Top 10 Worst Things to Happen on Dr. Phil

If the name Levi Johnston doesn’t ring a bell, then you might have completely blocked out the 2008 presidential election. Johnston was the two-time fiancé of Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol, who gained some infamy after news broke during the campaign that he and Bristol were expecting a baby and would be getting married. Post-election, Johnston milked his 15 minutes of fame. In 2012, he appeared on “Dr. Phil” for an interview that one can only describe as painfully awkward. Johnston addressed claims that he had “stolen” Bristol’s virginity and denied the version of events that she had painted. Overall, this was a deep dive into really personal details that, frankly, none of us needed to know.

Best known for playing Xander Harris on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Nicholas Brendon seemed poised for a bright acting future after the show ended. However, by the 2010s, his career hit a rough patch due to legal troubles stemming from substance use disorder. In 2015, Brendon went on “Dr. Phil” to discuss his experience, but the interview took an unexpected turn. Rather than try to raise awareness about alcohol use disorder, Dr. Phil seemed intent on shaming the actor. The tense exchange lasted all of four minutes before Brendon decided he had had enough and stormed off the set. He however returned to the show a few months later, after spending time in a rehab facility.

Oscar-nominated actor Eric Roberts may not be the most recognizable face in Hollywood, despite starring in more films than most. However, his family connections are quite famous—his sister Julia and daughter Emma. Nevertheless, Roberts hasn’t always had the best relationships with them over the years. By the time of his 2012 interview on “Dr. Phil” though, things had improved, and he wanted to avoid discussing them to keep it that way. But after he objected to Dr. Phil bringing the two ladies up, Roberts’ wife, Eliza, stepped in to call him out for being “testy.” The entire response, treating Roberts like a child and referring to him like he wasn’t seated right beside her, felt both bizarre and patronizing.

Sometimes, celebrity interviews on “Dr. Phil” can be strange, other times, they’re just downright problematic. Case in point: the late Shelley Duvall. In 2016, after years away from the public eye, Duvall appeared on the show, revealing signs of mental illness. One would expect Dr. Phil, as a psychologist, to address the problem and provide meaningful help. Instead, he seemed more focused on Duvall’s bizarre claims, in a way that felt exploitative and deeply uncomfortable to watch. The host was rightfully criticized by many in the industry, but he has expressed no regrets about the interview. In fact, it turns out that he even considered bringing Duvall back on the show, but thankfully, she declined the invitation.

This case is sure to leave anyone horrified. Back in 2012, Zachary Davis, then a teenager, ended his mother’s life and attempted to do the same to his older brother by setting their house on fire. The tragic incident occurred in Hendersonville, Tennessee, but it gained national attention in 2015 when Dr. Phil interviewed Davis on his show. Throughout the interview, Davis maintains a flat, monotone voice, completely devoid of emotion, as he goes into disturbing detail about the murder and his reasoning behind it. At one point, he even laughs slightly while reflecting on the incident. Two months after the interview was taped, Davis was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Speaking of violent minors, Dr. Phil also featured a young girl named Aneska on his show in 2016. While she comes across as innocent, Aneska was actually a lot more frightening. She had begun exhibiting violent behavior from a young age, including deliberately killing the family’s pet hamster and a nest of birds. During her interview, Aneska remained eerily calm as she recounted these actions, which understandably had made her family feel unsafe. Many viewers were disturbed not only by her chilling claims, but also by Dr. Phil’s decision to showcase her on TV rather than get her the help she needed. Fortunately, it appears Aneska eventually received the necessary support, as she seems to have transitioned to a relatively normal teenage life.

Dr. Phil has often been criticized for pushing vulnerable guests to the brink purely for entertainment. But some guests bring their own controversy without any pushing needed. In this episode, a lady named Peyton attempted to reconcile with her father, David, who was a member of the KKK. David had been imprisoned for trying to destroy an abortion clinic, and while he was behind bars, Peyton had a biracial child. This caused a rift between them, as David cut Peyton off due to his racist beliefs, leaving her feeling abandoned. His brazen ideologies, and the way he speaks so disparagingly about his own grandson, despite being a convicted criminal himself, is enough to make anyone want to turn off the TV immediately.

In 2018, filmmaker and playwright Tyler Perry was in a relationship with his longtime partner, Gelila Bekele, with whom he shared a child. Meanwhile, miles away, a woman named Karla was fully convinced she was married to Perry, despite never having met him in person. Concerned for her well-being, Karla’s daughters brought her to “Dr. Phil,” after she had been scammed of nearly $100,000 by someone pretending to be Perry online. Yet, absolutely nothing could shake Karla’s belief that she hadn’t fallen for an impostor. She even believed she was the mother of Perry’s child, despite acknowledging that she never donated her eggs. While it may be easy to mock her, at its core, Karla’s situation is deeply tragic.

Ellen DeGeneres was not the only daytime talk show host to face allegations of fostering a toxic workplace. In 2022, she was joined by Dr. Phil. Several current and former employees of his show claimed they had experienced a hostile environment, rife with fear, intimidation and racism. Although fingers were not pointed directly at the host, staffers named the executive producer and implied that Dr. Phil was aware of the issues. They also claimed producers encouraged them to exploit the guests in their worst moments, and discouraged them from booking people of color. Although Dr. Phil and the producers vehemently denied the allegations, the controversy may have contributed to the show getting canceled about a year later.

One of the most frequent types of guests on “Dr. Phil” are troubled teens, perhaps the most infamous being Danielle Bregoli. If you’re wondering how the show helps these teens afterwards, the answer is often sending them to the Turn-About Ranch, an isolated clinic in Utah, to sort out their issues. However, in 2021, Hannah Archuleta, a former guest, alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a staff member at the ranch, and sued Dr. Phil for pressuring her parents to send her there. Bregoli later backed up these claims in a shocking video, alleging that she had a similar experience at the facility. These allegations were denied by the Turn-About Ranch, and Archuleta’s lawsuit was ultimately dismissed in 2022.