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Is Dr. Phil complicit in child abuse?The show had solicited the videotape with physical discipline after rejecting an earlier submission that had Beagley merely yelling at her child.Now that an Anchorage jury has ruled that Jessica Beagley, the so-called “hot sauce mom,” is guilty of child abuse, there are questions are about the ethics of the Dr. Phil show. The show had solicited the videotape with physical discipline after rejecting an earlier submission that had Beagley merely yelling at her child. Municipal prosecutor Cynthia Franklin said after the verdict yesterday that the videotaping -- for the purpose of gaining a spot on national television -- was in fact the child abuse committed by Beagley. But Franklin declined comment on whether the show's producers have any culpability for inciting child abuse. Whatever the legal analysis on that might be, some people around the country are looking askance at the show's MO. Last November, the show included video of Beagley putting hot sauce in the mouth of her 7-year-old son and forcing him to take a cold shower. On Tuesday, Beagley was convicted of misdemeanor child abuse. But a spokesman for the Dr. Phil show declined to comment on the program's role in the incident, referring CBS 11 to a statement it issued earlier this year: "When dealing with family dynamics, we routinely accept home videos or ask guests to videotape naturally occurring behaviors and interactions, in order to gain insight into what is happening. "We were shocked by what we saw, and called for the immediate halting of this behavior and also referred, at the show's expense, both mother and child for evaluation and treatment with appropriate professionals." But some observers are not buying it. One of them is Eric Deggans, a media critic for the St. Petersburg Times and National Public Radio. "Is the show sort of urging people to damage themselves even more just so they can get on television, and then if they actually do get on television, are viewers being presented with a scenario that is faked or forced or untrue? And I think those are the two ethical problems you run into, the places where the show crosses an ethical line." And Jim Hmurovich, the president of Chicago-based Prevent Child Abuse America goes even further in spreading the blame -- to the corporate sponsors of Dr. Phil and ultimately to the country. "Why would people want to see a show like that where a child is basically hurt? I think it's an issue of both ethics -- which i'm not an ethicist and I'm not the best person in the world to address that -- but one of common sense. I think people should be asking themselves, 'why do I even want to watch a show like that?' " Beagley has been convicted, but the question is how many others are culpable. |
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Just me said on Saturday, Sep 3 at 5:30 PM
Doubt Phil is even a doctor. Just a name he gave himself.He is more of a carnival showman.Anything for an audience.Like Oprah..
73352119Attorney said on Monday, Aug 29 at 4:44 PM
The show is complicit. The D.A. should charge them.
73092638Mike said on Thursday, Aug 25 at 9:57 AM
As the stand up comic Ron White has said time and time again,"You can't fix stupid". Never video tape anything that could be used in court against you. But besides all that, she and her husband really needs some sort of counseling.
72903742Bobby said on Thursday, Aug 25 at 12:29 AM
Had she used the hot sauce and cold water punishment before? If this was a new punishment TO GET ON the show that is one thing but it is my understanding this is a punishment she had used before so to say she used it just to get on the show is overreaching. The big loser in this whole mess will be the little boy. The biggest loser may well be his well behaved twin brother.
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