The “Dr. Phil” show is hitting back at current and former employees’ allegations that the daytime talk show fosters an environment of volatile, toxic and even racist behavior.
The titular Phil McGraw, who isn’t licensed though he does hold a doctorate in clinical psychology, “categorically denies racist conduct and [the show’s network] CBS does not tolerate racist conduct,” the TV personality’s lawyer H. Patrick Morris told BuzzFeed News in a statement, responding to the outlet’s report Thursday.
The nearly dozen staffers, whose roles ranged from senior staff to lower-level jobs and who all asked to remain anonymous, told the outlet they’d experienced or witnessed “verbal abuse in a workplace that fosters fear, intimidation and racism” and claimed that vulnerable guests are “manipulated and treated unethically.”
One guest was reportedly urged not to take prescribed medication before filming so she would “look unstable,” a former employee told the outlet. “That’s all for the sake of TV.”
While those employees said they’d never seen McGraw, 71, himself take part in the toxic behavior, they wondered “how can he not know” what’s allegedly happening, with several claims made against senior staffers who allegedly berated their subordinates.
Multiple employees also claimed to BuzzFeed that they’d been encouraged to further racist stereotypes when it came to guests — with other staffers alleging racism off-screen — many of whom were allegedly secured by “ethically inappropriate” means. These included getting pictures of their teeth as well as asking about their mental health and sexual history, BuzzFeed was told.
“Everyone was just pretty miserable. You would walk into the building and there was just a palpable dread and anxiety,” a former employee told the outlet.
Several other current and former staffers told BuzzFeed that despite the occasionally “intense” workplace, their time on the show, which premiered in 2002, has been more positive than not.
The daytime show was previously the center of a since-dropped lawsuit concerning allegations that its host locked multiple employees in a room throwing a tantrum over information that had been leaked to the media. Multiple guests have also claimed they were given access to drugs and alcohol prior to appearing on the show, which has strongly denied the claims.
None of the employees alleging mistreatment or misconduct filed complaints with human resources nor their union, claiming fears of retaliation, in part due to the limited CBS personnel on-site as it films on the Paramount lot.
“Creating safe and inclusive working environments is a top priority,” ViacomCBS told BuzzFeed in a statement, noting that any allegations of mistreatment should be made “without a fear of retaliation” and are taken “seriously.”
The allegations echo those made against “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” also on CBS, which since the start of the pandemic has faced an onslaught of claims of a toxic environment. The show will conclude this year after 19 seasons.
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