For Millennials. By Millennials.
FOX News and junk science are ideally inseparable. After coming under fire for broadcasting a segment with Dr. OZ, where he insisted on reopening schools in America because the death rate due to coronavirus is ‘only’ 2%, the network is facing backlash again for the comments made by Dr. Phil McGraw. Dr. Phil appeared on the network via Skype to express his dismay over the lockdown. He argued that the country has never been shut down for the other causes of deaths, but it is being closed due to the coronavirus. Expectedly, Dr. Phil’s comments drew a lot of backlash. And opponents including James Mangold and Josh Gad are flinging taunts at Oprah Winfrey for being the enabler behind Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil.
Criticism Pours In For Dr. Phil & Dr. Oz After Their Controversial COVID-19 Statements
A few days back, during a conversation with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Dr. Mehmet Oz exclaimed that reopening schools would help America get its ‘mojo’ back. He also added that the death rate due to coronavirus is 2-3%, so the situation isn’t as ‘threatening’. Shortly afterward, Dr. Oz received an earful on social media, where viewers criticized him for saying that 3% of students dying was an acceptable trade-off for re-opening schools.
Today, again a similar statement by Dr. Phil McGraw triggered a chain of intense social media reactions. McGraw compared swimming pool, automobile, and cigarette deaths to the COVID-19 deaths. He misquoted figures and argued that while the nation has never been shut down for the other causes of deaths, it should not be for coronavirus either.
Celebrities Including Josh Gad And James Mangold Slap Down Oprah Winfrey For Enabling Scam Artists
The inconsiderate statements by Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil have turned people campaign against their have set waves of rage on social media. And people are now coming for their kingmaker Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey’s endorsement for ‘America’s Doctor’ Mehmet Oz enabled him to launch his own show in 2009. As for Dr. Phil (who isn’t even a certified doctor), Winfrey had the psychologist on her show as a life coach. Later, her support also enabled Phil to launch his eponymous show.
Celebrities are actively calling out Oprah over the statements of her championed TV medics. But Oprah is yet to comment on the subject.
Josh Gad, the voice behind Frozen’s Olaf took to Twitter to hurl a taunt at Oprah for giving breaks to all the wrong people.
Why is every doctor Oprah gave a break to now a certifiable psychopath? https://t.co/0FScpW1IjQ
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) April 17, 2020
Quoting Gad’s tweet, Ford v Ferrari director James Mangold, also expressed his dismay at Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz’s controversial statements. Mangold established that the two have been cut from the ‘O’Word’, hence they are switching to crazy antics to maintain their large income levels.
Cause they're trying to maintain large income levels after being cut from O'world & the $$ it entailed. To maintain flow, they've got to sell their soul 2 Fox. And once they've completely burned their reputations, they are stuck w/ no place else to go but further out on a limb.
— Mangold (@mang0ld) April 17, 2020
Environmental activist Laurie David did not take a direct jibe at Oprah, but demanded her to promptly speak out on the issue. Journalist Mika Brzezinski has also called Oprah to speak up on the matter.
@Oprah needs to speak out and now. #doctorsofdeath @DrPhil @DrOz https://t.co/DgXxHoKlL4
— Laurie David (@Laurie_David) April 17, 2020
I really hope @Oprah speaks about the dangerous statements by @DrPhil and @DrOz WE need her voice.
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) April 17, 2020
Publisher Sarah Longwell noted that Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz must on Oprah’s ’10 Things I Regret’ list.
Making Dr. Phil a thing is probably on Oprah’s “Top 10 Things I Regret” list.
Also, Dr. Phil is not a real life doctor. https://t.co/k7kW59ugi1
— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) April 17, 2020
3rd Rock From The Sun actress Kristen Johnston asked Oprah to ‘come get your doctors’.
https://twitter.com/TomMcNaught1/status/1251101509435129856?s=20
Several media personalities including Mother Jones’ Editor-in-Chief Clara Jeffery, broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien, Post Editor Eric Michael Garcia, and CNN’s Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir have also called out Oprah Winfrey for empowering scam artists like Dr. Phil and Dr, Oz.
Wasn't it Oprah who unleashed Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz?
And like Yoda, isn't it time for her to come deal with her Dark Side pupils? https://t.co/KYJwhVOYP6— Bill Weir (@BillWeirCNN) April 17, 2020
Between Dr. Phil, Jenny McCarthy and Dr. Oz, someone really needs to write a piece about the impact, for better or worse, Oprah Winfrey had on public health by promoting all of them. https://t.co/K9G4PQ7y2f
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) April 16, 2020
Dr. Oz, Dr. Drew, Dr. Phil. The confederacy of dunces. https://t.co/OMqw8wjvT5
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) April 17, 2020
Oprah really set a lot of bad doctors on us https://t.co/5DS1aNbQ1k
— Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) April 17, 2020