*Oprah Winfrey is addressing a question that has followed her for years: Does she have any responsibility for the political paths taken by Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. Mehmet Oz after she helped make them household names?
In a new interview with Emmy Magazine, Winfrey pushed back on criticism over the two personalities’ current ties to President Donald Trump and his administration.
“People criticize me for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, because of their politics or their views,” Winfrey said.
Her response focused on the circumstances surrounding their original appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” rather than their political positions today.
Scroll to continue reading
“Everybody has their own path in life, and it has not one thing to do with me, and I don’t have one thing to do with them,” she said.
Winfrey first brought McGraw onto her program in 1988 after he supported her during a 1998 lawsuit involving Texas cattlemen. She recalled being impressed by his straightforward personality and believed his advice could benefit her audience.
“He was so practical, so down to earth, so real,” Winfrey said.
McGraw eventually received his own daytime series, “Dr. Phil,” which premiered in 2002. He has since become politically aligned with Trump, who appointed him to the Religious Liberty Commission, per The Daily Beast.
at the 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA 06-16-13. (Depositphotos)
Oz followed a different path to Winfrey’s audience. Gayle King introduced the heart surgeon to Winfrey, who said she appreciated his ability to make complicated medical subjects accessible.
“He explained practical things like colon cancer and bowel movements,” Winfrey said. “I thought he had the language for explaining medical things in a way that was helpful to me. I thought it would be helpful to many other people.”
“The Dr. Oz Show” debuted in 2009, and Oz later entered politics and government. Trump appointed him to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2025 after previously placing him on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.
Winfrey, meanwhile, endorsed Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election and spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
For Winfrey, the political differences do not change why she originally gave both men their platforms.
“At the time, the reason and intention behind me giving them their breaks was I thought they had valuable information to share that had been meaningful to me.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Oprah to Close Leadership Academy Boarding School
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
