Dr. Phil Butts In ... Again

Posted Apr 12th 2008 6:20PM by TMZ Staff

Apparently Dr. Phil didn't learn much from his interference with Britney Spears. Paging Dr. Fame whore.

The talk show host has allegedly posted bond, which was set at $33,000, for one of the eight teens who was arrested for severely beating another teenager in Florida. The highly publicized case has been in the news for over a week now, and Dr. Phil must want some of that action.

A bail bondsman told several local media outlets that Mercades Nichols, who has been widely reported as the alleged "ringleader," had her bond paid by the show's producers. When Nichols left the jail, a man who claimed to be a producer for the Dr. Phil show helped escort Nichols and her mom.

Mercades's grandmother recently told local reporters that she didn't have the money to bail her granddaughter out.

According to reports, the producer then told reporters to leave the jail because the Dr. Phil show had exclusive rights to the delinquent's story. He did not comment on if Dr. Phil had helped pay for her bond.

Recently the judge presiding over the case imposed a strict gag order -- how this move will affect Nichols and her case is unknown for now.

Reps for the Dr. Phil show could not be reached.

Filed under: Celebrity Justice

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(Page 3 of 7)Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

31. no one should be ashmamed. Shame is s atupid, useless emotion. Shove yor shame up yours!

Posted at 7:51PM on Apr 12th 2008 by Ashleigh

32. $30,000 bail - that is $3,000 his company posted for the monster. It appears that his employees did it without his approval - something that I have had happen on more than one occasion - he needs to clean house and get folks to restore confidence in his ability again. His advice is usually right on the money and just because he isn't pandering to John and Jane Doe and your mediocre outlooks on life, well, tough. That his company helped someone out who perhaps deserves to rot in jail for many, many years, is a shame. The girl deserves to go away for a long time. Being Florida, it won't happen, she'll get off with a slap on the wrist. She should be forbidden to be a cheerleader again during her highschool career and perhaps that will have an impact. Oh, and take away her ipod.

Posted at 7:51PM on Apr 12th 2008 by CS

33. I just can't believe Dr. Phil thinks he can copyright news. I hope none of the real news agencies actually left the jail.

Posted at 7:53PM on Apr 12th 2008 by Bueller

34. They need to stay in the big girls jail where they will learn more about real life then doctor dumbass will ever be able to teach them!

Posted at 8:02PM on Apr 12th 2008 by doc hudson

35. the only one making sense here is pepper murray who has first hand experience. everyone else is just playing on the computer and isnt taken seriously.

Posted at 8:04PM on Apr 12th 2008 by lilacs

36. Good Grief TMZ, you are talking like Dr. Phil personally paid the bail. Employees sometimes make bad decisions. They reprimanded the people involved and canceled the show. What else do you expect them to do? Hmmmm I'm sure you're not 'whoring' in your mind, but you do live off other people's misery. Dr. Phil has helped a lot of people through his show, who have you helped except yourselves. As to that OTHER time he got involved BRITNEY'S PARENTS ASKED HIM TO GET INVOLVED! with regard to that comment about Dr. Phil airing 'sensationalism', hmmmm I guess THE PREGNANT MAN on Oprah wasn't sensationalism. It was a woman for goodness sakes, what's so strange about that? If you think she has looked away in Dr. Phil's case ( which isn't any of her business), then she should be looking at herself. How soon people forget.

Posted at 8:11PM on Apr 12th 2008 by jaye

37. 6. Shouldn't he be paying the medical bills of the VICTIM??? Once again, we glorify the preditors and forget the victims.

Posted at 6:29PM on Apr 12th 2008 by KK

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Give him time and I'm sure he will pay the medical bills of the victim so he can try and get her on his show with the attacker. What a freakin slime ball this guy is. I guess this slime ball will never ever learn.

Posted at 8:27PM on Apr 12th 2008 by SugarCookie

38. Okay, let's pretend Dr (cough, cough) Phil had NO idea that his employee paid the bail. That does not matter one whit. Dr (cough, cough) Phil is still responsible for the actions of his employees.

If he can not trust his employees to be decent and honorable, it's because HE selected less than decent and honorable employees in the first place.

The buck is supposed to stop at the desk of the boss. I realize that this is probably a hard to grasp concept for those of you who have never been a boss, will never be a boss and will be lucky to reach the assistant manager position after twenty years at WalMart, but that is how the business world works.

Posted at 8:28PM on Apr 12th 2008 by He needs to go on his own diet

39. dr phil and oprah are "pigs" in a blanket.....they'll do whatever they both can do to reap their fortunes. they won't be going to heaven.....lol

Posted at 8:42PM on Apr 12th 2008 by Les

40. dR.Phil is a total tool.complete money puncher, makes his living from exploiting various window lickers and spud humpers

Posted at 8:47PM on Apr 12th 2008 by Hugh Jardon

41. Dr.Phil show stages a lot of their guests. A radio show out of Philly busted them last year when they had guests on their show that said Dr.Phil producers told them to pretend and fake it on the show. The people were not even real and just pretended to have these problems. I can not believe Oprah pushes that show.

Posted at 9:07PM on Apr 12th 2008 by jack butters

42. Another know it all!

Posted at 9:08PM on Apr 12th 2008 by Jim

43. That stupid B*tc# "Mercades" needs to go ROT in jail. She should be sent back IMMEDIATELY! It think ALL the girls involved need to sit behind bars for a long long time. They are vicious and have no regard for another human being. No judge should have let some stupid producer pay to get any of those white trash inbreeds out of jail. The ugly skank needs to go back and the bond money needs to go towards the VICTIM'S medical bills!!!!

That show should have helped ONLY the innocent victim! WTF????

Posted at 9:22PM on Apr 12th 2008 by Put her BACK IN!

44. what an a$$hole

Posted at 9:28PM on Apr 12th 2008 by i'm not a real doctor either

45. everyone here makes me laugh...first, i only believe half of what i read...who knows the real story. I watch Dr.Phil regularily, and he is by far better than the other talk shows...of course they need ratings and show ideas, but I dont believe he needs to do anything to compromise his image..so, i think everyone needs to keep an open mind when reading "gossip" columns

Posted at 9:31PM on Apr 12th 2008 by watches dr.phil

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