Dr. Phil was embedded with ICE during controversial Los Angeles immigration raids
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/09/media/dr-phil-mcgraw-ice-immigration-raids-los-angelesOpen linkView original on lemmy.world352
Comments60https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/09/media/dr-phil-mcgraw-ice-immigration-raids-los-angelesOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
1-Why did ICE allow Dr. Phil to be in their group?
Well, he's a well-known media figure of claims to be centrist and unbiased, so his presence/footage could have provided a veneer of doubt to most other media coverage. They eventually need SOMEONE to play that role if they don't want to be the literal bad guys
2-Why did Dr. Phil agree to do this?
Well, as much as he claims to be unbiased and trustworthy, more often than not, his show is pretty much just "guilt trip the nonconformist in front of an audience until they break down and hug their relatives who brought them here" with some commercials sprinkled in for
funprofit. He's basically a big bully with the 'street cred' (moustasche) to get away with it3-Why did anyone think this would work at all?
Well, I don't have the numbers to confirm this, but as an American, I'm confident in saying that most Americans would trust Dr. Phil, more than some random/local reporters (even if that should NOT be the case). Even if you've never watched a second of his show, you've probably heard his voice, seen others imitate him, or are at least AWARE of his existence, and we're more likely to trust a source we've already encountered before.
I'm not so sure about number 3. He gets made fun of a lot. Well, he got made fun of a lot then everyone seemed to forget him. Even people with ridiculous accents made fun of his accent (of which I am one).
The people who believe him are obviously out there. But I'd like to think that most people realize that his show was (is? I don't know) just Jerry Springer with fewer chairs being thrown and less honesty about what they're there for.
On the other hand, I have no good explanation about why they think it would work at all without what you said. So maybe?
As a fellow southwestern drunk, cheers to that dudeski
I wouldn't trust that yapping head on a stick any farther than I could dropkick him, and I'm not a good kicker.
Maybe "smart" was too simple. Instead let's go with "politically aware enough to care, rich/connected enough to make a change, and smart enough to know when to act". Kind of a big ask, I know, but it I know plenty of people who are missing at least one of those three
Definitely agree on wanting to kick his head though
I thought the same thing about Trump.
Yet another reality show loser. Birds of a feather.
The burning question of our times
POS, listen to Behind the Bastards about him if you want to know why.
A fun piece of trivia is that he lost is license to practice as a counselor after having a relationship with one of his teenaged clients.
For starters.
I took a psychology intro class like 20 years ago and that professor hated Dr. Phil with an absolute passion because of how objectively bad he was as a representative for their field.
I honestly believe that part of the crisis in mental health care that’s universal across southern states is that therapists seem to think that therapy is supposed to look like his show.
I went through the hell of a troubled teen program - like the kid diddling Turnabout Ranch he sent kids to - and so much of my experiences with psychological care have been an attempt to force me into being something more “socially acceptable.” Not recognizing that my brain works differently than others, not helping me find coping strategies, but just telling me “you need more grit and to force yourself to make eye contact!”
His show presents bullying as “mental health care” - and this has seriously hampered the practice.
Yikes.
Fuck Dr Phil, Oz, and especially Oprah.
Dr Phil is the kind of guy who in the 19th century I would have expected to roll into town with a wagon selling a miracle cure.
I would also expect them to roll out of town on a rail car, tied up to a post, and covered in tar and feathers.
I wouldn't say that. I can picture him doing that in basically any century since the invention of the wagon
I'm not saying no to any of these, but why ESPECIALLY Oprah? I try not to know too much about any of them, but Phil seems especially bad considering how he lost his license, I don't think Oprah did anything like that. Did she?
Oprah is who made Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz public figures. She made them famous on her show.
Edit:
I’ve come to the conclusion that everybody in Hollywood is out for money and fame, and that some are just very smart about keeping their opinions to themselves so as not to shatter the illusion of being good people.
There's the odd actor who's outspokenly not a shitbag; Pedro Pascal comes to mind as a recent example
Oprah also gave Jenny McCarthy a platform for her anti-vaccine bullshit.
And Oprah loves her some Weinstein
What the fuck is going on, man
America is beyond any possible satire.
Not to mention they say "embedded" as if these goons are dodging sniper fire and mortars in Fallujah. Dude probably got his photo op and then walked over to Erewon for a $19 smoothie.
Wake me up when Hulk Hogan raids with ICE
lol holy fuck every time he does something incredibly dumb and pointless, I think “this is it; surely he won’t top this”.
And yet here we are.
Dr. Phil and my pillow guy have to be related, right?
the mustache binds them
What, was Steven Seagal busy?
What is it with guys Oprah made famous having fake or no credentials in their supposed “area of expertise” and also being close to Trump?
Seriously... the fact that Rachel Ray is the only one to made it out of Oprah's influence with any kind of wide-spread appeal is crazy.
Remember that Million Little Pieces debacle? I think she's just easy to fool.
Yeah, she's obviously very business savvy/good at playing that game, but missing a few marbles in the critical thinking domain. Like one or two other people you may have heard of.
In that picture it looks like his human-mask is slipping.
As ICE was arresting people he was there to tell them to get a job ignoring if they already had one.
He's there to kiss any boo-boos.
He's the only one they could find that was certifiable.
I don't think so .... because anything he does is the opposite of whatever an actual doctor is supposed to do.
The implication of certifiable is often “certifiably insane”.
DING, DING, DING, we have a winner!
Does your doctor kiss your boo boos? Because I don't think your doctor is supposed to do that.
Show me on this doll where the doctor kissed you.
Used to give me suckers as a kid. Not anymore.
...why?
He's a racist piece of shit
Also looks like he lost a good 10 lbf from the head area. Ozempic head?
I hope he will forever be remembered as one of the first non-politician celebrity that jumped on the fascism bandwagon IRL.
Freak
ACAB includes doctor phil
Part One: Dr. Phil Is Even Worse Than You Think And You Probably Think He Sucks
While I stand in solidarity with my fellow Californians, LA is objectively the worst part of California.
I think you're wrong. Reason - I've been to Bakersfield. And Barstow. And Inyokern. And Blythe. And Stockton.
I can see your point, but I respectfully disagree. I find the desert to fairly beautiful, and at least Bakersfield and Stockton have more of a small-town feel. IMO, LA combines all the negatives of Stockton and Bakersfield into one plasticized, superficial mess; LA's better at covering up their flaws, but there's a certain authenticity in owning your blemishes.
At least Barstow is close enough to Victorville that it makes dumping corpses easy. I was born in Redlands, I have little good to say about the rest of SoCal. Better than Idaho though.
Stockton makes the list but not Fresno or Methdesto?
List was non-exhaustive lol
Why is there a picture of Gallagher? Or is that a tortoise dick? The thumbnail is small.
It's a tortoise dick.
high value target