Draw McGraw
Dr. Phil tells
it like it is
By Stephanie E. Ponder
Phil McGraw is a man
who has been
described as both a
spiritual adviser and a
From the Archives
When this article was originally published in January 2002, Dr. Phil was
just months away from launching his
weekday TV talk show, which has
proved a succesful platform for his
straight-shooting style of “telling
[people] what they need to hear.”
A May 2003 episode featured
Dr. Phil assuming the role of a Costco
employee dealing with member merchandise returns at a warehouse.
self-help guru. But he is quick
to move beyond those labels
and say he is who he is. He
doesn’t feel “real fancy.” He
doesn’t feel like he’s some-
body special. The one thing
he will admit to is being a
good ol’ country boy who’s
