Oprah Winfrey is addressing a question that has followed her long after “The Oprah Winfrey Show” ended. Her past decision to spotlight Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. Mehmet Oz is now being viewed through a very different lens.
Oprah Winfrey responds to criticism over giving Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz a platform
According to People, Winfrey discussed the criticism she has received for introducing both television personalities to her audience. Dr. Phil first appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1998. Dr. Oz followed in 2004. Both later received their own daytime programs and built television careers.
“People criticize me for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, because of their politics or their views,” Winfrey told Emmy Magazine. When discussing Dr. Phil, Winfrey pointed to a difficult period in her own life. She recalled his support during a 1998 libel lawsuit that placed her on trial for six weeks.
Winfrey said Dr. Phil was “practical,” “down to earth” and “real.” His support made her believe he could help others, too. She added, “I thought, ‘Oh, you could help a lot of people. You should come on my show.’”
Winfrey explained that her introduction to Dr. Oz came through her longtime friend Gayle King. She said the doctor had a talent for explaining complicated medical topics in accessible ways. “He explained practical things like colon cancer and bowel movements,” Winfrey said. She believed his approach could benefit her audience, which led to his appearances on the show.
However, both men eventually took paths that differed from Winfrey’s own public profile. Dr. Phil became a supporter of President Donald Trump and serves on Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. Trump also appointed Dr. Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services after he entered politics.
Winfrey said people should not blame her for their later choices. “Everybody has their own path in life, and it has not one thing to do with me,” she said. “I don’t have one thing to do with them.”
She also emphasized that her intentions were straightforward when she gave both men television exposure. “At the time, the reason and intention behind me giving them their breaks was I thought they had valuable information to share that had been meaningful to me,” she said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Winfrey reflected on her business success and the ownership stake she built through her show. She said she “bet on” herself and eventually increased her ownership of the program substantially. Her comments offer a clear explanation for why she initially trusted Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, even as their later careers moved in different directions.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH OPRAH WINFREY THAT DR. PHIL AND DR. OZ’S LATER CAREERS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HER?
Reported by Shweta Chakrawarty on Reality Tea.
