Heh, if her liberal arts design degree makes her as much money as my liberal arts English degree has made me, she'll be dirt poor - but erudite.

The shocker for me was that all three of these families were missing any kind of value system. When I was a kid my mom and a couple of volunteers from other local churches ran a emergency food and clothing bank. From the summer I was six on she forced me to volunteer one afternoon a week stocking cans and handing out groceries at the Love Center. We saw homeless and barely housed folks each week, some with horrible diseases that prevented them from working (and thus prevented me from turning into a mean Republican when I grew up- I'm a big believer in sometimes nessecary welfare), and some who had alcahol and drug problems or abusive spouses. No way would it have occured to me to want a pair of diamond earrings when I was a kid, becuase I knew junkies who couldn't afford their anti-retrovirals and were dying. When I was 16 my mom was going to give me her old car, but gave it to a homeless guy instead, and he LIVED in it. It was an old Duster. He froze to death in it over the winter. I was glad to walk from my warm house to my warm school after that.
What the hell is wrong with these parents who don't raise thier kids in church, don't take them to volunteer, don't expose them to people in need. I'm not saying you have to go to church to raise good kids, but you do have to expose them to values of generosity and honesty somehow, somewhere. Shopping at Loheman's just isn't good enough to instil morality in your kid.

OK, I have been very cynical lately when it comes to Dr. Phil's parade of dysfunction, but have to admit that today's segment with the 18-year-old foster kid made me bawl like a baby. "Am I spoiled?" thirteen-year-old (and his idiot parents)? Get off my TV.

Dr. Phil said:



Please.

Robin is a grown woman, and Dr. Phil thinks he gets to make decisions for her the same way a 13-year-old's parents get to make decisions for the child? Ick. Just? Ick.

I called my mom to dish after the show, and we'd both had the same thought during that segment -- what about all of the celebrities (Billy Joel is a notable example) who have been ripped off by their accountants? If I were rich (ha ha), I'd certainly keep a close eye on the books even if I had professionals doing a lot of the work for me.

They'll be in bankruptcy court every seven years, having the slate wiped clean so they can spend again. (As were our former renters - live and learn.) A one-time crisis bankruptcy has its place; these folks are the type that says, "I like these things, and I if I run out of money, I'll just file bankruptcy."




We can only hope. And can't you just see Dr. Phil's face?!

Sure I can! Smug and Bald.

The whole time I wondered where "everything short of jail" daddy was while Mom was taking all the hits. I also waited (in vain, of course) for Phil to ask where the college fund was while they were working 2 jobs and refinancing the house to buy that brat all that stuff. We did have one meeting of the minds moment: when Dr. Phil said (paraphrase) "if she expected me to buy her all that stuff, I wouldn't say no, I'd say HELL NO." My sentiments exactly.

The whole buy her everything until her husband comes along bordered on the ridiculous. I would have been interested in hearing if the other kids were that spoiled. I don't think the son was though, I remember hearing him make some incredulous "You're nuts" statement when the sister said the car was "only 28,000."

WORD to the infinite power, times twenty.

Rich people, more than anybody, need to remain on top of their finances. The more money there is, the more opportunity for it to magically disappear, be it through theft or mismanagment or stupidity.

A couple of posts back, upthread a bit, I sang a couple of bars of a well-known 80s song by one of the most successful bands of that era. Always a favorite of mine. Well, it just so happens that I am loosely associated with two of the original band members. One of them related to me that millions...MILLIONS...of dollars of their royalties and other earnings were pissed away due to mismanagement by accountants. One day the money was there, and the next day, it was gone. The band was so busy, they didn't really have the time to think about it. They appointed their manager to look into it. Not a good move, suffice it to say.



That's because the borokat family has some class, style, and taste. I love to decorate, as well. I'd much rather have my walls covered with inexpensive mementos of my travels with mr. maggie, rather than overpriced nouveau riche crap from Roche Bobois. Now, don't get me wrong, I love those types of stores, but I have seen people get a little carried away in them. I want to scream, "Find your own style and your own taste! Don't have it dictated to you!"

Audrey Hepburn, one of the most graceful and classy women to have ever graced our planet, would always bring mementoes from home with which to decorate her hotel rooms. She hated the fact that hotel owners would go to one store and buy an entire suite of furniture. She always redecorated herself, and always tried to patronize smaller hotels where the surroundings would be less institutional. (I stayed in one, in Barcelona: the Hotel Colon. Each room was absolutely unique, and beautifully decorated with original pieces.)

All of those people on Monday's episode may have plenty of money, but they sure are lacking in class. A truly classy person shines for what's within, not the amount of "bling" (HATE that term) they have on their person.

OT:
Everyone, thanks for your thoughts and prayers for my baby brother. I have passed them along to him, and he thanks you too, both on his behalf, and on behalf of the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

Question number one: are ANY teenagers EVER realistic? Dr. Phil set those girls up to knock them down -- especially the girl who wanted to be the fashion designer. She's young, she's stupid, she's living in a fantasy world, but what kid doesn't? The parents were certainly wrong to pander to the kids like they obviously were, but I don't think we can blame the kids (teens are infamous for pushing parents as far as they possibly can!). I mean, I thought I was going to be the next Debbie Gibson when I was 12, and I figured things out on my own, without the dubious benefit of a Dr. Phil to yell at me. I had firm parents, and I gradually came to a more realistic view of the world -- in other words, I grew up. Teenagers aren't grown-ups, though, and it's wrong for Dr. Phil to expect them to be.

Question number two: why were all these 'problematically-materialistic' kids of the female persuasion? Dr. Phil sells a gender ideology that DRIVES ME MAD.

Question number three: so why can't I stop watching?!?

Debbie Gibson...BWAH! Actually, I won't laugh. My husband has a crush on her to this day. He always says "You know what I miss most about the 80s? Pretty girls."

Moving right along...

I agree with you to some extent, and believe me, I am more infuriated with the parents here than the teens. The girls were just dreaming teenaged girl dreams for the most part...but the parents were enabling them to live in la-la land by buying the little darlings everything to buy into that fantasy. I am totally not contradicting your point. When I was 12 and 13, it was my goal in life to marry Simon LeBon and be one of the Go-Go's. My mom and dad didn't run right out to get me breast implants and a Fender Stratocaster, though.

Here's a question for you, Toasty, and for everyone else on the forum: did you get the feeling that these parents were not interested in getting help for themselves or for their kids...at all? That the whole thing was being portrayed in a humorous "Kids...what are you gonna do with them?" light by the clueless parents? I especially got that from the mother of the 11 year old monster who shops designer (were I a shop owner, her spoiled princess ass would have been kicked out). The mother sounded like she was about to burst out laughing when she "admonished" the little cretin about the earrings...mock reproachment, at best, instead of real concern at what a little Veruca Salt she has living under her roof.

Bwwahhh! That's the point, though, these girls are not able to differentiate between their fantasies and daydreams vs. reality/realistic goals because their parents aren't teaching them that they can't have everything they want given to them. The girl who said she was going to be a designer seemed much more into the being rich than being a designer part.

And yeah, it did seem that the parents didn't really want answers on how to stop their daughters' greedy princess ways. Of course, stopping their daughters' greedy princess ways is pretty simple - and DP did nail that, tell them no and don't buy them the stuff.

So right, Maggiegault. I think it was all about being on TV and letting the whole world know, "I'm so rich and fabulous that even my kids know the difference between designer and knock-off and none of us will settle for anything but the very best!" Sort of a modern day "Princess and the Pea" story proving worth by how demanding and "high-maintenance" you are. I noticed Dr Phil used the "high-maintenance' term in a complimentary way to one of the girls. Way to go doc, we need a whole bunch more girls who think it's adorable to be a pain in the neck in restaurants.

Edited to add: Did you guys hear Robin say she didn't mind what the tabloids said about her - only that one of them made her hair look short? What a maroon. -I can say that without guilt now, knowing that if she ever reads this board all she'll care about is our snipes about her appearance. We all hate your leapord skin shoes, Robin!

Toasty, I hope you caught today's show with the spoiled-rotten BOY. In fact, his older sister was the one who was complaining about how his parents indulged him. The mom even bought the model car she did because the kid had seen it in "The Fast and the Furious" -- and she lets him drive it! I was amazed that DP didn't call her out on that one.

Gotta admit that the segment about the foster care kid got me all weepy, though. For once the DP Big Prize Package O'Stuff seemed totally deserved. Ditto the cancer kid, though I sort of question the wisdom of letting an 8-year-old watch DP... at least his mom watches with him, so they can discuss it afterward. "See, you do NOT want to marry a woman like Stacy..."

Word infinity! Made it through 15 foster homes-amazing. Hope DP will have a few more shows with foster kids on them-take some of the focus of the people who need to lose weight, and focus on another group for a minute. The little boy with leukemia had a sweet laugh, and was so excited about his camera!

That's it, Dr. Phil. No more parents on your show who have spoiled brats on their hands, but don't think it's a problem and don't intend to do anything about it! Did you hear the mom of the spoiled boy? When Dr. Phil accused her of letting him pick out the car? "Well, I couldn't find a Mercedes I wanted..." Lady! You're NOT FUNNY! You're NOT CUTE! Rather, you are a BIG PILE OF STUPID and we're all laughing at you! It's a shame, too, because that kid was cute and well-spoken. Too bad he's on his way to being a first-class asshole.

Me too. Stood right in front of the tv and cried. I'm glad this kid got some goodies. Dr. Phil needs to do more shows like this.

If I was the parent of the spoiled boy, I would have been ashamed of myself and my son. Then I would have gone home and stripped down the kid's room (great idea). It would be a cold day in August before the kid opened his mouth about what he 'wanted' again. He'd be so busy doing chores, volunteer work, and homework, he wouldn't have time to want anything until he was ready for college.

Thought I'd seen the most spoiled kids/wacko parents in the world til I saw "Stage Moms and Dads". Nothing on Phil's show can be worse than this one bitch and her pushover Mom.

Phil probably wanted to say these things (and by the look on his face he was surely thinking it) but he's smart enough that he's not actually going to think this out loud and open himself up to a lawsuit.

Paris et al are famous merely for being famous and I agree, it's pathetic that anyone would emulate shallowness and egomania, but aside from being born with the silver spoon, she does make her own living through modelling and acting (Zoolander, Raising Helen, Nine Lives, Wonderland, Cat in the Hat, etc.). I'm not saying she's Oscar material, but Phil couldn't -- and wouldn't -- say what you're suggesting. Off camera to the girl, maybe...but never on air.

I think he actually did address the issue of self-esteem. He said that when people restrict their definition of self-worth to shallow and materialistic standards they don't leave any room for inner character to develop.

I'm sure that the 15 minutes or so we see him interact with each guest isn't the entire conversation he has with them, that he has the freedom to speak his mind more openly behind the scenes and say things to get the point across more bluntly.

Totally agree, Marillion. One of the best examples I can think of is David Peltzer, who's been on Oprah before. He wrote a triology of his horrific childhood and life in foster care, it began with the book A Child Called "It". I've read books that have made me cry before, but this one had me bawling. Peltzer is an amazing inspiration to anyone who's suffered abuse and been through foster care. Hell, the fact this guy is alive is an miracle.

Okay, I admit, I too cried a little at the boy who was in foster care. Loved that they brought that actress person (who I have never heard of) on to meet him. While is is nice he got free stuff, though, I kept waiting for a scholarship. Law school is expensive. Heck, undergrad is expensive. He's got admission, now all he needs is a scholarship. I think that would have been much more helpful to him than a trip to Europe. And actress-lady's whole "I hope America will join us" what does that mean? She wants America to send this kid money?

Oh, and the upcoming shows preview----did you all see that one? It is just what you have been waiting for---another long-ass series to follow! Because TWO Dr Phil families and the weight loss people are not taking up enough time! This new one looks to be some kind of weight loss challenge-type setup but for married people. They had chairs in a circle and books and things. Some kind of Relationship Rescue Bootcamp thing. I think I heard six couples, but I might be wrong about that. But still---aren't there enoguh sagas going on right now? COuld this not have waited until next year when these boring weight loss people were gone?

Wordy McWord on the scholarship thing. Please note that DrShill offered no money to help w/the kids education...

But the fosterkid story made me ask yet again: has DrShill EVER done a show with an "out" gay person or in any other way directly addressed gay stuff? (I'm surely jumping to all kinds of conclusions but it seemed to me that this kid might be a posterchild for the challenges of queer kids in the foster system just as some of his bullyshows seem to have danced right around the ways kids target kids who are a bit sissy or a bit butch). So, I ask y'all? Have I missed it?

Well, there was the show with the married mom who was in love with her gay best friend and was sure she could "turn him around." At least DP had the sense to tell her that she wasn't gonna change him...

masked_spangler, the actress said that the foster kid would be getting a $2500 scholarship from her foundation. I would imagine he'll probably be getting a hefty financial aid package from Cal State-Bakersfield. If anyone can claim "need," he can. A lot of college costs are determined by what your parents earn, and since this kid is basically an orphan, I suspect he'll be getting a LOT of help -- especially considering his test scores. I really, really hope DP has him back someday on a follow-up show; I'd love to hear about his trip to Europe!

I don't know the rules everywhere but in a lot of states, the state will foot the bill for college for kids who were in foster care when they turned 18 up to age 21 as long as they maintain a certain grade point average. In some cases they will even go up to age 24. That's not all either, they will even help pay for housing, books, tranportation and all that other stuff that comes up during school. Considering the screw job the system can do to young kids while they are in foster care it seems only fitting that it gives them sch a nice helping hand when they are older if they are willing to try to get an education.

I watched that show in horror last night and I thought to myself- "Now that is one FUF"!

I just wanted to reach through my TV, slap the Mom, strangle that ungrateful effin ho-skank teen "actress", and take the little sister home and lavish her with attention and homemade sandwiches.

And don't get me started on those other families. They are all candidates for DP and his FUF parade.

ETA
maggiegault- Our Best Man from our wedding has been over there since last summer. My heart goes out to you for your brother, and I look forward to when they all safely return home.

Come join us in the thread for the show! (under Candid Reality)

When Robin said she didn't read negative articles about DP because it's Just Not True™, I pictured her sticking her fingers in her ears and singing "la la la la" while various TWoPers recited from the Smoking Gun.

I guess since Dr. Phil won't "let" Robin walk a quarter mile to the 7-11, she can't go down there and buy all the magazines that might have negative things to say about Dr/Mrs Shil. Awwwwwwwww.

I just got caught up from last week and was shocked disgusted at Dr. Phil's handling of FUF #2.

Exactly, why was it Dr. Phil couldn't just be nice, sweet, and respectful towards Stacy until she had cried and grovelled at his feet after he humiliated her and threatened to can the entire family? Yeah, yeah, sure, she needed to be nicer to him and his staff but all the sweet and supportive shit he was tossing on her she could have REALLY used at the beginning.

And what is with this bullshit he's spouting that one should automatically respect authority (Read: His!)? What if the authority is stupid or corrupt or demands subservient behavior from all women like you Dr. Phil you tiny-dicked sexist pig! This man has a terrible need to dominate women with any brains or self-esteem and who will call him on his bullshit.

Not that it matters, because Stacy has learned to play him, all she has to do now is turn on the water-works, break down into vulnerability, make sure not to be assertive, rude, or a bitch, and sob about how she can't trust anyone and Dr. Phil will let things much everything slide and tell her how wonderful she is and what a survivor she is.

This man is horrible to any woman of strength.

Glad to see you're back, Professor Soap.

I sometimes wonder if DP picked Stacy because he knew that while she's a strong woman who wouldn't automatically cater to his whims, she's also a skank that no-one really supports. It's like he wanted to pick someone the audience would despise so they wouldn't want to emulate her DP-fighting behavior.

He doesn't seem to center his domination only on women, he's pretty horrible and degrading to any man that disagrees with him too. IIRC one of the financial crisis couples, he went all berzerk on the guys ass becuase the guy didn't kneel and do pennance at DPs altar. Egomania knows no gender.

My favorite moment of the Ask DP and Robot show, btw, was when DP sniped at the woman who let her son pick her car becuase she couldn't find a Mercedes that she liked. DP said, "hmmm, wonder where he learned the spoiled behavior from?", then asked the child with lukemia to tool around in DP's forumla one Ferrari. Hypocritical much?

I'm reminded of Zig Zigler once saying that his wife never had to touch a car door handle. Then he went on to say that she was perfectly capable of opening her own door -- would probably be written up in the paper with her outstanding door-opening skills -- but that out of respect for her, he opened her door whenever they were together. He came off as endearing.

It's possible that DP meant the same thing, but it comes off so badly from him: "won't let". And right, like there's a 7-11 within milessssss of their McMansion. He comes off as an overbearing asshat.


(Sorry if I'm late with the wishes for your brother in the middle east....I do hope that he's okay and more importantly, he's home soon.)

That's probably what he meant, but he did (and does, at least IMHO) come across as an overbearing asshat most of the time.

Maybe Dr. Phil's philosophy is "Do as I say -- not as I do." (snark, snark)

here is my big dilemna in suspension of disbelief this week as it related to the Dr Shill Show...

On the episode w/ the spoiled kid who picked out Mom's car, wanted to run away because he didn't get everything he wanted or his way all the time...

Okay- Dr Phil first establishes that THINGS are not important- it's the people in our lives that are and the process of earning what is our own.

Then he trots out the foster kid who is depressed because he has no one in his life & is afraid to trust. So what does Dr Shill do? Give him things. Granted some of the "things" he is given is opportunity- like the trip to Europe & the confirmation of his college admittance. Something felt very awkward about the episode.

For me, that's every episode, anymore. This show has really turned to shit, frankly. It's all disjointed and disorganized, and what's with the gifts? Isn't the benefit of Shill's advice supposed to be the gift guests walk away with?

Soap, we missed you.

Oh gods... I'd forgotten what an asshat Marty is. Must've bumped my head or something.

I wonder how long DP will continue either FUF since both families aren't improving.

Oh, and tap dance mom from yesterday's show is just plain nuts. She spends more on tap than I make a month. I hope her kids enjoy living out of a car.

My hatred for Marty, Erin, et al has turned into pity.

These people are so clearly fucked up that I just can't bring myself to dislike them anymore. I simply hope that they can pull it together for Nathan, even though I know that they won't. Alexandra will have four more kids before she turns 20 and Katherine will OD on coke before her 19th birthday and everyone will have to pretend that it's such a tragedy.

Erin can still take her Mexican soap opera ass to hell, however.

Yeah, Marty really showed his ass today, although I wonder if he is really as awful as Alex and Katherine say or if they were ambushing him on TV to get sympathy, and make Marty look like the big bad guy, all the while pretending to be innocent. Or option #3- that they are just being typical teens and taking everything he does and say that does not cater to them and blowing it out of proportion.

I do believe totally that everything has been an act for him since they started this whole charade. But Erin, jeez, LEAVE HIM! I am so tired or hearing her bitch and moan- do it or shut up! Sometimes it seems like the three women tag team him and blame ALL the problems on Marty, when Erin can step up herself and accept a huge helping of responsibility.

That poor baby. Nothing has been resolved with this family, in fact, they might be even more fucked up than when they started. Thanks, Dr. Phil!

Exactly. It's no longer fun watching them.

I totally think that Alex and Katherine are exaggerating -- they are teenagers, after all. On the other hand, I also totally believe that they are afraid. Fear was pouring off them.

What struck me most was how Marty thinks that the only thing in life to be afraid of is being hit or beaten. He said something like "I don't see why she is afraid: I don't HIT her!!!"

So I look at him and I completely believe that he engages in intimidation and emotional abuse. And that means that, regardless of how his daughters are exaggerating, or how they are not being "fair", he has a mighty high hill to climb. Emotional abuse and intimidation are wrong, and he needs to Cut It Out Right Now.

Meanwhile, the way Erin talks about divorce sort of skeeves me. She needs to shield those kids from that topic of conversation. They are too young to understand its nuances, and the constant open discussion of whether she will stay or go has got to be adding to the unsafe feeling of their home.

I pity all three kids. Erin and Marty, not so much.

Thanks for the welcome back, guys, I've been working on Draft 10 of my thesis and my daytime pursuits had to be suspended for a couple weeks.

It feels like Dr. Phil -- who grew up poor and should therefore know better -- is now falling into the same trap many wealthy folk do where they:

1) Blame all poor people for their poverty, as if it's all because of rampant spending and poor fiscal management, and is never about being sadded with debt from just the basics, being professionally underdeveloped, having severe wage disparity, not having a double income, and having too many children. Like that time Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren (Whose book is actually quite good so I dunno why she was so dumb!) was grilling Stacy on where all her excess student loan money went. I was like... um... she was probably was using it to take care of herself, her Baby-Husband, and her family with it because she married a Sweet No-Account and she didn't set herself up professionally and financially -- or start out with Family Money -- before having children at 40 like you, you bitch! Give her a break!

2) Yell at them for not having a Gratitude Attitude (Which like The Disease To Please is yet another of sanctimonious Oprah's sanctimonious terms that I can sanctimoniously dismiss as being idiotic and can live without!)

3) Lecture the poor on how things and money don't really matter, as Robin walks in with purchased goods so plentiful they must be carried by 10 castrati man-servants, and where Robin & Phil then drop them off at the Welfare Office/Homeless Shelter in their stretch Hummer Limo as they head out of town for a 5 day weekend in a 10G a night Presidential Suite at a special Tahoe Resort where Robin gets Botox and Spring Water Enemas.

Does it bother anyone else how Dr. Phil insists on being loved and worshipped?

He plays humble but he wants people on their knees, tearful, and waving their hands up towards his "divine" light.

What's also interesting is how the women usually get what they want -- after submitting to the men -- who in turn must first submit to Dr. Phil -- who then proves how "wonderful" and "generous" he is by paying (with the proceeds obtained from the show's advertisers) for whatever they need.

It's like when Oprah sends in her teams to make-over people's houses with whatever they need or want and then basks in the glory of her worshippers for her divine benificence.

*Yeah, Marty really showed his ass today, although I wonder if he is really as awful as Alex and Katherine say or if they were ambushing him on TV to get sympathy, and make Marty look like the big bad guy, all the while pretending to be innocent. Or option #3- that they are just being typical teens and taking everything he does and say that does not cater to them and blowing it out of proportion.

I do believe totally that everything has been an act for him since they started this whole charade. But Erin, jeez, LEAVE HIM! I am so tired or hearing her bitch and moan- do it or shut up! Sometimes it seems like the three women tag team him and blame ALL the problems on Marty, when Erin can step up herself and accept a huge helping of responsibility.

That poor baby. Nothing has been resolved with this family, in fact, they might be even more fucked up than when they started. Thanks, Dr. Phil!*

I don't think those girls were lying at all. You can tell that Marty's one of those guys who are emotionally distant and coldhearted. I feel sorry for them because Erin's too stupid to leave this man for her sake and that of her girls and grandson.
Marty's a lost cause and needs to be left alone. Men like him don't change and I think that Erin's trying to change him. And, as a result of that, she's making her kids live through unnecessary drama.
Dr. Phil is wasting his time on this fool. He obviously doesn't want help and instead would make the people who try to love him suffer greatly. Marty's not worth the trouble. His family should leave him as soon as possible. It just seems he wants to be by himself anyway.

That's what I keep coming back to, too, Corbin. Is it just me or is he one of the most beautiful babies of all time? Wasted on the FUF who are all too wrapped up in themselves to have noticed.

Now. I know that there's a definite connection between promiscuity in girls and bad dads but every time Dr. P starts in on how if Alex sleeps with a boy again it's all going to be because Marty isn't "plugged into her" enough I just have to doubt that a little. Are we all forgetting something? Like that sex feels good. I really think that, at this point in her spoiled little life, Alex could have the most devoted father in the whole world and still want to sleep with cute boys.

I think the reason he won't let her walk to the 7-11 is because he's afraid the exercise would cause the staples in her skull from her latest face lift to pop out.

I watched most of the show today and was horrified at Shill screaming and I mean button busting, hernia producing screaming at Marty. Then the attack by the girls was over the top, way over. In fact, disrespectfully over the top!

How in hell can he go home to be the father he's supposed to be when not only did Shill rake him over but the only other people in his life also skewered and barbequed him over hot coals?

Prior to today, I had no sympathy for Marty. But what I saw today and what I remembered from his past, the beatings, no father figure, a lousy mother, was overkill and just too much to bear. Those nasty little girls are opportunistic scorpions. And that bitch Alex was attacking him because "I'm a teenager" and I want to date whine whine whine.

These people need one on one pschotherapy to survive this.

Had I been Marty today, I would have told all of them to kiss my ass and find their own way home.

They're all a bunch of assholes. Every single one of them. Marty and Erin should not only be ashamed of themselves for the environment they've created for their children, but also because they perpetuate this notion that drama is good. I swear they all get off on yelling and crying and whining at each other, yet never ever make any progress. They like the drama, plain and simple, that's the reason nothings getting better. DP is an asshole for letting them famewhore themselves out there and hurting little Nathan when he knows nothings being fixed here.

Marty is a sleaze. He honestly thinks he has to physically hurt someone for them to be hurt, that is his big issue. He doesn't understand anything else. He's like a 14 year old boy in a middle aged man's body. It's very creepy.

And Katherine strangely resembles a lizard.

What I didn't understand was why Alex is upset that her dad doesn't want to hear about her dates and attractions to boys. Hello! Most dads don't want to hear about their daughter's trampy ways.


How come both of the men from the various FUFs take forever to spit out a sentence. Marty sits there speechless and Chris stutters.

TREMENDOUSLY so, Soap. And I think --deep down in the core of his being --that he thinks that all this time he's spent with the FUFs is going to make a difference just because he's the great and powerful Shill. His Self Matters book was good, it probably made a difference in peoples' lives. His old guest appearances on Oprah were good, he made for great TV. But somewhere along the line he started believing his own press and all the star-struck fans that tell him how he's "rescued" them.

I'm guessing that when he's had enough of the FUFs, he'll declare victory and leave the field of battle. He'll find something that has changed, play up all the little minute changes and say "you're healed, hallelujah. Goodbye!".

And nothing really will have changed. And the camera lights will be turned off. And Erin and Marty will continue to torment one another because they don't know any other way to behave. And Alex will marry some snot-nosed hardbody local boy and have a couple more kids that she doesn't have a clue how to raise. And Katherine will become yet another Florida real estate agent. The American weight problem will not be solved. Brianne will follow in her mother's footsteps and become a manipulative bitch, without a singing career. And Stacey will skank herself into an early grave.

Anyone watching Jay Leno right now with Courtney Love as his guest? She just said she lives in Dr. Phil's house. WTF?

I'm watching the Oprah late rerun but ONLY because Chris Rock is on. My face hurts from laughing!!

I think Erin has made real progress. Her concern for the girls was palpable, and they seemed to respond to her. Marty though just does not get it at all. Wow. I have never seen anyone get it less. And sadly? I think that today, for me, this show served the purpose Dr. Phil wanted it to fill i.e. this whole take what you see them do and apply it to your own life business. My own dad and I have clashed on some different but equally important things, and I think I had held on to this idea that if only I could find the right words to express what I felt, I could somehow make him understand and be sorry. But seeing Marty today gett he dots laid out for him so clearly and still fail to get it---kinda drove him that maybe for some people, on some things, they just never WILL get it. And there is absolutely nothing you can say that will make them get it. I fully believe that now after seeing the Marty trainwreck today. That Marty will just never---ever---get it. And my dad probably never will either. So I just need to accept that and go from there :-) And Erin eeds to divorce Marty and take those children away from him.