Oprah Winfrey introduced us to Dr. Phil McGraw in 1998. She praised the psychologist for helping her win a lawsuit against Texas cattle ranchers. She did a segment on her daytime talk show about mad cow disease that the ranchers blamed for poor beef sales. Dr. Phil reportedly used his psychology skills to help with jury profiling and offered emotional support. But now, the former TV host is in legal trouble himself. Keep reading for all the details on the shocking discrimination allegations from a former employee.
Former TV Host’s Network Goes Bankrupt
Dr. Phil hosted a syndicated daytime talk show for over 20 years. The show ended in 2023 when he launched his own network. Merit Street Media was launched as a cable and streaming network based out of Texas. However, it never really got off the ground. Former Bachelor host Chris Harrison also had his own show on the network.
However, the network faced financial problems from the start. The media startup filed for bankruptcy but a judge denied Chapter 11 protection and instead ordered the company to be liquidated. Dr. Phil Primetime was put on hiatus amid the ongoing turmoil.
A new lawsuit against Dr. Phil claims disturbing discrimination allegations from a former Merit Street Media employee.
Dr. Phil Faces Shocking Discrimination Allegations In New Lawsuit
Jerry Sharell worked with Dr. Phil as his publicist for a decade. His job continued even after Dr. Phil left CBS in 2023. However, the publicist’s job has since been put on pause during the company’s bankruptcy. As reported by Reality Tea, Jerry Sharell filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles, California, last week alleging wrongful termination and discrimination.
According to Jerry Sharell, he wasn’t included in the move from California to Texas to start Merit Street Media. He was allegedly told “You’re Hollywood,” which the former publicist believed was a comment about his sexuality. Jerry Sharell is openly gay and alleged that he was discriminated against by Dr. Phil and other employees for years.
Jerry Sharell eventually began commuting to the headquarters in Texas, but was allegedly harassed by an IT employee, who called homosexuality “evil.” He claimed that Dr. Phil also made derogatory comments about his sexuality. “Jeez, he’s gayer than a fruit basket and not listening,” Jerry Sharell claimed Dr. Phil once said during a flight.
As for the wrongful termination, the former publicist was allegedly dropped from an employee to an independent contractor despite doing the same work. The demotion came with a pay cut and a loss of benefits.
Dr. Phil has yet to respond to the lawsuit. Stay tuned for more details on the shocking discrimination allegations.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger