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Dr. Phil Pulls Plug on Britney Show

Posted Jan 7th 2008 1:00PM by TMZ Staff

Bending to public pressure over his Britney Spears intervention show, Dr. Phil has canceled the program scheduled for tomorrow.
Britney Spears and
In a statement on his site, the good doc says, "As was widely reported this weekend, at the request of concerned family members, I visited Britney Spears in the hospital. The details of that visit will, of course, remain private. We had planned to tape a Dr. Phil Now show today, focusing not on the tabloid side of Britney's latest problems, but instead on the very serious issues surrounding this case."

The statement goes on, "Clearly, it is not just Britney's family struggling to find a way to protect adult children who cannot be ordered or compelled to seek help. Because the Spears situation is too intense at this time, and out of consideration to the family, I have made the decision not to move forward with the taping at this particular time. Britney and her family are in our prayers, and we ask that they be in yours."

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76. I think he's saving his ass because of all the bad publicity he has received since he LIED about talking to Brit for over an hour. When actually it was 15 min or less. He's an ass. Wipe that grin off your face Phil!!!

Posted at 1:53PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Hyde

77. Dr.Phil has dellusions of grandeur himself--he seems to think he's the savior, above any of th epatient privacy laws. Is the guy even a doctor? He's most definitely a tool.

Posted at 1:55PM on Jan 7th 2008 by yourmom

78. Did not Dr. Phil violate Federal HIPAA PRIVACY regulations regarding releasing Personal Health Information (PHI) when he discussed Britney Spears' mental state with the media on Saturday morning and again this morning on the CBS Early Show?

Did Dr. Phil have a signed release authorizing him to discuss her PHI, protected under HIPAA, with the media?

Was he authorized to be on the Psych Floor of Cedar-Sinai and enter her room? She is an adult, just because, as he says, her parents requested he see her, he appears to have violates her right to privacy.

I am no Britney fan, but like opportunists even less, and it appears to me that Dr. Phil overstepped the boundaries of the law.

Posted at 1:54PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Insurance Guy

79. what is wrong with you? can you really see inside hearts and minds? has God put you in charge of judgements? does name calling (which should not be allowed) make you feel bigger and better? AND REMEMBER .... ALL THIS 'FREEDOM OF SPEECH' is only biased OPINIONS, and probably very much (from my own experiences) FICTION to make a few $$$$$$$$$$!
I am praying for all of you!

Posted at 3:57PM on Jan 7th 2008 by angered

80. Only time will tell. Dr. Phils attempt to help remnds me of what so many parents go through at times while watching their own teenagers grow. As a parent you're sometimes, "damned if you do and damned if you don't." It appears to me that there is no "plan" set up to help Britney at this point. So when she has her next meltdown (which in fact has the possiblity of being a fatal meltdown) than everyone is going to say, "Gee, too bad Dr.Phil caved into pressure and didn't give her the help she needed." Dr. Phil is in a no-win situation. I admire the fact that (for whatever reason) he stepped up to the plate and tried to help. For those of you that think he did it solely for TV ratings, I say to you "Who cares what his motives were when the bottom line is possibly a life or death situation for Brittney." Things have gone from bad to worse with Britney and without someone intervening it's just a spiraling out of control trip to hell...and it may very well be a one way trip.

Posted at 1:55PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Her Honor

81. Portia,

Just because someone is an MD does not make them qualified to treat mental disorders. You wouldn't go to your OBGyN for bipolar disorder would you?

Dr. Phil has a degree in clinical psychology. That qualifies him to treat mental disorders. Stop with all the "He's not a real doctor" or "He's not an MD" crap. He's a Psychologist. That qualifies him. All of you should look up the difference between MD and PhD.

Licensed psychologists hold a doctorate in their field, while licensed psychiatrists hold a medical degree with a specialty in psychiatry. The Ph.D. is the highest required doctoral degree awarded by universities. The term "Doctor" means "Teacher of Teachers" or "Learned Professional." Psychiatrists generally spend shorter periods of contact time with clients/patients, and the principal method of treatment is psychopharmacology. Conversely, clinical and counseling psychologists generally rely upon psychological assessment and the use of psychotherapy to relieve psychological distress. It is not uncommon for people suffering from mental illness to combine these services to maximize their impact. Many psychologists conduct research-based, standardized cognitive and projective testing to guide the diagnosis of intellectual disabilities, behavioral/mood disorders, and personality disorders; these test results also inform treatment approaches.

Having said that, he's not licensed in any state that I know of and he's not a whole lot different than Jerry Springer these days. I wouldn't seek him out to treat me for anything. Period.

Posted at 1:55PM on Jan 7th 2008 by flemke

82. You can bet your sweet a-- he would have exploited her given the opportunity. If he truly wanted to help, why didn't he do it in a quiet way--like PRIVATELY???

Posted at 1:56PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Marcy

83. The "Dr." is slippery as an eel...a real publicity/ratings hungry maggot.

Posted at 1:58PM on Jan 7th 2008 by ToldYouSo

84. It is despicable that Dr. Phil would just be another in a long line of people to take advantage of an obviously sick young woman. Whatever respect I may have had for any good Dr. Phil mayhave done in the past is gone.

Posted at 2:17PM on Jan 7th 2008 by lel410

85. Shrewd move, Doktah.......Bet Oprah's lawyers were having a meeting today. Boycott his show anyway, and hers as well. Power to the people.

Posted at 2:01PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Barbara

86. Get well, Britney!
We want the old Britney back!
Eva and Nicole and the 7gfb girls.

Posted at 2:00PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Eva and Nicole

87. YOU KNOW BRITNEY NEEDS TO BE LEFT ALONE TO DEAL WITH WORLD SHE HAS CREATED FOR HERSELF. SHE KEEPS TELLING EVERYONE TO LEAVE HER ALONE, AND THEY JUST KEEP TRYING TO HELP. SO LEAVE HER ALONE AND LET HER FALL ON HER BUTT FAR ENOUGH TO GET HELP OR END IT. I FEEL SORRY FOR THE KIDS HAVING SUCH A SELFISH SET OF PARENTS. IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY, PROPERTY, PRESTIEGE FOR THEM. THE KIDS JUST WANT LOVE. GROW UP AND GET A REAL LIFE AND SHOW THE WORLD YOU ARE WORTHLY.

Posted at 2:23PM on Jan 7th 2008 by MISCHELLE

88. tired of Britney!

Posted at 2:03PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Britney u suck!

89. "Dr. Phil" sure made more of an idiot out of himself with all this Brit-Brit drama.
He is a TV personality 'so-called dr.'.....what a joke he is !!!!

Posted at 2:05PM on Jan 7th 2008 by Monica

90. She needs to GET OUT of Holly-weird. She's being devoured by these disgusting vultures called Paparazzi and so-called "entertainment" television idiots. Everyone around her wants to make a buck off of her (family, ex-hubby, friends, cousins, bodyguards, etc.). There's going to be nothing left of her. I am not going to watch any more of these shows where they sit there smiling and laughing at this poor woman. TMZ, E!, Showbiz Tonight, Access Hollywood...the list goes on you're ALL guilty. You should ALL be ashamed of yourselves. It's SICK! I couldn't believe my eyes when the pap's were running next to the ambulance carrying her to the hospital and then it was ran over and over on tv. Have none of you any decency?

For once, the people around her need to get the $$ signs out of their eyes (her parents included) and quit enabling this woman to destroy herself. Get her OUT of the media-crazed world of Hollywood before it's too late.

Posted at 2:06PM on Jan 7th 2008 by T

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