Dr. Phil McGraw’s former publicist alleges humiliating antigay insults and discrimination. He’s suing

A former publicist for TV therapist Dr. Phil McGraw says the talk show host fired him because he is gay.

Jerry Sharell filed a lawsuit against McGraw and Envoy Media alleging discrimination. In the complaint, Sharell alleges that McGraw, best known as the host of Dr. Phil Primetime, put him on an extended hiatus and excluded him when McGraw relocated staff from Los Angeles to Texas to launch Envoy Media.

The lawsuit, The Dallas Morning News reports, also alleges that McGraw insulted Sharell during meetings because of his sexuality. The complaint recounts one instance in which McGraw noticed Sharell reviewing emails on his phone and told the group, “Jeez, he’s gayer than a fruit basket and not listening.”

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But the greatest insult, Sharell alleged, came when McGraw relocated more than a dozen staff members to the Fort Worth, Texas, area, leaving him behind. Sharell said several pieces of evidence led him to conclude that he was intentionally excluded because he was gay.

“The realization that [McGraw] did not want him present in the building or attending meetings with… executives who would be partnering with Merit Street Media was both deeply hurtful and confusing,” the complaint states, calling the rejection a “gut punch.”

McGraw’s attorney denied that Sharell’s hiatus was discriminatory or intended to be permanent.

“Jerry Sharell was put on hiatus over the summer as is common in this industry, especially with a media startup," Chip Babcock, McGraw’s attorney, said in a statement to the Morning News. "He was not fired for any reason and certainly not because of his sexual orientation."

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McGraw’s representatives also argued that such discrimination would be out of character for him. Over the years, his show has featured LGBTQ+ celebrities and addressed issues such as high suicide rates among queer youth. He has frequently hosted guests who discuss the transgender experience and its effects on families. But he has also openly undermined discussions about minors’ access to gender-affirming care and other issues important to the LGBTQ+ community.

McGraw has also aligned himself with President Donald Trump. In January 2025, he accompanied Trump border czar Tom Homan and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during arrests in Chicago, filmed the operation for MeritTV and questioned at least one detained man on camera. McGraw later reported from an ICE field office during June 2025 raids in Los Angeles, although his network said he did not accompany agents during those arrests. In June, McGraw joined Trump in the Oval Office for the release of findings of the White House Religious Liberty Commission.

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McGraw launched Merit Street Media in Texas in partnership with Trinity Broadcasting Network, the nation’s largest Christian broadcaster. The venture failed, and McGraw sued Trinity, alleging sabotage. The Morning News reported that Sharell often served as McGraw's spokesperson during coverage of the subsequent bankruptcy proceedings.

But Sharell said the fallout came when McGraw launched Envoy Media and downgraded him to a contractor, costing him 30 percent of his pay and benefits — a loss of $12,000 a month. While McGraw’s attorney said Sharell was merely placed on a summer hiatus, Sharell alleges he also faced discrimination in the office. In one incident described in the complaint, an employee pointed at a photo of Sharell and said, “There’s too many of THEM around here. And it’s evil.”