I'm watching 20/20 tonight - they're doing a whole show on nepotism in business, TV, any industry, is it fair for folks to benefit from what their parent did, etc.

Anyway, they had a clip of Deborah Roberts interviewing Dr. Phil about "Jay riding his coat-tails to success" --- WHOA!!! You talk about an icy stare and reaction, I think we were at the Artic Circle for a few moments. Dr. Phil says "so?" to her question about Jay 'riding his coattails' and then Deborah follows up with another question about Jay benefitting from Dr. Phil's success, is it fair, etc. and he then says "And your point is?" -- with enough ice in his voice to freeze hell over for a long time.

Guess it ain't so fun to have tough questions asked when you're on the receiving end of 'em, is it Dr. Phil?!! (not that I'm surprised at all).

IMO, Dr. Phil has gotten such a big head (saw him on Leno the other night and does he think he's a star now or WHAT -- and boy, DP has put on quite a tire around the middle, looks like he needs to follow his own diet advice, LOL), I can barely watch his show anymore. Wonder if Oprah so adores him anymore...

Oh. lordy. That guy is a choked-by-the-apron-strings asswipe! That poor daughter in law needs to run for the hills and leave the Stepford Family behind.

Backseat Driver Woman needs to quit it. Now. If she's that bothered by his driving, she needs to get her own car.

All kinds of word to that, borokat. I do not believe that those two had children together so I don't know what was making her stay. The guy can't be that good in bed. Believe me, I believe in working at a marriage and all that, but there's a point where all you're doing is beating your head against a brick wall .. and the brick wall's mother, in this case.

I agree that it seemed like we weren't really getting the whole story. People were saying contridictory things and who knows what was the actual truth, but I didn't hear one thing the mother did that was that out of line. If the boy came home with some funky haircut that she didn't like and she evened it out, even into a buzz cut, before he started back to school, I think that's her business and her choice. Maybe she was afraid to have him go to school looking weird or whatever. That could be seen as being a GOOD mom. So, whatever to those people. Run, woman, run.

And you know, I like to swear myself, but I was sort of shocked at all the language these 'family members' threw around at each other.

I know what you mean, LisaLyn27. I'm a foul-mouthed woman at times, but I would never call a family member a bitch.

Word to all you said, complicated girl. When will they start teaching responsibility and pre-planning to kids?

And Bibibella, thanks so much for the 20/20 info! Whoa! I am so happy and still shocked that someone actually confronted DrShil about dragging his son along for the ride. I love it! I love that Deborah asked him--and she's good and she's married to Al Roker so they are a power couple in tv!
I love that he did not answer! Can't take his own medicine.

I love that DrPhil got pulled up by the shorthairs!

That maybe now he will realize that he is not that big a deal in tv land.

That his "help" is waning, esp. with the FUF family and others. I watched another show of his for advice and he did not give any except yelling at the people--the expert in the audience did the real info.

That people are sick of DrShil already. And not just us viewers.

He hasn't joined the community of protected tv people --like Barbara Walters--of whom othr tv people protect from direct questions or criticism.

You haven't made it yet, DP. And if Oprah has watched, she is backing away from the crash that's coming too.

Tosia, word to all you wrote. I loved (but was kinda shocked too, but still glad) that Deborah Roberts asked him the tough questions, even though she got a glacier avalanche in return from DP...boy, he really can't take it, can he?!! And you're right - he's not part of the TV crowd that is 'protected' by their own. I'm sure loads of TV folks would love to see DP fall on his ass faster than you can say 'boo'.

I've decided that he's sooo sold out to Hollywood that now he's nothing more than a bully - he can dish it out but sure can't take it. Watching him preen and act like a movie star on Jay Leno this past week just further confirmed his huge ego.

Boy, Dr. Phil, it was nice knowing ya when you were still 'keeping it real' (in the Oprah days)...but how fall you've fallen now...

That's the bottom line Complicatedgirl. Nobody's out to pin scarlet letters on the young mothers, but if shows like this continue to place all the blame on the boy/man and deny the fact that the girl has also been terribly irresponsible - then who will defend the truly innocent babies who will be living a disadvantaged life from day one?

Maybe it's coming. From the previews for the next FUF show, it looked like DP was at least going to ask Alex if she was using birth control now that she's dating again. I sure hope so.


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The 20/20 info - thanks Bibibella! Wow. Sounds like Phil had better learn to talk that diplomatic TV talk a little bit. - Next time he's tempted to snap at a nice reporter like Deborah, he better pull out that red piece of cardboard that say's "Stop," 'cause that dog wont hunt!

She is dating again? How old is this girl, 15? And she just had a baby. Maybe I am naive but the last thing on my mind- at 15, with a newborn and trying to get thru high school- would be getting back into the social scene! At least just a few months after having the baby. Hell, at 26 and 6 months pregnant right now- the very LAST thing that I am concerned about is going out and partying! Of course, I am married, and like to think I possess a lick of sense- but is it really necessary for this girl to date? Do these idiot brain parents have ANY rules for their daughters? It seems more and more clear that they just let them do whatever the hell they want, and Dr. Phil is making zero progress. WHat do you want to bet that he drops them like yesterday's news for this new FUF?

Total word to that borokat! Why is she even looking at another boy yet?! My sister in law has a 5 month old baby and she has time to do basically nothing. It makes absolutely no sense to me. I'm convinced all of these people were dropped on their heads as babies.

A lot of girls are using sex to excape from a bad home situation. They are using sex to self-medicate just like drug users do. A lot of these same girls get caught up in the "good girl" myth that a "good girl" doesn't use birth control so even if she's having sex as long as it isn't "planned" she's still a "good girl." A lot of these girls are using sex to feel anything but they pain they experience in their lives and they are only thinking of blotting out that pain and not the consequences of the action. That's why the argument that when you consent to have sex you consent to having a baby in the abortion wars arguments doesn't hold any weight with me. This is also why I think comprehensive sex education is important so that issues like "why do people have sex?" can be discussed and hopefully some of these unintended, unwanted pregnancies can be prevented.


I also cannot believe the 15 year old is being allowed to date. How stupid is that? I'll bet you anything she's not using birth control and I hope Dr. Phil busts her chops on it.

I very rarely watch Dr. Phil; I'm usually at work or on the way home from work. However, lately I've been going to the gym straight from work and have been seeing it there.

Has anyone ever seen the Simpsons episode where Marge and Homer go to Rev. Lovejoy's marriage counseling retreat, and Rev. tells Marge it's all Homer's fault? That's how I felt watching the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. It was all the MIL's fault. The DIL needs to divorce that wimp she calls a husband. He couldn't stand up to his father calling his wife a "fucking crazy bitch?" He leaves her to make sure she does what he says? The MIL accused the DIL of emotional abuse; she needed to look to her son, her husband, and herself. Leaving to keep your wife in line is textbook emotional abuse. Kids NEED rules, or they wind up like that husband. DIL needs to look him in the eye and say, "I'm filing for divorce because your parents raised a weak, spineless coward, and I don't want my children to grow up like you." I was raised to respect my elders, but the in-laws need a good shaking.

I didn't see the end; was anything resolved?

By the way, I can't stand Jay. He seems smarmy, and he's, what, 24? That's a year older than I am, and I know my psych BA doesn't qualify me as an expert on anything. Does he have any qualifications? Dr. Phil may be smarmy, but he is a doctor. There should be no question, however, that Jay rode his dad's coattails to the "top," and both he and Dr. Phil should just acknowledge that.

Edited to add, was the husband divorced? They were a blended family, right? I wonder if the in-laws broke up the first marriage?

A few days ago, there was a follow-up on a guest -- the woman who was upset because her husband didn't make enough money to keep her in designer clothes. She had actually read the message boards after the show which, not surprisingly, were uniformly negative, calling her a spoiled brat, etc. Both she and her husband asserted that she had changed her ways due to their appearance on the show. So it does happen once in a while...but I'm NOT hopeful about the evil m-i-l. The audience was obviously totally against her but she never lost her superior little smirk.



Mr. loudfan and I were wondering the same thing, Empress1. This is one case where the second wife would probably have benefited from having a little pre-wedding chat with Wife #1!

I wanted much more of a smackdown on those white-haired assholes who are making that lovely wife's life so miserable. Typical of the new Dr. Phil: he soft-shoed them. Oh, sure, his voice was raised every now and then, but those in-laws' behavior was so over-the-top outrageous, they not only deserved screaming, but a good shaking.

Mr. CG and I were watching, and our comment about the mother was, "She seems like a great mom. Look, she establishes rules and boundaries." The in-laws have absolutely no business passing judgment on that woman, much less calling her names. Here's something that I considered during the segment that DP did not: if they love their precious grandson so much, why haven't they considered how their behavior is affecting him? Children are very perceptive.

As for the husband, let me say this: wife, if you are reading this, take our advice and GET OUT. He is a total wimp, a total mama's boy, and a total ass for ever taking his mother's side over his wife's. You know what? The minute he slipped that ring on his wife's finger, his allegiances changed...no ifs, ands, or buts! And as for the episodes of "leaving her" as a means of controlling her behavior, WORD to whoever said he would come home to changed locks. Locksmiths can provide same-day service, and his ass would have to move back in with mommy and daddy. Oh, and did I forget to mention that I would have him served with divorce papers at his parents' house?

That mother in law...you could tell that she learned nothing, she has no desire to change, and quite frankly, she has no incentive to change. The son is going to continue choosing her over his wife, and the jackass father in law is such a lowlife that he trash-talks his son's wife. Guess how many times Mr. CG would allow someone to refer to his wife as a "F***ing Crazy Bitch?" Yeah, you're right. That many times.

Coupla things:

Anyone else bothered by the fact that Dr. Phil thinks "expectancy" is a synonym for "expectation?" From what I understand, expectation means the act of expecting, and expectancy means a period in which one expects. Two different words with different meanings, are they not?

My theory on why Dr. Phil brings his family members on the show is that he knows anyone who comes on his show regularly is going to get famous and he doesn't want to make a star out of anyone he can't control.

Also, I had a little more sympathy for the buttinsky in-laws than most did. I have a sister-in-law who has nothing but rules for her kids, and she really is a miserable mom. Her rules are often capricious and harsh. We keep out of it, but it's hard to see the kids raised with so little logic, warmth and compassion.

Yeah, but I didn't see any indication that that was the way these kids were being raised. I saw basic house rules. Pick up after yourself, eat, I'm not a short-order cook. My mother said that all the time. She'd make some concessions (e.g., my brother is allergic to seafood but the rest of us love it, so she'd make him something else if she was planning to serve it that night), but by and large, she expected us to eat what was put in front of us. If we didn't, that was our right, but she wasn't going to fix anything else. And there were only two kids in my family; there were, what, four in this one? Who has time to make four individual meals every night?

Also, it's not like they were babies. I think there was a little girl who was around 3, and I bet she didn't have to do much in the way of chores. The others were elementary-aged, and one was old enough to play football, which is certainly old enough to help out.

Maybe there's stuff we weren't shown, but my impression was that the husband had been reared with no rules or boundaries whatsoever, and the in-laws couldn't handle seeing kids being RAISED. Good parents are just that: parents, not friends. If their offspring is any indication, the ILs were terrible parents.

Actually, I wasn't commenting on whether I thought the DIL was a good or bad mother, only that if she is, I know how hard it is to sit back and watch while young children are being treated unfairly and to say nothing. My gut is that the DIL isn't that great a mother, and that the son/husband went from being raised by controlling witch to marrying one. But I don't think enough evidence was offered to make a case either way.

Well, the frustrating thing about the show was that there weren't any concrete examples given from the inlaws about exactly what was so wrong with the DIL. What they showed on the tape, to me, was a valid, normal parenting choice. Not the choices maybe everybody makes, but a long way from abusive.

Also, I wouldn't give the husband/dad/son a pass. He's a big boy and regardless of how manipulative the women in his life might be, he should be able to make his own decisions by now. Also, I think the FIL was a big problem, too, and he just got to sit in the audience with the son and act like they were separate from the problem. So, I'm not sure why the show decided to focus on the women and let the men act like they weren't so involved. They were every bit as much a part of it as the women.

The thing that set me off about the inlaws was how they were laughing at the beginning. Nothing funny about that situation from any perspective. Nothing.

I agree with all of you that the MIL in this case gave herself away as a gigantic harpy from the start with her smirking and sneering over what should have been a very serious and sad issue in the family.

However, I know what Portraitist is talking about, too. Unfortunately there really are a few mothers who use the benign "rules and boundaries" label to cover some really cruel controling behavior. We used to visit a fellow Air Force friend of my husband's, whose second wife (also Air Force) treated his five year old boy like her personal toy soldier. He couldn't take a sip of milk at the table without her permission, he had chores like cleaning the bathrooms that were beyond his capabilities, endless little rules like never entering the living room in socks only- there must be slippers, no sitting on the furniture, on and on and on. She seemed to delight in showing off her mastery by calling him on every tiny infraction in front of us. Her punishments for these things were way out of proportion to the mistake; once she took away his birthday for that year (no presents, no cake, no "happy birthday".) She seemed like a normal young woman at work but we lost respect for both of them after seeing their home life. She later became a drill instructor.

Saw a blurb this morning on Good Morning America that Dr. Phil is now advising contestants on "Extreme Makeover" - I had to leave before the segment, only saw the promo. Guess DP thinks he can offer his sage advice about their makeovers...and figured he could extend his influence in yet another venue. Ugh.

I'm sorry I missed the in-law show. One thing I do give DP credit for is repeatedly stressing that there are always two sides. I remember as a kid being really profoundly influenced by the ally I had in my grandmother during my parents divorce. It really meant a lot to me that she was so supprotive, and she reamins one of the most influential people in my life. Imagine my surprise when earlier this year my mother and I were talking about her and my mother told me that Grandma's behaviour during that time was one of the most self-esteem DESTROYING periods of HER life with my grandmother! What had been for me supprotive Grandma always looking out for me had been for her "nagging mom always whining she is worried about my kids, who are my responsibility and not hers." I think it did help my mother when after the fact she realized how much my brother and I were impacted by the relationship we had with my grandmother, but at the same time I think she kind of felt like my grandmother sacrificed her somehow for us. Whereas us kids would be enrvous wrecks today if we had not had what we had with her. There always are shades of grey where families are involved :-)

Fellow snarkers, I used to love this show. Then it started to make me a little twitchy. Then I watched it only so that I could come here and read the snark (which was much more useful in perspective). Now I can't justify spending an hour of my day with this . this . excuse for grandstanding / no doctoring / nepotistic / shilling / self-righteous / self-promoting / self-centered / gee-aw-shucks / how's that working for you HACK. Especially since so much of that hour is commercials or "coming up" segments that they show at least twice so that the actual content is about 15 minutes.

sniff....I'll miss you. Maybe we'll meet again -- over at "Survivor" perhaps or even "The Daily Show". Godspeed.

Amen,Hexele!

I can't stand Dr. Shil any more. I will NOT watch the new FUF family. No way I'm going to watch another trainwreck where the kids are suffering and Dr. Phil does NOT help them.

He did not help the first fucked up family, so why would I want to watch more craptv? I avoid the same thing on Jerry Springer or Jenny or any of that other craptv shit.

Thud! What's that? How the mighty have fallen.

DrPhil you've lost your touch. Or maybe you need to get it back from Robin along with your integrity and balls.

That woman on today's show? Damn. I didn't think Phil actually did anything to help her but go, you're gonna do it, woo! She actually sounded like she really didn't want any help even though did you SEE her legs?! Wow, good luck lady.

I always have a LOT of sympathy for people like that poor woman on today's show. I mean, I get depressed thinking about the 20 pounds I should loose. I can't imagine what I would feel like if I was looking at needing to loose hundreds of pounds.

But, I agree, she didn't seem to particularly want help. I mean, I think she did in a way, but it's like any addiction or whatever -- I really believe the person really needs to hit bottom, as they say. Or at least hit some point within themselves where they know they need to do something.

Honestly, though, I wish her the best.

I'm tired of DP asking all the overweight people why they emotionally overeat. You know, there are people who are truly happy and overeat just because they like food (that would be me).

I think it's sad the 600+ lb woman's friends would let her get in that condition. Once she hit a certain size, you know she wasn't able to go out and get the food for herself; they were buying it for her. I saw another show that dealt with this topic and the host suggested that people who bring food to the homebound do it to make themselves feel needed, even though they are slowly killing their loved ones.

I'm so sick of Dr. Phil's "my book is the best at weight loss" attitude. "Buy my book! It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle!" I noticed how he discussed only "fad" diets today while talking to the 600-pound woman. I'm sure he's not allowed to, but notice he never mentions things like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers.
I've glanced at some of the excerpts from his book, especially the sample menus. I'm doing Weight Watchers, and it's essentially the same idea. I'd like to write to Dr. Phil for one of his weight loss shows. "Dear Dr. Phil...I've lost "x" pounds, and YOUR BOOK HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

DP is a smug asshole. It's really bugging me that he's basically calling his "diet" the only one that works in the history of the world ever, look what a genius I am! Ass. I've lost a lot of weight, before DP's show ever came out I had lost much of it. He honestly had NOTHING to do with it, see DP, it can be done! I was thinking of writing him and saying just that, but I don't want to give him any more attention. At least when I'm in my living room guiltily watching, he doesn't know.

WORD about the just liking food thing. Food tastes good Phil, shut up.

Big word, Snowdog. There are those out there who do overeat due to emotional reasons, but not everybody. Heaven knows I wish there was some psychological reason because I could probably fix that. You're never going to get me to think pizza tastes bad. Well, maybe I could be hypnotized into it ... maybe.

And I totally agree, Katymo. I would love to give him a piece of my mind, but then he'd know that I watch the show. To them, the madder people get, the better they probably figure they're doing b/c at least people are watching.

When he asked that first woman how she manages to go to the bathroom, I felt that he was just trying to humiliate her. I mean, that's really none of America's business.
Weight-loss through humiliation. Did Dr. Phil steal that idea from Jr. High kids or what?

Yeah, Dr. Phil really went out of his way to humiliate the 600 pound woman. I'm sure a year from now he will do a follow up show, and congratulate himself on saving her life, but if she loses weight it won't be because of his dumbass book. ("hmm, says here I should eat less and exercise more! That Dr. Phil is so revolutionary!") It will be because of the whole team of psychologists, doctors, nurses, trainers, etc. that Dr. Phil is paying to get her in shape. And, of course, her own will power and desire to change her life. I wish her luck.

I was more than a little annoyed at the Italian granny's family. Her daughter and grand-daughter had her health and longevity in mind, I am sure, but they came across as snotty little skinny bitches, didn't they? My grandma would've smacked me if I said I was "embarassed" by her weight. And the thirteen year old made some smart-ass remark about how grandma ate cream cheese with a spoon. It wasn't so much the fact that the granddaughter noticed that grandma's eating habits were unhealthy-it was the condescending, arrogant way that she "looked down" on her grandma. It rubbed me the wrong way.

The first FUF was merely annoying. This next one, with the slutty mother and all those young children, looks like it's going to be heartbreaking.

I can't believe this new FUF matriarch is a marriage and family therapist. Who would ever go to her? "Well, my advice is that you get married to someone after knowing them 6 weeks, get divorced twice, have a bunch of affairs and practice unsafe sex until you're pregnant. That oughta about do it."

The wife of the new FUF is so stupid. Why is it that abortion is against her religious beliefs, but adultrey is not? Maybe I missed the part of the Bible about getting to be a skanky whore while married with children. She seems so fake and not the least bit remorseful about her behavior. Luckily, her daughter seems to have a good head on her shoulders and knows that her mom is wrong when it comes to her affairs.

Hilarious. I used to be the administrative assistant for one of the finest marriage and therapy programs in the U.S. The head of the program was working on Marriage #4 when I worked there. Since then, he has remarried two more times.

It bothered me too Maybelline. It was as though she thought "I'm worried about her health" was an excuse to be disrespectful. I think any child is lucky to have a big, warm, loving grandma like that and if she doesn't look like a movie star, then just shut up about it. I get sick of everybody thinking it's their business if someone is fat, just because that particular bad health habit is visible. How many good looking, chic grandmas in designer clothes are popping diet pills and valium and drinking a litre of white wine every day?

------
The new family. I don't think I'm going to want to go there at all - that little Michael looked like a psychopath in the making and now that the kids at school are all going to know that his mother sleeps around and gives away babies he will probably be doing worse than pulling up girls blouses and getting in fights. He really worried me and that's just not fun. Rochelle bossing her husband around was fun, women going to the mall and spending a fortune on little girls hair bows was fun, people having temper fits over peanut butter was fun - not this.

Yuck. The new FUF is freaking me out. Part of the problem might be that the mom has never really, it seems, been on her own. She's just gone from one marriage to another, and then it sure seems like she's gone from one affair to another at the same time.

And there goes Phil telling the man to take the "lead" again. Gives me the double creeps. I clawed my way out of a fundamentalist background, so I guess it's just a touchy phrase for me still.

And they need to do something about Michael before he starts killing animals and then moves on to people.

I think Michael's problem is his mother. Did you see the previews for next week where she was sitting on the couch screaming, "I HATE YOU" to him? Nice! I'd be a psychopath-in-the-making if that were the way my mom treated me, too.

I felt so sorry for the 2 oldest kids when Dr. Phil was quizzing them out. They don't need to be part of this freak show. They need private, professional help.

And did you notice how the stepdad said he liked his real kid better? I am so sick of the message the media seems to put out there all the time that step-parenting is bad. I have two step-parents and both of them are just fine. My stepdad can be a little bit distant, but he is certainly benign. And my stepmom and I are actually very close. I think maybe some people would be better step-parents if just once they could have someone tell them that it can be fun and you are not doomed to a life of misery. I don;t think I never ever, ever seen a good step-parent on tv.

Carol Brady?

Maybe I am just a hard heart but my advice to the dad of the new FUF is kick her to the curb, get full custody of the child you had with her and sue for child support. If he stays in the marriage he should get tested for STDs and have his wife tested now and every three months for at least 3 years. It should take that long at least for her to prove that she can be trusted. He should also stop paying the 50$ a month for probation for micheal and tell his wife to get a job to pay it to keep her son(who she supports against her husband) out of jail. If Micheal kicks a hole in the door or wall call the police.

What do all o'y'all think? Is Mom FUF2 preggers again? Is that the "bombshell" that they dropped on DP after the show? Michael is absolutely a sociopath or psychopath in the making (not that I expect you to substitute my judgement for your own) and these two should not be married. Chris, run far, far away, take your favoured child (Chandler? give me a break Friends fan) and get out.

The two older kids should go to their father (unless he's in jail) and Mom needs to be on her own. If she is pregnant, take that baby away.

ITA - it's not fun TV - it's disheartening.

That's what I'm guessing, too. What is wrong here!? Why would a woman who knows she can't resist the flattery and excitement of a new man every few months, be running around without birth control? Is that "against her religion", too? She should have seen how it was going and had her tubes tied after Michael was born.

I hadn't caught who she was screaming at in the clip - poor Michael. I'm sure we'll hear about her bad childhood and why it made her need all that sexual attention later on but nothing excuses that kind of verbal child abuse. My mother was an old school spanker and switch wielder, but she never hurt me the way hearing "I hate you" would have done.

I did not watch the new FUF family and plan to avoid it.

I cannot watch children being abused.

I cannot watch children being abused on a "help show." It sickens me to think of DrShil using these horrible people to "help others." Please.

Total crap. Total crap TV.

Sounds like the kids need Social Services--how could it get any worse?
Mom needs her tubes tied.

I officially hate Dr. Phil now.

Returning a mattress after 2 1/2 years of use! Ewwwww.

Oh holy shnikes, this family really is fucked up. The mom should be sentenced by a judge to have her tubes tied, this is ridiculous! Those children are going to have serious problems when they grow up (they already do) and society is going to end up paying the price. I can't stand this woman, she goes on saying how her religion doesn't allow for her to have an abortion (and apparently use birth control), yet its perfectly alright for her to fuck every guy on the block 10 times over. Bah!

The poor little baby, I'm glad she put him up for adoption because he would've been in hell with this family. Plus all this debt! Why does my head hurt?

Return Girl is a thief. I say that having used to work in retail security for several years. We had people come in like that- they were called "refund abusers". She is either writing bad checks for this stuff and returning it for cash, she is stealing some of it and returning it for cash, or she is upgrading- like Dr. Phil said. All of it is a form of THEFT, and I have detained people before for stealing and trying to return it- I wish I could have for the other types too, but we had strict liability policies. She knows damn well that alot of this stuff she is returning is not re-sellable (is that a word?).

People make their LIVING off doing stuff like this. Maybe her husband is too controlling with the checkbook, and she is trying to get some fast cash of her own, I don't know. I do think that blaming it on her childhood is way off base. And speaking of, why is it always something that happened in our childhood? My father is an expert in homicide investigation- do I think that everyone I know is going to be murdered- No. My father-in-law was an alcoholic, is my husband? No. Common sense, people! I just hate how everyone, especially these nitwit guests, always have an excuse.

I have to stop watching Dr. Phil- it is giving me a complex!

I've had five step-parents and four of them suck(ed) ass. The 5th one was ok though I probably won't stay in contact with him now that Mother is dead.

The first couple on today's show, the fighters-in-the-car, were very obnoxious. The husband would not stop smiling! I mean, you are on national television talking about how you and your wife are constantly at each other's throats, your daughter asks the question, "Mommy, what does b-i-t-c-h mean?" and Dr. Phil tells you that if you don't stop arguing in front of the kids you are doing harm to them, and you can't wipe the huge shit-eating grin off your face!

What a tool.

The lady who always returns things was obviously just a spoiled, pampered yuppy who is never going to be satisfied. Nothing is ever good enough, she always has to upgrade. The husband (who was adorable, by the way) should worry about how long it will take before she decides to return him for an upgrade husband. (and word on the thievery issue-it's immoral, if not illegal to do what she does)

Yesterday's FUF was horrible. Those children are doomed. I don't think Dr. Phil can help these people; he is just exploiting them for ratings, 'cause everyone loves a good freak show. People will tune in to see the FUF because it makes them feel better about their own disfunctional family, just like they will watch the 600 pound lady and then not feel so bad about the 20 extra pounds they are carrying around.

And "Boden"? Is a stupid name.

I was going to write something here but I see Maybelline has already said it, and, in most cases, used exactly the same wording I had in mind. I'd say "great minds think alike" but somehow, great minds and "shit-eating grin" don't seem to go together. Hee. You go girlfriend!

Did they ever say why Chris was so upset his wife cheated on him with a black man? The only reason I can think of that doesn't make him come across as a racist asshole is that he knew for certain the baby wasn't his.

I think Marty the Man-Whore and Stacy the Skank should divorce their spouses and then hookup. They're perfect for each other!

That's what I'm hoping is the case, Maybelline. I feel bad for the guy.

I think the bombshell is AIDS.

SnowDog, they never explained why he was so offended by the race of the baby's father. It's possible that he was racist, but also possible that seeing the little black baby made it entirely impossible for him to go into denial (or hide his wife's infidelity from the world). If the baby had resembled him, he might have been able to convince himself that the baby was his own, or at least the neighbors would have assumed it was his. That's what I think the most likely explanation is.

I was a little disturbed by whomever it was that remarked on how the baby "already has rhythm". WTF? That little baby really dodged a bullet when he was adopted out of his FUF. Poor Nathan wasn't so lucky.