Charlatan shrink Dr. Phil McGraw has come under fire after an attempted cover-up of an employee’s shocking suicide.
Staffers on his show were told that transcriber Christopher Reilly, 37, died in his sleep when he’d actually hanged himself in his Newport Beach, Calif., apartment back in 2004.
Dr. Phil McGraw
A show source said at the time, “It’s a disgrace the way his death was swept under the rug. They carried on like nothing happened, and they weren’t up front about how he died. Dr. Phil’s in the business of saving and helping troubled people and the least he could do now is a show about how to be aware of a depressed colleague and maybe save a life.”
“Even if Chris had wanted to approach Dr. Phil, he’d have felt it nearly impossible. Dr. Phil is so aloof. His 30 transcribers work in a basement and he’s upstairs. Phil’s never even popped in to say hi,” the source claimed.
Reilly’s former girlfriend, Irena Studnicka of Novi, Mich., said at the time, “Chris had deep-seated problems. That’s why we broke up last summer. But he was excited about getting a job on the show. I’m sure if he’d spoken to Dr. Phil he could have helped Chris. I’m amazed Dr. Phil’s people said he died in his sleep when he hanged himself.”
“He didn’t kill himself because of me, he had other problems,” she said. “We lived together for two years. I knew he was depressed, but he would never open up to me about why.”
Studnicka said she contacted Reilly’s parents after his death and they were “devastated.” She added, “While they’re not blaming Dr. Phil, Chris’ dad said, ‘ I don’t believe in his 30-second solutions.'”
“It’s sort of ironic that Dr. Phil wants to help people. Chris needed help, but he never reached out and they never connected.”
The show source claimed Dottie Barnett, who headed the transcription department, told Reilly’s colleagues he’d died in his sleep. When contacted at the time, Barnett insisted, “I don’t know how Christopher died.” After Barnett was told sources said she’d informed staffers he’d died in his sleep, she said, “Really? Hmmm.”
Dr. Phil spokesman Louis DiCenzo said at the time, “We have no comment.”
The Orange County, Calif., Coroner’s Office said Reilly committed suicide by hanging on March 7 and was found two days later. Said the show source, “Chris seemed like a nice guy. He worked the late shift. He never conveyed he was depressed. It’s shameful his manager told his colleagues Chris died in his sleep. Why whitewash this tragedy? Why not come clean about a real life tragedy? That’s what the show’s about.”
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