Dr. Phil McGraw will speak at the University of North Texas' doctoral and masters commencement ceremony on Friday. The event is free and open to the public, and will be live-streamed online here.
Presumably, the good doctor will reminisce about his halcyon days at the university, where he got his doctorate in clinical psychology. Perhaps he will quote his own book, Self Matters, wherein (writing in the third person) he reminisced about completing his education:
"...days weeks and months of dealing with a variety of interesting 'emotionally insecure' professors, many of them white-coated Napoleons who were all too eager to wield the power of their petty fiefdoms. Their torments had culminated in that unforgettable final year, when he had walked the halls at school and put in his time at the hospital, armed with a signed letter of resignation on his clipboard, daring just one more anal-retentive, power-hungry, mentor-turned tormentor to say so much as 'boo' to him."It brings a sentimental tear to the eye, don't it?
Evidently all is forgiven on both sides.
Or maybe Dr. Phil needs a little good juju these days, since he's not
nearly as famous as he was a few years ago, when he was famous enough to
make things awfully hard on a couple of well-meaning biographers.
These
days even his fairy godmother, Oprah, has all but washed her hands of
him. When was the last time you heard her mention him on the air? She no
longer produces his show, which is now produced by Peteski Productions
whose president is...Dr. Phil. (Reruns of The Dr. Phil Show air on
Orpah's
new network, OWN.)
One of the doc's "Ten Life Laws"
is "People do what works." Tearing down academia and other
psychologists worked for him a few years ago. Now, maybe, not so much.
Or maybe UNT just met his price.