About this wks upcoming shows:

Steve & his medding mother-in-law is ruining their marriage, but now we found out that he has a secret to tell them?

It is either he cheated on his wife & got someone pregnant or he's gay.
That marriage has divorce written all over it.

Mikai is coming back on Wednesday. Judging by the previews that I saw, he's probably still molesting & raping his younger sister. What a bastard. That family is messed up beyond repair. Can we officially called this family FUF3?!

I cannot believe that this bastard's show has reached 500. It is really sad.

What is Alex's problem this time? Let me guess:

She got pregnant again.

She got pregnant again & does not know who's the father of her unborn baby is.

She doesn't know who the father of Nathan is.

The father(?) of Nathan got smart & kicked Alex to the curb.

Who is this "superfan" who watched every single episode of this moron?! Whoever that person is, he/she has has no-life & brain damage.

How OBNOXIOUS was that... giving the mercedes to the widowed mother working two jobs to put her son thru school? Did anyone need any more proof that those folks out there are WAY out of touch with reality?
First: HOW is that poor lady going to pay for the upkeep on that thing? Let alone the taxes?
Someone please ask DrP, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!". He could have at least given her a check from one of those dotcom companies for a kajillion dollars like he "throws in" for some of the others.
For as much as that thing cost she could buy a reliable car, pay some tuition and books, and a host of other stuff. Just the first oil change alone, let alone regular upkeep is an insult to this sweet lady and her son.

Clueless.... totallly clueless....

Wow, I find that really offensive. I know a couple people who are triplets (now in their mid-20s, conceived without fertility treatments if that matters to you) and yeah, their parents had trouble affording everything but guess what? Most parents do. People get sick, get laid off or get divorced or are widowed all the time. Most families I know have needed help from their relatives, or their church, the government, or some community organization at some time. Everyone always says "have what you can afford" but the truth is, it's not that simple-- no person or family EVER has absolute security financially. The stupid way Dr Phil handles these families is debatable, but things happen to lots of families, and when they do they should be dealt with instead of just saying "oh, those stupid people had too many kids, and fertility treatments aren't all that good."

If she didn't say she had treatments or drugs why should it be assumed that she did? Multiple births do occur naturally, more often than by treatments. I don't believe there should be an assumption that anyone carrying multiples should be expected to reduce (read: abort) to two. Or that the number of children any woman has, by whatever means chosen, should be dictated by anyone not carrying them.



Everything is simple from the outside looking in. Decisions like that are only simple when you're making them for someone else and not having to live with, or be effected by, the outcome everyday.



WORD

Oh, great. Now,"There are NO victims, only volunteers" will be quoted by every bully, office know-it-all and armchair shrink when faced with the agony of others. When the Phil errata starts to snow it lays on pretty thick.

I think if I were to begin differentiate between legitimate victims and those who in some way enable their abuser, I could safely start with a very young mother of two with a pushy mother-in-law, a feckless husband and the paralyzing shock and fear of being vulnerable and overwhelmed. Perhaps if I had a PhD in psychology I might recognize clinical depression and not just heap more ridicule on the patient by suggesting she was choosing to posture like a whipped dog.

Of course any way that a woman who has been cheated on chooses to respond is wrong. This young woman was damned from the outset, hence the church setting. We get it, Phil.

Mr.Jean has one, and routinely calls Shill a charlatan and a huckster. I cannot watch the show if he's around, because he just bitches at the TV (on second thought, that IS sort of entertaining).

I would give my eye teeth for him to go on to debate Shill. I wonder what he would do up against an actual grown man with a legitimate psychological education.

My first guess (typically cynical) was that she's pregnant again, Katherine's in juvy, and mom and dad are in divorce court. But of course, if that were the case, Phil wouldn't have them back because it'd look like he "failed".

My actual guess is that it's a big tease and that the big "issue" is that Alex is having dating problems. Or that she still isn't using birth control. I remember that update show last year where Alex admitted she wasn't because Mom didn't believe in it or something. I thought they came around at the end of the episode, but maybe in reality, they didn't.

So in other words, I'm cynical either way, whether it's about FUF or Phil's promo people. And they may as well make Mikai's family FUF3 if they're doing so many shows. I'm very interested in seeing the update.

Yes, that would be the Weekender, that much room is needed to fit the lithograph of BBJ's butt on it.

I wanna see FFF #1--Satcey et al. I want to see if she still believes in the Mom not working. I think I should shop around for a new religion, strictly looking at ones where the woman can't work outside the home. Those churches do support the family with cash, right?? Sign me up (as she sits here typing this at work...)

Exactly, Gemmadoll. We're supposed to glean that he is, indeed, Lord God Phil, knower of all the silly ways of Woman and friend to all manly Men.

His excuse for using a church was seventy kinds of bullshit. It made no damned sense whatsoever. I'd love to know what the pastor of the church said when approached by the Lord God Phil--wait, he probably thought he was being approached by God Himself. After all, God and Phil are virtually indistinguishable, so radiant is the wisdom that flows from the Mouth of Phil.

Gemmadoll

Oh my gosh I was so horrified when he said that. Even without Phil's handy alliterative phrase, I've been hearing this sentiment expressed a lot lately by all those whose quality of mercy is easily strained.

Haven't we as a society spent the last 25 years teaching victims of child abuse, domestic violence and rape that it's not their fault? Now this sort of attitude starts. Sickening.

I realized today that I've become too "Phillified". When Phil said he wanted to take the young couple "on location, to a symbolic place, a place where many marriages begin...", I figured he was giving them a trip to Vegas, (all expenses paid, of course).

I thought the exact same thing Tunia and when it turned out to be a church I was like WTF? Phil was torturing that poor girl. I only saw half the show - what did creepazoid/gameboy addict hubby reveal that even Mommy Dearest couldn't believe he told? yet another *yawn* affair or was it more Springer-like - like the affair was with a guy or Mommy herself?

No, it was that he was currently having an affair. And I am sorry but unless you are having sex with the other woman on-camera right then with DrPhil watching, then yawn.

Affair a month ago, affair right now, tomato tomahto.

At first I had no idea what Shrill meant by "stop being a victim". I think it was because he was yelling at the top of his lungs at her. Yeah, she was a doormat but I thought that should be addressed in private in the therapy sessions I hope she does go to, not in front of the people who will only turn it around to use against her later. I can't see letting myself be such a doormat but then I don't have 2 people ganging up on me. Even after the "shocking revelation", MIL is still giving him credit to him and putting wife down saying "oh, she already knew it deep down inside" (which, yeah, the condoms tell the tale but that doesn't take him off the hook as if he's come clean about it) like she had no right to act shocked, surprised, or hurt. It sounded like Shrill wanted MIL to be in the therapy. After today's voyeurism (thanks, Dr. Shrill cos that's all this was), I dunno why MIL was even there and given so much importance.

Honest to god, is there any possible way that the woman is not at fault in Phil's ego...er...head? I mean, this one was young, pretty, being a good mother and not overweight (a sin in the eyes of Phil) -- in other words Phil's perfect woman. -- and still she's to blame?

Poor gal. I couldn't help thinking about the Phil maxim about Robin being able to walk into any room in the world and know she's the luckiest bitch in shoe leather (I'm paraphrasing). With wifette I could only see her walking into a room full of people and mowing them down with an assault rifle.

ITA Captain Snarky, but I also suspect that when the pastor first saw Phil on the horizon, his reaction was "Cha-CHING!". There was probably a big fat rental fee for the use of the church. Maybe Phil donated an new organ [insert Dr. Phil "organ" joke here].

AlbanyGuy, re: Dr. Phil organ - funny, but ewwwww. How will I get to sleep NOW? Christians on the board, question - how can the house of worship approve this kind of thing being televised? Am I just naive?

See people. I told ya that Steve was cheating on his wife. What a loser. Hopefully his wife will sober up & get rid of this bastard.

Great to see Shill bring some shame to a Christian church. Its bad enough that he shames himself on a daily basis with bullshit.

Hee.

If you imagine the type of gatherings in which the McGraws insinuate themselves--new Hollywood money, gorgeous actor types and the occasionally generously-schlonged soft porn fellow, gazillionaires and media powerhouses--then ole Robin is mentally still mired in the Texas tract house/macrame art/hoot owl figurine world she once knew. How can she think that she still has the best now that they've loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly?

Regarding "no victims only volunteers": Like so many Phillogisms, it's cobbled pretty directly from one or another 12step program. I've watched prolly 300 or so of his shows -- ack! -- & have been convinced that he has no "original" ideas (& that's he's lifted/stolen most of his signature phrases from 12steppers).

And Fauxmarosa? Ew. She's really starting to freak me out. She is so not smart.

Ah, madmarsha, I have been pondering your confusion. The husband had to have a reason he was such a philandering shitheel. And that reason couldn't possibly reside within himself, since he's a man. The wife wasn't a shrieking harpy and hadn't eaten herself into a circus tent, so hmmmm, where else can we asign blame? Let's trot out Mom!

ETA: I'll take lime, Gemmadoll!

Geez-us...he's even invading the Country Music Awards (as a "presenter"). Can this idiot go any more Hollywood???

If Phil can get through his big CMA moment with less than three porch and possum/kitten and biscuit corn-pone witticisms, I'm buying everyone one this board a sno-cone.

I like cherry, Gemmadoll.

Make mine cherry, too!

Mikai is so this show's Marisol.*


Marisol is the woman who has been on Maury Povich about a bazillion times looking for her babies' daddies.

You have to wonder how much of Phil's advice on spotting the dirty-dog cheatin' fella is from his own, uh, research. Must be easy to cat around on Kitty (so to speak) because she's wedged into the mansion and quite content. I doubt our Phil is much of a swordman, but he could offer to introduce a sweet young starlet to Oprah, and how persuasive would that be?

(I've tried to picture him nekkid, but all I get down to is a droopy union suit with tobacco spit stains and a buttoned drop-seat.Thank heaven for the wispy and fallible imagination that saves us).

Okay, if Dr. Phil was so horrified by the adultery website, why did he say the name of it about 15 times? Talk about free publicity! Ten bucks says the enrollment on that site gets a big boost from all the desperate housewives watching Shill today.

Lord God Phil is shocked--SHOCKED, I tell you!--that there is a website that helps adulterers hook up. Methinks his shock is not so much shock as it is "Damn, I wish this was around when I was attached to the first Mrs. Phil!"

He's also made a living ripping off Dr. Wayne Dyer.
I listen to his tapes (many of which came out loooong before anyone knew of DrP), and constantly hear what are now considered "philisms".
The guy doesn't seriously have an original idea... but he does know Oprah!!

That last couple...God, that guy was such a slick bastard. He reminded me of used card salesman. He knew how to talk the talk to win Phil on his side. I'm glad his poor wife sees through it. Too bad Dr. Phil was fooled (as usual) by the shiny teeth and blinding odor of testosterone

Why didn't he mention the potential for violence with those two? They don't love each other. He throws dishes and dumps hot chili down her shirt. Methinks that's one of those Dr. Phil deal-breakers. Leave the bastard, honey. Take your little boy and run like Hell.

No kidding! I think how these shows work is that Shill's staffers invite the guests, not the other way around. Dr, Phil was acting like dude just barged onto the stage and started advertizing his website.

Not that I think that guy is some great human being, but hey, I am always willing to rah rah rah someone who doesn't let Shill push him around (unlike the woman on..."Oh, ok Dr. Phil, you are right" over and over).

Today's intro: "Dr. Phil goes undercover to catch a cheater on tape, and sets up a phony blind date. Cheating husbands caught on tape."

Cue standard opening: "I want you to get excited about your life..."

Hey, thanks Phillsey - looks like you got quite a few dudes and spouses "excited" today! Taking notes, Maury and Springer?

What's the name of this website that Shill was freaking out over?

I rather have a skunk get me excited about my life than Shill.

These brainless couples on today's show might as well have 1-877-311-2222 on speed dial. What a bunch of idiots.

A reminder for today's show: SHOW May 11, 2005

Mikai Returns
It was the most talked about Dr. Phil episode of all time. Now 19-year-old Mikai, who admitted to molesting his 4-year-old sister and other girls, is back from therapy and facing his parents. Will he ever be able to come home, and can he be trusted again? Plus, how could his own mom be sabotaging his recovery?

They're all so skeevy, but I have to watch.

FUNNY!!! I can't look at Shill now with out hearing the "dear dear dear dear" theme song in my mind.
That could qualify for good street lingo. Coming to a TRL soon to you--"Like, she is sooo Marisol."

cute!

Isn't the recurrance rate for sex offenders like over %95? How nice that Mikai is now free to move about the country and hurt someone else's child. Why isn't he in jail again?

That would be because the good doctor, between commercial breaks and applause from the adoring multitudes, in a one hour show cured that boy. He will be laying on hands and curing the blind before the end of the year.

It was the Ashley Madison Agency. There's an article about it here:
Agency caters to married people wanting to cheat
that claims the site is raking in $7 million per year. Even in Canadian money (the site is based in Toronto), that's not bad!

Heh... I Googled the number, and it's the phone number for folks who want to appear on the the Divorce Court TV show.

from Kendra.

I hate these people. Seriously. Sexual abuse is not in my home. It is just her way of legitimizing her family's situation, to make them seem normal. When Mikai is the one that I feel the most sorry for (although he does need to be in jail) in this family-excluding the little girl- you know that the rest of the family is fuuuuuuucked up.

And I am sick of people blaming their own actions on being abused as children. Its called free will. When you are an adult, you have control over your actions. Plenty of people who have been abused do not become sexual predators, or raise them. Who is this babysitter that they are talking about and why are they just now figuring out that he/she abused Mikai? I place the blame solely on the shoulders of Brad and Kendra.

And it's not like they need more publicity. I live in Toronto, and they have a stupid informercial that airs so often. Their informercial is 30 minutes of why you should cheat on your spouse. It's disgusting.



I'm finishing up my Ph.D. in psychology as well, and it's very frustrating watching this show, which is why I almost never do. I wanted to make my own opinion about Dr. Phil, since I get asked what I think of him from time to time... I think what is most disturbing is the cross-promotion of his books and other trinkets as if they were the ultimate tool for everyone.

Absolutely, borokat. When Phil allows these guests to "let their clams mid tune" without correcting them it drives me up the yum-yum tree. At best, this woman is minimizing and at worst promulgating falsehoods that do a disservice to those who think Phil is an expert in family dynamics. Or psychology. Or any frickin thing.

Donahue used to head bullshit off at the pass, and then when the misspoken guest backpedaled and apologized, he would say things like,"But what you said is flypaper to people. Now that you've said it it won't be easily set aside."

I'm sure all Phil cares about is that the crap info can be safely traced back to his guest, not him, so that he as culpable as a kitten. Not help, legal innocence.

Now if you'll all excuse me, I'm craving clam chowder.

God, that just made my skin crawl. I don't know if it's worse that she might really believe that or if it's worse that she might say something like that knowing that it's not true in an attempt to make people think her family isn't so screwed up after all. Ugh. I don't even have the words to express how that made me feel.

Although, I may be more disturbed by the fact that the parents felt it was ok to tell their children the graphic details of their own sexual abuse. How did they think that was going to help their children? Geez, I hate it when I agree with Dr Phil but I think he was right when he said that the parents created a sexually charged enviroment in their home.

Makai is just so fucking smug. In that "therapy session" with the he-must-be-good-because-he-has-an-accent therapist, Makai smirked while discussing that he decided not to manipulate others but could, or whatever. Then he said he cried because of the way he treated his brother. Oh, please. What about your little sister! Why isn't he in prison?!

When Omarosa kept going on and on about being a famewhore as dissertation research I kept waiting for Dr. Shill to ask her what program she's enrolled in but he never did. Does anyone know if Omarosa is enrolled in a legitimate doctoral program anywhere?

Ain't that the fucking truth. Seriously, though. Do the parents have to press charges - and, because they obviously won't - Mikai walks free?

And what's up with all of these apologies to Mikai? What about the apologies to their DAUGHTER!?



I was lacing up my new sneakers when I heard that, and suddenly they flew halfway across the room and hit my TV. You bitch, don't lump your sick-ass son's depravities on every home, okay? Man, this whole show just pissed me the fuck off. Not one drop of bloodshed, which totally would've been the case at my house.

Word. I felt the exact same way and I hate when I agree with Shill. It's as if these people are in total denial and think they're "victims" of this situation, and they expect Phil to have just cured them after 3 shows. As if getting Mikai into treatment solves everything. Then Dad is resentful because Mikai is getting all this help and the family supposedly isn't. Can they not admit that they (Mom and Dad) are fucked up and that it's part of the problem the family has as a whole? It sounds like Mom is exacerbating the problem more than Dad, but he still skeeves me out a bit. Interesting to find out that he was unfaithful in the marriage, too.

Mom just needs to be hit in the head by Petuni's sneakers a few hundred times. She needs to learn the difference between mothering your children and smothering your children. Back the hell off of your kid that's AWAY from the house and work more on your kids that are right THERE, that have serious healing to do! Jesus.

Well...not THESE sneakers...she isn't worth my shelltop Adidas w/the silver stripes. But here! (hands you my old, grody running kicks) Knock yourselves out!

Here, I've got a pair of wooden clogs. Perhaps they are just the 'therapy' needed.

This family is so screwed up it's not even funny. Dad has weird anger issues. Plus it's kinda wrapped up in a weird sexual vibe, as well. Then there's Mom. Whoa!!! Sexually abused --- what? --- 30 years ago??? Mothering/smothering issues that just make my skin creep. Apparent self esteem issues to boot. I do not mean to minimize her abuse from way back, but she should NOT be filling in her young kids on this stuff!!! I hate to say it, but Dr. P was dead on when he said this home is sexually charged. Apparently, there is always a sexual undercurrent going on there --- talking about it at inappropriate times to the wrong people. Kids don't need to be hearing this kind of stuff!!!! And Mikai?? I can't even say what I think of him. It soooo sounded like he was spewing out therapy-speak when he was talking on this episode. Kinda just saying what he SHOULD be saying, rather saying what's really going on in there. Yeah, it sounds like he's learned a lot in therapy. Like what the right things are to say. I'd feel a little more comfortable if I saw some emotion come out of him.

I hope they don't move in to my neighborhood!!

BTW, did anyone see the Oprah episode that followed this Mikai episode???? About the lady who walked in on her husband/boyfriend molesting her kid, then went and got a gun and shot him dead??? She grabbed her kid, took her outside, then went back inside, got a gun "to protect herself" then blew away the guy. The jury found her not guilty. I doubt the proximity of these two episodes to each other was a coincidence!!

um-hum, in your house, lady, yeah, I completely agree with you.

Wow. Really? You mean my brother molested me, too, and I didn't know but you did? You must be the amazing friggin' Kreskin. Only hold on... wait a minute. I don't HAVE a brother. All I can say is sell crazy someplace else, Lady (tm Jack Nicholson)

And, yeah, I saw Oprah, too, and I'm glad she blew him away. But if O's still doing her show 10 years from now, she can have the daughter on to talk about her issues of trust since her friggin' mother didn't believe her when she actually POINTBLANK told her about Georgie. (and most ex-cons are my dream man, too)

Was anyone else expecting Kendra to admit that she molested Mikai? This weird exchange really creeped me out:

Any other family, on any other show, and I'd say it's nothing. But with them, I definitely sensed some inappropriateness. I remember hearing the term "emotional incest" from a real live psychologist once, and to me, that fits Kendra. It's defined by excessive smothering, controlling behavior (among other things) without the sexual contact. She's more than just your run-of-the-mill overprotective mother, probably because of the "sexually-charged environment" that everyone here picked up on. I think the abuse and incest is there among all of them, maybe just not in practice.

Creepy with a capital P.