Indeed. The Doctor Phil show is in essence a freak show. People watch it for the drama and the entertainment. It’s perhaps a higher class freak show than Jerry Springer and the like, but it’s still a freak show.

Nothing about what happens on Dr Phil’s show resembles the hard work and undramatic thoughtfulness of actual psychological counseling and therapy. What flashes across our screens is there for entertainment purposes only.

The only people benefiting are Phil McGuire and his well compensated staff.

The people being harmed, of course, are all those who mistake the freak show for real mental health work.