HEY Dr. Phil, that splash you just heard was Oprah tossing you and your son Jay McGraw, overboard.
Details yesterday were scarce about Oprah Winfrey creating a health-related talk show for her favorite doctor, New York heart surgeon Mehmet Oz.
But the new show – slated to debut in the fall of 2009 – appears to be a direct rival to “The Doctors,” a new syndicated show slated for next fall that will be produced by the McGraws.
McGraw, was, of course, discovered and groomed by Oprah in 2002 for his own show in exactly the same fashion as Oz is being prepped this year for daytime TV stardom.
The charismatic cardiologist has been appearing every week on Oprah’s No. 1-rated talk-show since last fall – getting viewers familiar with him and his no-nonsense bedside manner.
Officials at Oprah’s production company, Harpo, yesterday declined to comment, though they did not deny the Oz show was in the works.
Still TV professionals were surprised by the news.
“It’s mystifying,” said MediaWeek’s Marc Berman yesterday. “This certainly can be seen as diluting the audience for ‘The Doctors.’
“But Oprah has clout,” he said. “If she wants to put a show on TV, she will.”
Dr. Phil’s afternoon show is part-owned by Oprah – but “The Doctors” is being made totally by McGraw’s own production company without the help or profit participation of Harpo.
“The Doctors” is slatted to air on Ch. 2 here in New York, probably in the morning.
Winfrey and Harpo officials have reportedly been meeting with potential distributors for the new Dr. Oz show, according to the industry trade magazine, Broadcasting & Cable.
Apparently, the conflict with “The Doctors” will mean that she has to find a new distributor for the Oz show besides CBS, the longtime syndicator of “Oprah,” as well as “Dr. Phil” and Oprah’s other daytime series, “Rachel Ray.” CBS is handling “The Doctors.”
A CBS spokeswoman says neither Winfrey nor Harpo has contacted CBS about the Dr. Oz show.