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Dr. Phil (TV series)
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Dr. Phil is an American talk show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002. On both shows McGraw offers advice in the form of "life strategies" from his experience as a clinical psychologist.
The show is in syndication throughout the United States and Canada, as well as a number of other countries. Also, the show's syndication contracts specifically state that if Dr. Phil is on another station, it cannot air at the same time as Oprah.
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Dr. Phil is an American talk show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002. On both shows McGraw offers advice in the form of "life strategies" from his experience as a clinical psychologist.
The show is in syndication throughout the United States and Canada, as well as a number of other countries. Also, the show's syndication contracts specifically state that if Dr. Phil is on another station, it cannot air at the same time as Oprah. Its sixth season premiered on September 10, 2007, and it was announced on August 3, 2005, that it has been renewed through at least 2013, or eleven seasons.
As of September 8, 2008, the seventh season of Dr. Phil is being broadcast in HDTV with a revamped look and a new theme written and performed by McGraw's son, Jordan.
Style
The show covers a wide variety of topics, including weight loss, financial planning, errant children, gift suggestions, children who have been diagnosed with autism, unhappily married couples, rebellious teenagers, mothers who dress far from their age, mothers who refuse to attend weddings, children being stars in their parents' rights, dysfunctional families, mothers who refuse to give their married sons monies and support for charitable causes. Radio personality and ex-child star Danny Bonaduce, came to the show twice in a year to discuss his failing marriage (and later divorce) with Gretchen. On several shows, children and/or adults have taken a lie detector exam. The show is generally serious in tone, leavened with humor from time to time. It has its occasional tense moments and often trashy scenes, like that of The Montel Williams Show, but without melees or aggressive fights on stage, in contrast to The Jerry Springer Show, The Steve Wilkos Show or Maury. He is noted for often bringing back families for multiple shows for follow-up "therapy" sessions in his segment called "Dr. Phil Family." Generally, the program is filmed and guests appear in studio, but in 2006, the Dr. Phil House began as an occasional series. Dr. Phil and his production staff invite guests to a special house wired with numerous cameras and microphones. There, his staff monitor the conversations of the guests he is trying to help, and intervene as necessary to prevent physical violence. Dr. Phil also provides on-the-spot advice and counseling to the "house guests".
Notable shows
- In a show that aired on May 2, 2005, twin sisters Crystal and Jocelyn Potter appeared. Crystal claimed to want to "work" in the adult industry together with Jocelyn, who rejected the idea as repulsive. Brothel owner Dennis Hof was interviewed and stated that the two could make half a million dollars per year in his establishment. It turns out that the sisters' testimony was less than truthful: since 2002 they have appeared as the "Potter sisters" in numerous pornographic movies together, and in 2003 they even appeared together with Hof in the porn movie "Goin' down at the Bunny Ranch".
- The Dr. Phil House was set in an actual house within the Wilshire Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. It received numerous complaints from neighbors about the disruption caused by filming crews,the guests, cables and production trucks clogging the neighborhood and the constant traffic caused by filming. After the Los Angeles City Council revoked film permits, in September 2006, the Dr. Phil show stopped filming there. However, Peteski Productions, Dr. Phil's production company, still owns the house. The Dr. Phil House has since moved to a studio back lot, and the interior of the house shown in the program is that of a sound stage and not that of the actual house.
- There was a scam involving Miss Cleo, who lied saying that they knew Dr. Phil. She was initially shut down for her fraudulent "psychic" ability hotline. The woman set up a phone line that they claimed to be run by the director of the Dr. Phil show. By telling customers that they could have a phone conversation with Dr. Phil for $750 an hour, they scammed Dr. Phil's viewers out of thousands of dollars.
- On December 12, 2006, the show featured a segment on bumfights and attacks on the homeless across America. Dr. Phil discontinued an interview with the creator and distributor of the video series in disgust and forced him off the set after already inviting him.
Spoofs
*Sesame Street occasionally features a segment starring a Muppet as "Dr. Feel," who hosts a talk show and asks guests about their feelings. Dr. Phil has even appeared as a guest on one episode.
- In the Nickelodeon teen comedy Drake and Josh, a female psychiatrist hosts Dr. Phyllis (played by Gabrielle Carteris). One episode centers on this show, when Drake and Josh appear on the show and talk about their problems as brothers.
- A character named "Dr. Phyllis" also appears in the Brandy & Mr. Whiskers episode "Freaky Tuesday".
- Phil McGraw stars as himself in a minor role in Scary Movie 4, in which he is kidnapped along with Shaquille O'Neal. Their captor, a parody of the Jigsaw Killer from the Saw series, pumps a deadly nerve agent into the room in which the two are chained, and Dr. Phil is forced to cut off his own foot to escape from his shackles. He cuts off the wrong foot and therefore does not live through the movie. He also reveals that he isn't really a psychiatrist.
- Dr. Phil starred on a Frasier episode entitled "The Devil & Dr. Phil", where he has Bebe as his agent.
- The show was spoofed a few times on MADtv with Michael McDonald playing Dr. McGraw. Often, Debra Wilson would appear on these spoofs as well, playing the character of Oprah Winfrey.
- YTV's The Zone formerly did spoofs of Dr. Phil that were also called Dr. Phyllis.
- Cyberchases "Dr. Bill" was a parody of Dr. Phil.
- On SNL, Dr. Phil was the subject of a few sketches, one where he was portrayed by Will Ferrell.
- Ex-MADtv regular Frank Caliendo also plays Dr. Phil on his own show, Frank TV, and in commercials for Dish Network.
- On Hannah Montana, Robby Ray portrays Dr. Phil as Dr. Philbilly to teach his children to get along.
- Canadian sketch comedy show Royal Canadian Air Farce featured cast member Roger Abbott as Dr. Phil in a few sketches.
Broadcasters
- In Arab World the show airs on MBC 4 at 17:00KSA.
- In Australia the show currently airs on the Network Ten at 12pm each weekday. Prior to 2006, it aired on the Nine Network. The show is also aired on the W. Channel on cable television.
- In Belgium the show airs on VijfTV at 03:45 PM. And repeats in the night at 01:15.
- In Belize, Great Belize Television airs it regularly at 5:30 PM Monday to Friday.
- In Brazil the show airs on Fox Life every weekday at 20:00
- In Canada the show airs on CTV, at varying times depending on region.
- In Denmark the show airs on TV3 at 14:20.
- In Estonia the show airs on Neljas every day at 18:25 on weekdays and at 18:00 on weekends.
- In Iceland the show airs on SkjárEinn at 17:45 every day of the week, and all the weeks's episodes shown again at the weekend.
- In Finland the show airs on Nelonen at 15:00.
- In Ireland the show airs every weekday morning on RTE1.
- In Israel the show airs on yes stars Base and HOT Family at 14:30.
- In New Zealand the show airs on TV3 at 13:00.
- In Norway the show airs on TV3 at 11:35, and 19:00 (re-run of 11:35)
- In Portugal the show airs on SIC Mulher at 4:15, 7:45 and 19:55.
- In South Africa the show airs every weekday on SABC2 at 12:00.
- In Sweden the show airs on TV4 Plus at 19:05.
- In The Netherlands the show airs on RTL5 at 16:40 and on RTL 8 at 18:20.
- In the United Kingdom the show airs on Living, throughout the week.
- In South Africa the show airs on SABC, through out the week.
- In Poland the show airs on nTalk few times a day (irregularly, but daily you can watch it about 4 times or more, not only re-plays but also new episodes)
Further reading
External links
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