It's been a harrowing few months for the world of entertainment and politics, as allegations of sexual misconduct have come to light, leading to the end of many formerly powerful men's careers. Now talk show host Dr. Phil has a scandal of its own, although it's not related to sexual impropriety. Instead, one four time guest of the show and recovering alcoholic is maintaining that the show provided him with booze backstage. And that guest, Survivor: China winner Todd Herzog, has just come out to accuse the Dr. Phil Show staff of taking advantage of him, and potentially putting his life in risk.
Todd Herzog blew the whistle on the Dr. Phil Show in an expose by Stat News. After sobering up for two days before his first appearance on the show, Herzog claims that his dressing room contained a liter of vodka, all of which he imbibed while unsupervised in the room before taping. What resulted was him being too intoxicated to even walk, having to be physically escorted on stage by Dr. Phil himself. Herzog also alleges that another staffer gave him a Xanax for his nerves, with the combination of liquor and drugs potentially deadly under the wrong circumstances.
While Dr. Phil hasn't made a statement personally, another staffer has. Martin Greenberg, the show's Director of professional affairs, has called Todd Herzog's allegations "absolutely, unequivocally untrue", instead pivoting the blame back to Herzog, and claiming the Survivor winner is capable of lying and misleading others. He said,
Addicts are notorious for lying, deflecting and trivializing. But, if they are at risk when they arrive, then they were at risk before they arrived. The only change is they are one step closer to getting help, typically help they could not have even come close to affording.
Alas, Todd Herzog isn't the only Dr. Phil guest to come forward regarding these types of allegations. Two guests who dealt with substance abuse were reportedly encouraged to leave their hotel to find drugs. These are just more claims that have been denied by the Dr. Phil camp, and it's unclear if any sort of investigation will be made by either the network or the series itself.
Todd Herzog captured America's hearts when he competed on the 15th season of the popular CBS reality competition series Survivor. He showed a keen strategic mind at a young age, and provided plenty of humorous sound bits in producer interviews. He'd ultimately win Survivor: China, after one of the most masterful Final Tribal Council performances the show has ever seen. Unfortunately, it appears this win would contribute to his struggle with alcoholism, resulting in him wasting the $1 Million prize.
We'll be sure to update you as any more details are revealed. Dr. Phil currently airs weekdays on CBS, and Survivor airs new seasons Wednesday evenings. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch, and our cancellation list to see if your favorite show got the chop this year.
