Overview
- Oprah told Emmy Magazine that criticism over her role in making Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz famous is misplaced and that their politics and career choices are their own.
- She said she first elevated Dr. Phil after he helped her during a 1998 legal fight with Texas cattlemen and that Gayle King introduced her to Dr. Oz because he explained medical topics in plain language.
- Reporting notes both men went on to build independent TV careers and later moved into roles and alliances tied to President Trump, with Dr. Phil on a Trump religious commission and Dr. Oz serving in CMS roles and associating with figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Raw Story catalogs controversies that now fuel criticism of Oprah’s early platforming, including lawsuits and workplace allegations linked to Dr. Phil and policy reversals and subsidy cuts tied to Dr. Oz.
- Coverage differs in focus with TMZ highlighting Oprah’s defense and Raw Story emphasizing the protégés’ political alignments, and the exchange has renewed public debate about whether hosts should be held accountable for guests they helped make famous.