Dr. Phil, Medicine Woman

OPRAHLAND--It appears Dr. Phil cares more about money, than actual-results in his weight-loss program, according-to a settlement that was reached today with three-complaintants in an LA court. The product was pulled in 2004. Beginning in 2003, Dr. Phil endorsed a line of weight-loss pills that cost a whopping $120-a-month, which was produced by CSA Nutraceuticals (an odd word) in Irving, Texas. McGraw has a primary-residence in Irving. I honestly don't see any-difference between the homespun-witticisms of Phil McGraw and your--gag--President. He's just another arch-conservative creep who espouses 'tough-love' for everyone but himself, but what he really represents is part of our specific zeitgeist. He espouses responsibility, but refuses any for himself, which is our current American malady. You could say it isn't anything new, since it's classic-patriarchy to deny responsibility for what happens to your victims. But, besides this lawsuit, a Texas Aviation firm (Syndicated Air, now-defunct) has alleged in a complaint that Dr. Phil owes them $135,962 for luxury-flights he has not paid-for. Repeated google-searches by this blog haven't yielded a conclusion.
(http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/drphil1.html)

Dr. Phil, is our latter-day snake-oil salesman, admonishing us to accept and internalize the aims and values of the establishment. He's a smiling-liar, like our President. Yes, some of his advice is practical, but if you're a reasonable person, his conclusions are already-familiar. Old news. His guests are, perennially, lower-class people with acute-problems that are more-or-less like those of guests on Jerry Springer. Many of Dr. Phil's guests have acute-problems that simply obvious. Physician, heal thyself. Then there's the incident involving Laurie "Bambi" Bembenek [see Fox link]. At least Jerry doesn't pretend it's anything but entertainment.

Today, the 'Shape Up!' suit reached a settlement. The amount is for a little over $10-million, and Dr. Phil isn't paying-it, his insurance is. That's not very responsible based on his own standards. The suit alleges false-advertising, and that the product doesn't deliver what it claims it can: change the behavior of those using it, thus resulting in weight-loss. The suit arose based-on the claims in the packaging and promotional-statements made by McGraw (some on the Katir Couric show). How the $10.5 million will be distributed is unclear. Dr. Phil's family has a history of obesity. He still looks fat. Funny, I thought he had a doctorate in Psychology, not medicine and nutritional science.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060926/ap_en_tv/people_dr__phil_diet

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA416165.html?display=Programming

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,102969,00.html