I'm glad you commented on this, Liz. I wonder if there's a Friday List in here. When you pose the question of who has best used someone else's fame for their own advantage, I think of Haylie Duff. I've never seen someone so talentless and worthless so shamlessly ride the coattails of a more successful family member.

Without being a hater, I would just like to remind us all who brought us Dr. Phil - yup that's right, Oprah. I don't know if "Dr." Phil is a real doctor or if he is a doctor in the same way that I am a princess, which is not all, but I have pretty much disagreed with every single word he has said ever, and now I have to change the channel if his ugly mug appears to keep from getting too worked up.

The very last thing in this world that Britney needs is this shister messing with her already swimmy head. She needs a REAL doctor, and for a long time, not just 45 minutes.

He's a "real" doc, but dude, does anyone actually think that the Spears parents would have gone to HIM if they were serious about their daughter's health and well-being? NO. This whole "Dr. Phil Publicity Stunt" is Lynn Spears' doing, mark my words. I don't think that Dr. Phil set this up, although I'm sure he's smart enough to see the publicity value in it.

I can't do the research from work, but I seem to recall in 2007 after the head-shaving incident Dr. Phil made a public plea saying he'd talk to Britney and offer her help, etc...

And as a person who loves a person with bipolar disorder, if that is indeed what Britney has, she needs a doc that can prescribe meds, which psychologists generally can't do, she needs a MEDICAL doctor like a psychiatrist. And soon.

Yes, Dr. Phil is another one of Oprah's shallow, cliche-ridden finds. I used to watch him until I wised up to what a blowhard he is. Britney, for whatever her problems may be, certainly does not need a quick-fix intervention. Dr. Phil, on the other hand, probably wants the ratings.

Hey, Kathy Griffin was way ahead of you in seeing through Dr. Phil. She pointed out that for someone who has written diet books, he ain't no sylph. She also said he tried to out the moves on Jane Fonda in a break from taping a Larry King show but she shut him down.

Liz, the person who best used someone else's fame for their own advantage is: Lynn Spears.

Right Now, Lynn is probably making a deal with OK Magazine for exclusive rights for Britney's next melt-down.

everyone clearly agrees that ms. spears suffers from some form of mental illness. she needs help and fast. the three ring circus that accompanies her every move is a disgrace. that fact that the biggest toad amongst toads, dr. phil, had the audacity to show up to the hospital and the hospital personnel had the audacity to let him see a patient who did not ask to see him, is astonishing. her family is completely worthless. no wonder she feels so alone. who does she have as an advocate? anyone? those parents of hers are gross.

Never take financial advice from broke people, dieting advice from fat people, marital advice from divorced people, or psychiatric advice from crazy people.

Dr. Phil and the papparazzi deserve each other. Perhaps the paps should make an uninvited intervention into Dr. Phil's private life. Heh-heh-heh

Perhaps Herr Docktor Phil could make an unannounced intervention to help LiLo overcome her addiction to sex. That's one show that should be live.

how-how-how
hmm-hmm-hmm

I think Oprah needs to cut all ties to Dr. Phil -- he continues to have a column in her magazine!

I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I know this . . . but at some point last year, Dr. Phil did an episode on Brit's custody issues and crazy behavior in 2007. It was really just a dressed up episode of access hollywood in my opinion and pretty opportunistic on his part. I was further disgusted to see his name pop up on CNN.com this weekend as someone who was now involved in the latest Britney drama. I'm also disgusted that her mental breakdown warrants regular coverage by news outlets like CNN, but that's a separate issue. I used to enjoy watching Dr. Phil when I was home sick from work, because some of his guests are colorful and I was able to ignore how annoying he is, but I think it's gross that he's trying to portray himself as "Britney's shrink" for media attention. I'm not sure why he would want to create that impression, anyway. I think I'd rather be known as Britney's hair stylist or nutritionist.

I copied this from my comment on the earlier post:

Dr. Phil: IMHO a non-licensed gadfly who has as much business counseling people as w does running the country..

I think it's shameful the way mama Spears is already pimping out her unborn grandchild....

The kid's probably in the womb with his/her hands over his/her ears going "LALALALALALALALALALA"

I must admit that I was torn when answering today's poll. There are some solid contenders on that list.

Dr. Phil is right next to that 90210 cheeseball IMO. So from here on he will be known as Phil. He has been stripped of the title.

While I do not find Dr. Phil as annoying as some (some of his blunt advice is just what some people need), I was appalled at this stunt. You do not just show up in someone's hospital room to treat them if you are not the treating physician or consulting physician brought in by the treating physician. The one thing Britney has done lately that I approve of is throw this guy out the room.

i don't think dr phil is to blame at all. Liz, you say sarcastically that just what she needs is this publicity stunt - i believe he's truly trying to help her. I'm sure you would agree that listing every news story and rumor about her (even giving her a category, Britney Watch) on this blog every weekday isn't exactly allowing her the privacy you so nobly declare she needs. Don't point fingers if you're part of the problem.

Let's just assume that Mama Spears did call Dr. Phil and ask him to intevene. Shouldn't that have been warning sign #1? Given her track record, shouldn't any request from Lynn Spears regarding her children be taken with a grain of WTF?

Doesn't whatever governing board there is for Psychologists frown on practicing w/out a license? Although assuming they do would they have any power to censure him?

Why are you using Jeffrey Tambor's name like that? Your sentence implies that he (Jeffrey Tambor) is a "drawling, mustachioed huckster". I know you meant, "They look the same," but that is a poorly composed thought, Liz. You should really, really edit that line.

Jeffrey Tambor....have to look at the pic....Oh, I know him! I'd rather have a sit down chat with him than Dr. Phil any day.

If Dr Phil still has a license, it should be revoked right now.

It takes a lot to make me miss Dr. Joyce Brothers.

Someone needs to tell that asshat "Dr." Phil to go back to the cave whence he came.

I would have to say that Dr. Phil is Oprah's biggest mistake.... He is such a self centered, hypocritical, sleezeball that maybe he and Brit should spend some time together. I do feel bad for the level of scrutiny she gets but he is really just slime.

Has anyone said "ambulance chaser"? That's him. And his pancake makeup (esp. on bald pate) really annoys me.

Dude's right, Liz Kelly.

One can only hope you were thinking of that time on The Larry Sanders Show when Artie said, "Shut the f*** up, Hank," which we've all wanted to say to Phil.

I can't stand Dr. Phil...never have been able to stomach him. It is a major strike against Oprah that she unleashed him upon us. (and comparing him to Jeffrey Tambor is a disservice, I think JT is actually a talented actor).

My least favorite 'faux' celebrity is Tom Arnold. Who would/should still be washing dishes somewhere if not for his relationship with Roseanne Barr. Yuk!

Ah, but the REAL question burning in my mind is: is anyone going to be tuning in tomorrow to watch "Phil's" show?

I pray that Ms. Kelly will be spared; will this be pawned off onto the "Channel This" bloggers (Cavna, Frey, Wiltz) so we don't have to watch?

On behalf of Jeffrey Tambor - Ouch! That comparison hurts.

I can clearly picture Dr. Phil hearing the news that Britney was hospitalized and saying to himself, "This is my chance to be a player in a mental health breakdown-turned nationally televised media event, grab some headlines, earn some cash from subsequent interviews, and get back on the Hollywood A-list where I belong." With that, Phil grabbed his jacket, jumped in his '71 Dodge Dart and made a beeline for Cedars Sinai Hospital.

I still think it's post-partum depression (two kids in the span of 2 years?!) gone untreated that lead to this mess.

I did enjoy reading the UK's Sun version of what went down...Apparently K-Fed had once given Britney a gun for her birthday and it was in the room that she had the boys in...

Nothing says "classy gift-giving" quite like firearms, does it?

I think it is time we let Tom Cruise and the Scientologists try their hands with Britney. They reject psychiatry -- fix her long term and perhaps I'll rethink how I feel about them.

But I don't think they'd touch her either.......hmmm. wonder why.

I agree w/your assessment Liz (except for the comparison to Jeffrey "hey there" Tambor). This a- hole has taken low to a brand new level. While Britney needs loads of help, this doc is NOT what she needs. BTW- he is not an MD but a PhD or EdD and I don't think it is in Psychology.

What? Rap and hip hop is not being blame for Spear's childess, wh*rish trashy acts? I have no pity, NONE, for Spears. If this was Lil Kim we were reading about all of you racist white rats would be making ludacris comments of the opposite of spears. Face it, she is a piece of white trash with a few dollars. I don't know if you people don't know this or not, but keeping your legs close is part of being responsible.

I know it's just an unfortunate mustache comparison, but no one who's ever had anything to do with Arrested Development should be mentioned in the same article as Dr. (Land)Phil. Ever.

Phil is not a medical doctor though, only a psych.

I think it would be intriguing to put Britney, Lindsay, Paris and Nicole together in a small, locked bathroom for a week or so with a large bottle of barbituates, several quarts of Stoli, an ounce of blow, and a loaded, large caliber revolver.

Just think of the ratings!

Seems he's not doing the show now.

Please add my voice to the others who say that Jeffrey Tambor has been unduly slandered by mere association of his outward appearance. That said, the rest is spot on, every word. And there's a cold place in hell for disgusting user moms like Lynn Spears and Dina Lohan. Feh.

"If this was Lil Kim we were reading about all of you racist white rats would be making ludacris comments of the opposite of spears."

Maybe we don't need to know, but we're all certainly curious what prompted *that*.

(And let's ask Ludacris what he thinks of Lil Kim, while we're at it. Chris?)

It seems a little late in the game to be high-minded about exploitation of struggling celebrities. Hasn't the Post written about every episode of her ongoing breakdown? And haven't we read every word? Yes, Dr. Phil's involvement seems exploitative, but my own hands just don't feel clean enough to be flinging stones.

I don't see Oprah on that list, but I have always viewed her as a narcissistic self-promoter under a thin veneer of humanitarianism.

1 vote for Oprah, please.

Dr. Phil reminds me of the ambulance chasers whose ads appear on local (at least, in Georgia) TV

lizkelly, it appears you and Howard Stern agree on this issue. He was railing about Dr. Phil this morning, saying he "is only a PhD from a third-tier university," which they determined was the University of North Texas. I agree with both of you. I don't care if Lynn Spears did ask him to talk to Britney. Being a professional means recognizing when doing something is completely unprofessional.

When I heard that he visited Brit in the hospital, my first thought was WTF!!! -- he's not really a doctor of psychiatry, he's the other kind of therapist.

I guess he figures that since she's not a "real patient" of his, it's ok to spill the beans on what most of us would think as falling into patient confidentiality. This once again illustrating that he's not a real doctor.

(Just like Sunnydaze is a princess - like me!)

Please someone grab that Britney, give her some meds and rest, then get to work getting her better for the long term! Otherwise 2008 may be a very short year for her.

Yikes! what a train wreck! (& not even in a least little bit of a fun way. what a tradgedy. I was hoping she'd be in the hospital for a while.)

Sunnydaze, "shyster" is the preferred term of unendearment for lawyers. I think you meant to say "quack", a sentiment I heartily applaud. (I'm a stickler for correct derogatory terminology!)

And in other postings: Indeed, we don't need to know... I would like to know, though, if rap and hiphop gave you the idea that the synonym of ridiculous, absurd, farcical is actually spelled like the rapper spells his handle. Too funny!

how can you make that list without courtney love?

gah...

"the synonym of ridiculous, absurd, farcical is actually spelled like the rapper spells his handle."

How ludicrous of you to say that!

Liz, you have waited to long to correct your reference to Jefferey Tambor. I have called in the Jeffrey Tambor fan club.

Phil the Fraud! This Oprah knuckle-head has a counselling degree from North Texas State University - entrance requirements: 1. pulse; 2. checkbook. It's like calling Cliff Huxtable/Jello Man "Dr." Cosby....

WDC,

The Urban Dictionary defines "shister" (not shyster) as

One who speaks b**ls**t fluently in order to fool people out of money or other possesions, often associated with used-car salesmen

And that seems to fit, no?

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20169769,00.html

Someone mentioned Dr. Phil cancelled the "all brit" show, here's the article from People.

I know you've got to fill your column but if you fill it with crap you end up with what we call in the business a crap column.

Courtney Love was known before Kurt Cobain was. Sid and Nancy came out sometime in the late 80s and I believe Hole started coming out with singles and possible their first Album before the two met.

I think I entered Dr. Phil on the last Friday List for celebrities who take themselves way too seriously. If not, I should have. Dude makes my skin crawl and always has.

I remember this one episode of "Mad TV" a few years ago where someone was pretending to be Dr. Phil, and one of the things he said-in a perfect imitation of that sickening drawl-was, "We have a saying where I come from....I am not a doctor." My brothers and I still invoke that line to this day whenever we see an ad for the Dr. Phil show.

Ummm, yeah. Not exactly the OED, there.

******
The Urban Dictionary defines "shister" (not shyster) as
...
Posted by: sunnydaze | January 7, 2008 02:38 PM

You left gossip columnists off the list.
And Bill Clinton.

But ... but ... I saw it in Wikipedia! It *must* be true!

----
Ummm, yeah. Not exactly the OED, there.
******
The Urban Dictionary defines "shister" (not shyster) as
...
Posted by: sunnydaze | January 7, 2008 02:38 PM
Posted by: Dr. Johnson | January 7, 2008 03:02 PM

That was a terrible Hank Kingsley impression.

OTOH, Michael (Not The Doobie Bro) McDonald's impression of Dr. (I Am Not A Doctor) Phil on MadTV is killer.

Mention of Courtney & Kurt prompts me to suggest y'all might enjoy Todd Snider's "Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues", here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9319xcmG9J4&search=todd%20snider
(at least, I hope it's there - can't get to YT from here to confirm...)

Dr. Phil has a B.A. from Midwestern State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from North Texas State University with a dual area of emphasis in clinical and behavioral medicine. - drphil.com

Legally he does not have the right to issue prescriptions, but that doesn't mean that he can't help. On that note, I do think it is appalling that he would just up and decide to go see Brit - whether at the parent's request or not. Speaking from experience, if she is truly in a state where she needs help, the last thing that will help is some stranger showing up in your 72 hour hospital lockup and try and insist for you to talk to them. While he may be genuinely trying to help her, he's going about it all the wrong way. It makes you wonder whether he actually paid attention in his abnormal psych classes or not.

Your list failed to mention one of the first people to use someone else's name to further her career(in this case her dead ex-husband)

Priscilla Presley

This isn't even the first time Dr. Phil has done something ethically questionable. He was once brought up on ethics charges and had to serve a year of probation:

http://deceiver.com/2008/01/07/patient-privacy-publicity-stunt/

What ever happened to confidentiality? A major emphasis of real mental health professionals concerned about clients rather than padding their wallets. Not only Britney's confidentiality, but also her families. Had this at all been a genuine concern of Mr. McGraw he would have done all this in private and not released any of this to the press.

real therapists won't just show up to help someone, even if a family member requests it. the intended patient has to ask to be helped or it's not likely to work.

I think this is an unfair slam on Jeffrey Tambour, who's not done anything sleazy and exploitative that I know of.

Dr. Phyl has officially "insert your cliche here". Nice of him to drop by and offer his advice, but quite slimey of him to announce it the national media -- makes him quite the media wh*re.

Anyway, Britney has been suffering from post-partum depression and for whatever reason -- no one has had the b@lls to take her aside to not only reason with her, but to get her the real help she needed. Shame on them. She is used to having everyone at her command and no will step up and tell she can't go out like that -- in that condition or wearing no panties. At this point she is in too deep -- the stalkerazzi have become her friends (and poss. lovers) and the entertainment media have made a cottage industry out of her. But this is somehow how giving her what she thinks she needs -- attention, no matter how negative.

What ever happened to confidentiality? A major emphasis of real mental health professionals concerned about clients rather than padding their wallets. Not only Britney's confidentiality, but also her families. Had this at all been a genuine concern of Mr. McGraw he would have done all this in private and not released any of this to the press.

Posted by: Craig | January 7, 2008 03:26 PM

And how many HIPPA violations were there over this whole incident?

Per Courtney Love/Kurt Cobain...

C'mon. While Courtney Love had been bouncing around the music scene for years in various bands, she (and Hole) only registered mainstream radio once Nirvana made it big.

There aren't many references to her that don't mention that she's Kurt Cobain's widow, or the mother of Frances Bean.

Liz, why insult Jeffrey Tambor by comparing him to Dr. Phil!?

Although its easy to blame Brit's behavior on post partum depression, but her behavior started to change before she had kids. Marrying a childhood friend in Vegas on a whim, less than a year later marrying a half-wit back-up dancer whose girlfriend just gave birth to their second child and from clips I've seen from her ill-fated reality show (thanks to The Soup). Maybe PPD pushed her over the edge, but it definately was not the catalyst.

Actually, HIPAA laws wouldn't affect this...because Dr. Phil is not a licensed psychologist.

Even though he was trained as a psychologist, his license was suspended almost 20 years ago now. He does hold a valid PhD. in psychology, so he is technically allowed to use the term "Dr.", but it's pretty tenuous (which pretty much does make him a shyster....).

I believe he currently styles himself as a "Lifestyle and Relationship Expert" or something like that. So unless Brit and the Spears family made Dr. Phil had some sort of agreement where he was supposed to keep his incredibly large mouth shut, he can tell the world his findings.

Unethical as hell, sure. Tacky, beyond doubt. But there is no actual doctor-patient relationship because he's not licensed to work in the health care field. He's pretty much just a friend of the family in this situation - a friend who used to be a pshrink.

He should know better, but it wasn't a valid treatment. Hence, no HIPAA laws were broken.

Perhaps Dr. Phil should take his own !@#$%^&* advice and "Get Real"...would he want some 2-bit, ethically challenged huckster at his children's side while they were having a breakdown?

I agree with Chasmosaur, not many people outside the alt. music scene even knew who Courtney Love was before Nirvana, I personally never heard of her until after Cobain killed himself, but then again I was chastised because I had never heard of Paris Hilton before the infamous sex tape. Oh to go back to the days before faux celebrities took over serious news.

Sunnydaze, I stand corrected! I'm tragically unhip, so I had no idea that the cool kids had co-opted, re-spelled, and re-defined "shyster". I'm down with it, now that I'm in the know.
I wonder if it's pronounced the same. Just so I don't get beat down on da street, you know.
(Insert smily face emoticon to convey levity, here.)

It was Kato, hands down. He came from absolutely nowhere, relative to the others on the list.

And the latest, Dr. Phil has canceled the Britney show. Was it an attack of conscience and good sense that got to him, or did he find out just how despised his plan was?

There are many legal and ethical lines that were crossed, and Spears as a patient, regardless of her discharge status, was victimized.

First, inpatient adult psychiatric units do not allow unannounced visitors. Period. It doesn't matter if a visitor holds health care provider credneitals. Unless that person is expressly a provider for a specific patient on that unit, he or she does not have privileges to visit the unit that are different than any other visitor for any purpose.

Second, as an adult, Spears and not her parents, friends or other relatives, had any authority to mandate her care, treatment or health care provider choices. (The exception is in the event that she had designated a healthcare power of attorney or that a court had appointed a guardian ad litem to make health care decisions for her.) McGraw states that it was at the request of a parent that he visited, and that is not a legitimate or valid reason.

Once Spears indicated that she did not wish McGraw to visit, he should have voluntarily left, or he should have been removed by hospital staff authorized to do so.

Culpability extends to McGraw, the hospital's security staff, staff who allowed him access to Spears, and staff who did not immediately remove him from patient care areas as soon as Spears indicated a desire for him to leave.

You may use this as an exemplar where patient adovcacy and the protection of patient privacy failed across the board.

Cedars-Sinai should be no stranger to patients who are celebrities and who are in the public eye. There is no excuse for having allowed this breach to have occurred.

For others who look at this and wonder how to protect their own or loved ones' privacy, do this: have a writeen healthcare proxy designated, and make your visition and provider choices known in writing upon admission and update as needed. Every patient in an inpatient hospital unit (general and psychiatric) has a registered nurse who is responsible for assuring patient rights are respected. If you have concerns or observe a problem, inform your registered nurse immediately. If you don't get problem resolution, then speak to the nursing unit director or the hospital nursing supervisor, who is accountable for hospital adminsitrative function at all times when the administrators and directors are not on site.

In the event of a failure at this level, speak to the chief nursing officer for the hospital.

Courtney Love, talentless turd behind the band Hole, among other impositions upon pop culture, was absolutely *nothing* but a groupie junkie until she very deliberately snared Cobain. Her only talents were knowing who to meet and how to exploit them. She willfully cultivated numerous relationships based precisely on how they would/could advance her career(s).

She really should be at the top of this list, with no equal.

I agree with the poster who said the problem was that he announced it to the media. It would have been ok if he had just gone to visit on the sly, no media. It also have been ok if he had gone to visit, been outed by the media, and said, "none of your business" when questioned. It was quite another to call the woman nuts after speaking to her for 3 minutes.

Whatever you did, it worked. I just read that Dr. Phil is pulling the show because the situation with Britney is now "too intense"...

Looks like the criticism got to him on some level - unfortunately, I'll bet it was worries about boycotting.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_en_tv/britney_dr__phil

Dr Phil is a quack and should be disbarred for unprofessional conduct. No wonder people doesn't trust their doctors less alone tell them everything. Everyone has a price even Dr Phil. Disgusting......................

Just adding my voice to those who take issue with the Jeffrey Tambor reference. Arrested Development was one of the best (if not the best) major network comedies of the last two decades. Dr. Phil's show, by contrast, is pure hillbilly charlatanism. Big difference.

They also look nothing alike. I don't even see a hint of where you were getting that from....

Who most deftly used someone else's fame to further his or her own name?

The answer is none of the above. Nobody heard of Puff Daddy before Biggie got shot. Then all of Biggie's videos for his new CD stared Puffy.

MIdwestern State University was my back-up school.

I remember when the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq took place, the good "doctor" had some women guests who had the courage to speak out against the action long before it became fashionable.

Like Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh might, McGraw lambasted them publicly, asking whose side they were on, accused them of enabling the terrorists, and all the rest of the blathering right wing crapola so prominent among xenophobic uneducated warmongering Bush supporters at the time.

Not cowered my America's Daytime TV Daddy Figure, I of course was compelled to email the show, challenging the blow-hard that if he was going to inject politics into his program, that he come clean with his audience like he implores so many of his fragile guests he's allegedly "helping," and declare his undying allegiance to the Bush Reich.

Not a peep in response.

He's a bloviating media circus clown and a coward, with the same thin veneer of legitimacy as a Geraldo Rivera, a Maury Povich, or a "Doctor" Laura.

I remember when the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq took place, the good "doctor" had some women guests who had the courage to speak out against the action long before it became fashionable.

Like Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh might, McGraw lambasted them publicly, asking whose side they were on, accused them of enabling the terrorists, and all the rest of the blathering right wing crapola so prominent among xenophobic uneducated warmongering Bush supporters at the time.

Not cowered by America's Daytime TV Daddy Figure, I of course was compelled to email the show, challenging the blow-hard that if he was going to inject politics into his program, that he come clean with his audience like he implores so many of his fragile guests he's allegedly "helping," and declare his undying allegiance to the Bush Reich.

Not a peep in response.

He's a bloviating media circus clown and a coward, with the same thin veneer of legitimacy as a Geraldo Rivera, a Maury Povich, or a "Doctor" Laura.

I have always seem this so called doctor as nothing more than an arrogant, self absorbed, bullying ass. His attempt to exploit the tragedy of Britney Spears is not only despicable, but tell me his is just as dysfunctional as the people who appear on his show.
If this guy is reaaly a doctor can't his license be suspended or pulled for so blatantly violating client-patient priviledge.

yes, this guy is disgusting....and unethical.

He is repulsive. Pseudo-healthcare expert, pseudo-celebrity, pseudo-journalist...a Dr. Phil sighting on TV triggers an automatic channel change for me. I'm not a Britney fan, but it was disgusting how her privacy was invaded by him.

Those of you that are confused about the Dr. Label should note that The APA, which is the body that monitors psychologists would rebuke "Dr. Phil", but he is NOT licensed to practice, nor is he a member of that body. He did earn a degree but is not qualified to treat. That said, licensed clinical psychologists are in fact qualified to treat mentally ill hospitalized patients. This man is a snake oil opportunist who has made the whole profession look bad. Please don't take it on psychs.

Free Jeffrey Tambor from the clutches of this terrible comparison! This man was the saving grace of "Muppets from Space" (along with Pepe), and the rock of "Arrested Development."

Please rise above the "Separated at Birth" book series, Post.

Oh, Dr. Phil has violated the Ethical Principles of Psychology/Code of Conduct so many times that it isn't even funny, although I expect he has figured out some way to say that they don't apply to him (e.g., claiming that he's not providing any services or counsel as a psychologist or that it's all just "entertainment"). When his show first started, as a psychologist myself I actually thought that he presented some good issues and had some interesting things to say. Since then, though, his show has degenerated mostly into ratings grabbing swill (with the recent focus on Britney Spears being a notable low point!).

The fact that he doesn't have a current license (if that is indeed the case) doesn't mean that he can't be a psychologist, but he's not licensed to practice as a clinician (even if he WERE licensed to practice in TX, that wouldn't necessarily mean that he is also licensed to practice in CA). Since he has earned a Ph.D., he is legitimately "Dr." Phil, though. There are many other ways that psychologists engage in their profession, and the Code of Ethics would still seem to apply to him since he clearly functions as a psychologist (or relies on his training as a psychologist) in many of his roles.

You can read the entire Code of Ethics here: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html#principle_e

This part struck me as especially relevant in this case:

Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity
Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination. Psychologists are aware that special safeguards may be necessary to protect the rights and welfare of persons or communities whose vulnerabilities impair autonomous decision making.

As someone else noted above, if it were really about Britney, this would have been a private encounter -- not one with a press release and a planned (albeit now cancelled) TV show!

(So, if Dr. Phil wins for using someone else's fame to further his own, where does that put wife Robin and her book, and son Jay with his new TV show? After all, they're capitalizing on Dr. Phil's fame to advance their own!)

Dr. Phil is the Walrus.

The media is exploiting this young woman. I'd like to see a story about a magazine or newspaper actually refusing to purchase any more Britney photos. That would be a breath of fresh air. Somebody has got to stop feeding the frenzy. If the media stops shelling out the big bucks to the paparazzi for photos of Britney, then the paps would leave her alone because the photos wouldn't be worth anything.....but that would only happen if we live in a utopian society. {Sigh} My thoughts and prayers go out to Britney and her family.

Re: Prayers
Why shall the media stop purchasing Britney photos if people buy the newspapers? Why don't we stop buying these newspapers? It is easier to waite and expect that somebody else will do the right thing first instead of doing it yourself.

Dr. Phil is indeed a real doctor. He has a PhD in Psychology. Real doctors are PhDs since this is the highest-awarded academic degree, ranking above such lower ranking degrees like a Master's or a MD degree. MDs are more accurately called physicians, and MDs under-rank real doctors, namely PhDs. Historically MDs have tried to 'inflate' there lower-ranked degree my calling themselves 'doctors.' So they are often called doctors, but they are not 'real' doctors.

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