong way.

Yes, I can't stand his wife. Maybe it's because like another poster said her tagalong puppy dog ways that make me cringe. She just seems a little too much the dutiful wife for me.

I do, however, think Dr. Phil dispenses a lot of good, straightforward and common sense advice. The sad part is that many people don't have much common sense and that's what makes it necessary. I would not compare him at all to Jerry Springer and the garbage he calls a show--not even in the same category.

 

[momof2inPA]

Just thought of something else. Did anyone else see the Dr. Phil where his oldest son brought his tall, gorgeous, blond girlfriend?Phil led her on the stage and off the stage and paid all kinds of inappropriate attention to her while ignoring Robin. Yuk. It made my skin crawl.