A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about hypocrites and all of the crazy things they do. It hasn’t been long since then, but after a week full of insane and horribly depressing news stories, I can’t help but go back to the same topic and take another swing at it.
Television talk shows have always been filled with hypocrites. I remember years ago when a girl in high school attended a make over show on “Maury,” or “Montel” or something like that. Seeing her on television, she looked like she had just stepped out of a crypt. It definitely was not what she looked like every day when she walked through the halls at school. But of course, to keep the interest of the television audience, the producers on these shows have to make the story, before they can present it.
That is what seems to be happening, yet again, with everyone’s favorite fake psychologist Dr. Phil. It’s only been a few months since the TV doc, famous for his tough love, visited a mentally ill Britney Spears in the hospital so he could discuss her mental state on his show the next day. If I had thought about this a week ago, I probably would have said there is nothing he can do that could possibly be more despicable than that.
I would have been wrong. A horrible incident in Florida recently left a young girl beaten and seriously injured. She had a concussion, hearing loss and blurred vision in one eye, in addition to the bruise and injuries to the rest of her body. Those injuries came a result of six other teenage girls beating her and video taping the incident in hopes of posting the video online.
The incident itself is disgusting. Not many people would want to believe that six girls (not to mention the two boys who were standing guard) would go along with such a disgusting plot and take it to the extent these girls did, and many people are asking how anyone could have so little compassion for another person. Well, Dr. Phil apparently figured he could get the answer to that and countless other questions.
Apparently once all the teens involved were arrested and being held in jail, one of Dr. Phil’s lackeys took it upon himself to bail one of the girls out of jail.
People have tried to defend poor Dr. Phil, saying that he never authorized his employee to take such a bold step. I suppose that could be true, but unfortunately, when you’re the boss, if someone messes up, you’re partially responsible.
I’m pretty sure if I bailed a suspect out of jail in order to get a juicy story, my boss would not be happy with me, and I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be taking any actions that drastic without discussing in with someone higher up. If the producers of the show want to pass the blame down the line and make it look like the guy on the bottom rung of the ladder was the one calling the shots, they can, but that doesn’t mean anyone has to believe it.
I’m guessing less than a month after the case is closed, Dr. Phil will get the first exclusive with at least one of the girls responsible for this incident. I wonder if he will be able to sound convincing when he’s dishing out his tough love, when he realizes that he is no better than the people he is talking down to.