Dr. Phil defends intentions with Britney Spears

Nearly a month after he publicized his efforts to counsel pop star Britney Spears, “Dr. Phil” McGraw defended his intentions as non-exploitative.

Given the chance to do it again, McGraw told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer, he would not release a statement about his controversial hospital visit to Spears on Jan. 5.

But when Lauer pressed the syndicated show host on whether he did it for the appeal of good television and even better ratings, McGraw insisted self-promotion was not his intent.

“I can tell you it didn’t cross my mind because we never intended to do a show with Britney at all,” McGraw said. “I was followed into the hospital, I was followed out of the hospital. I didn’t need to draw attention to the fact that I had been there.

“They were taking my picture as I went in and they were taking my picture as I went out. So there was no attempt to stoke the fire at that point.

“If you notice in that statement I said not a word, not one syllable about anything that took place while I was there. Nor will I ever. I don’t think that would be right. And I didn’t say anything in the statement that I haven’t said before and that anybody with common sense doesn’t know.”

Timeline of trouble
The firestorm surrounding McGraw began on Jan. 3 when Spears was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for a psychological evaluation after a child custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

McGraw paid a visit to the pop star two days later, just as she was being released from the hospital, and issued the following statement:

“My meeting with Britney and some of her family members this morning in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention.”

As a groundswell of criticism from the psychiatric community began, McGraw canceled a planned show about Spears’ situation, citing that the situation was “too intense at this time.”

McGraw reiterated to “Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insider” that he went to see Spears on the request of her family, but also told the shows “she needs to be in treatment.”

On Jan. 9, Lou Taylor, a business manager for Spears’ mother, Lynne, and daughter, Jamie Lynn, appeared on the TODAY Show and said McGraw had betrayed the family’s trust by talking to the media about his visit with Britney.

“What’s wrong with Dr. Phil’s statement is that he made a statement,” Taylor told TODAY Show host Meredith Vieira.

“The family basically extended an invitation of trust for him to come in as a resource to support them, not to go out and make public statements. Any statements publicly that he made, because he was brought in under this cloak of trust, are just inappropriate.”

Taylor also denied the family had confirmed to do a show with Dr. Phil.

Last Monday, McGraw took to the air of his syndicated show and softened his defense of the situation — but refused to apologize for trying to help Spears.

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