Twelve current and former staff members of the syndicated talk-show”Dr. Phil” Reporters allege that the work environment at the daytime series was toxic and traumatizing.
Two current employees and ten former staff members of the show, who also claim to have witnessed racism during their tenure, spoke out.BuzzFeed NewsFor a Thursday report. To avoid “retaliation or retribution,” all but one requested anonymity.
Dr. Phil is a show about mental health. It features everyone who works on it having terrible mental health due to the conditions at work, according to a former staffer.
The show’s host is Phil McGraw, who has a doctorate in inclinical psychology. It premiered in 2002. It is currently the No. Nielsen says it is the No. 1 syndicated talk show with 2.5 million viewers per season.
BuzzFeed interviewed several people who said they were frequently yelled at by Carla Pennington, an executive producer, and other senior-level employees.
One ex-employee remembersPenningtonreprimanded me so severely that I couldnt breathe…They would look me dead in the eye and go, Do you even know what day it is? Do you even know? Are you really that dumb?
Ex-staff member claims that the show was a disaster for me mentally, emotionally and physically. They make it seem like you aren’t worth anything. Every single day, you’re told how (expletive). you are, how bad your work is, and yet they don’t fire. This mental game, emotionally and physically, carries us into other roles after we leave the show.
H. Patrick Morris is a McGraw lawyer. He denied to BuzzFeed that employees are not encouraged to book guests of colour, that the show takes advantage people with mental illness, or that Pennington fostered a professional environment.
BuzzFeed reports that Pennington and McGraw attorneys “categorically denied all allegations made in this article, insisting that Dr. Philin does not encourage racism, inappropriate interactions or harassment of guests, or any other unprofessional behavior.
ViacomCBS (which distributes Dr. Phil) stated that creating safe and inclusive work environments is a top priority…. We offer multiple avenues through which employees may report complaints to the company both anonymously and on record. Any employee who believes they or others in the company have been treated unfairly should report it to us without fear.
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These allegations are not limited to “Dr. Phil”, but there are many talk shows.A BuzzFeed News report for July 2020, also written byYandoli. This article reported employees of the Ellen DeGeneres Program.ClaimThey experienced racism, fear, intimidation, and discrimination while working for the show. Some claimed they were fired after taking bereavement days or medical leave to attend funerals. Another claimed that she dealt with micro-aggressions, racist comments, and actions.
In anotherBuzzfeedreport published the same month, DeGeneres’ executive producers Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and co-executive producer Jonathan Normanwere accused of sexual misconduct by formeremployees,including inappropriate touching, comments, groping and solicitation of sexual acts. They were firedWarner Bros. TelePictures, the distributor of the show,August 2020
DeGeneres addressed the allegationsWhen her show returned in September.
“I learned that certain things happened here that should not have happened,” she said to viewers.”I take that very seriously, so I want to express my deepest regret to those who were hurt. I am aware that I have privilege and power. I also realize that responsibility comes with it. I accept responsibility for what happens at my show.
DeGeneres stated that she wanted to make sure employees know how grateful she is for them. “All I want for them is happiness and pride to work here.”
“Ellen,” will close its run this spring.
According to reports, Dr. Phil producers were known for their disinterested behavior towards guests. According to the report, five of the sources rememberPennington commented on the “appearances and behaviors of peoples of color and imitating the way Black and Latino guests speak,” according to the report.
Seven sources claim that they were encouraged to propagate racist stereotypes on the show. Two others claim they were exposed to racism on set.
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An ex-staff member claims that they were instructed to prevent a guest from taking prescribed medication in order to make them look more sensational.
BuzzFeed’s sources stated that McGraw did nothing to commit the alleged abuse, and did not witness it being done by others. Tiffany Clark, who was a producer on “Dr. Phil,” wondered, “How could he possibly not know?”
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An employee says: I have worked in jobs that make people angry, but this is a whole new level of just bizarre, neurotic behavior and its just unceasing. It is just constant. There is no relief.
McGraw’s lawyerBuzzfeed shared the following:Carla Pennington, her team of supervising producers, and co-executive producer supervisors, has our support and belief.
Morris stated that Carla doesn’t behave inappropriately in a statement to BuzzFeed. Her staff love her personally and she is respected professionally. She is a laughing stock and the allegations against her are fabricated and proven false.
McGraw’s shoot from the hip advice, delivered in his southern drawl, was introduced to viewers on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” late 1990s. Winfrey was impressed when he offered counsel in a 1997 lawsuit against cattle producers. McGraw was highly praised by herOne of hershow audience members in 2003 said to Phil: “Over the years my God, I have talked to every psychologist known, psychiatrist, therapist… I haven’t seen anyone better at human functioning assessment than Phil.”
Contributing: Cydney Henderson, Bill Keveney, and Hannah Yasharoff
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