Dr. Phil Isn't Apologizing Over Spears

[January 22, 2008]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Dr. Phil" McGraw said Monday on his syndicated talk show that he isn't sorry for trying to help Britney Spears while she was hospitalized after a standoff in which she refused to return her two young sons to her ex-husband's bodyguard.

McGraw said he had planned to do a show on Spears' troubles before she was hospitalized Jan 3. Furthermore, he said Spears' mother, Lynne, had planned to participate.

He said they never intended to have Spears on the show, and they certainly never discussed staging an intervention with Spears.

He said he does not apologize for reaching out to a friend, and has been friends with the Spears family since 2006.

Lou Taylor, a business manager for Spears' mother and the pop star's younger sister, Jamie Lynn, appeared on NBC's "Today" show Jan. 9 and said McGraw had betrayed the family's trust by talking to the media about Spears' mental health after showing up at the 26-year-old pop star's room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for a visit.

McGraw acknowledged Monday that he released a statement to the media about meeting with Spears to quell any rumors. He said he never disclosed what happened in that meeting, nor will he ever.

Taylor said the syndicated TV psychologist broached the idea of the show to Spears' handlers, who eventually decided that such a show would be "detrimental" to the family.

Mental health professionals also have criticized McGraw, saying he went too far by showing up at Spears' hospital room as she was about to be discharged.

Spears was hospitalized after a child custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline resulted in an hours-long standoff with police. A court commissioner later gave sole physical and legal custody of 1-year-old Jayden James and 2-year-old Sean Preston to Federline.

[Associated Press; By AMY LORENTZEN]

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