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Oprah Winfrey is responding to criticism over her decision decades ago to give television personalities Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. Mehmet Oz platforms on her long-running talk show.
In an interview with Emmy Magazine published Tuesday, Aug. 11, Winfrey, 72, reflected on how both men became regular guests on The Oprah Winfrey Show. McGraw, now 75, first appeared on the program in 1998, while Oz, 66, made his debut in 2004.
"People criticize me for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, because of their politics or their views," Winfrey said.
She explained that her relationship with McGraw began during a 1998 libel case. Winfrey said McGraw supported her throughout the six-week trial and would ride with her to court each morning.
She recalled being impressed by his practical and down-to-earth approach and believing that his perspective could benefit others. That experience eventually led her to invite him onto her show.
Winfrey said her introduction to Oz came through her longtime friend Gayle King. She remembered being impressed by the way he explained complicated medical topics, including colon cancer and digestive health, in language she could easily understand.
"I thought it would be helpful to many other people," she explained, describing that as the reason she brought him onto the program.
Both men eventually went on to host their own television programs and build careers separate from Winfrey's show. In more recent years, however, their political positions have drawn renewed attention. Both have become supporters of President Donald Trump. Trump later appointed Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, while McGraw became a member of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission and has been involved in coverage of immigration enforcement operations.
Addressing the criticism, Winfrey emphasized that the decisions she made at the time were based on what she believed the two men could contribute.
"Everybody has their own path in life," she said, adding that their later choices were separate from her own.
Elsewhere in the interview, Winfrey discussed her wealth and the success of her talk show. She said she became a billionaire by betting on herself and recalled eventually gaining a 92 percent ownership stake in the program after initially holding 35 percent.
Winfrey said many people, particularly men who doubted the show's potential, never expected it to achieve the level of success it ultimately reached.
