Sgt. Pepper gave me a speeding ticket once.
There really is a Doctor Docter. We used to drive past his office.
Hee…my brother went to a Catholic college whose dean was named Father Christian.
I once knew a Dr. Doctor who was a dentist.
I also know a Mr. Plumber who is a roofer.
Reminds me of a Kids in the Hall had a sketch where there was a guy wholly unsuited to practice law but felt he had to, as his given name was Mr. District Attorney 
Did he have a sister?
Bad Otto. You should be banned for making me remember Night Ranger.
I think they’re both “qualified” to do what they do by virtue of training and experience.
I think Dr. Phil is a sham. Is that really how therapy works? You go in, he tells you if you’re right or wrong, then you go your way and sin no more? It’s all patched up in an hour? I can’t imagine the psychological community endorses him.
Worse, the last few times I saw him, he’d end by saying something like, “But that’s just my opinion…you can do what you like.” So wtf are they listening to him for? He’s distancing himself from his own professional opinion?
I can’t stand Judge Judy and IMO it’s about her posturing for the camera.
If I remember correctly it went something like this.
Incompetent Judge: Just because your name is Mr. District Attorney doesn’t mean you should be the district attorney.
DA: But my name isn’t “Mr. District Attorney” people just call be that because I’m the district attorney!
Marc
Sorry, friedo. I have this stigma and I simply cannot see these people as professionals. They are nothing more than clowns in a circus. I guess I shoulda phrased my question like such to see if others in the Cafe feel the same way.
Yeah, people should just unlax about the fraudulent use of honorifics.
Cheers,
Fear Itself, Esq.
They both probably make a lot more money on TV than they could simply practicing their profession normally. So you have to suspect that they tailor what they say for the camera, to maintain ratings. That in itself should call their actions into question in the eyes of their professional community.
I admit that I rarely see day-time TV, but what I have seen looks like a sham to me. They have to hype it up. Why would anyone care about some small claims case of a complete stranger? As for psychology, it’s complicated, and takes a lot more time than a half-hour TV show. I doubt anyone watches Dr. Phil for their own benefit–it’s pure voyeurism and schadenfreude, pandering to bored people who’ve forgotten how to read.
If you listen to Dr. Laura, you’ll notice that she accepts calls only from people who have a situation that she can moralize about, and put the caller down from her high horse. She doesn’t accept callers who’re in a morally ambivalent situation. She caters to those listeners who delight in her brow-beating.
Whether these people have real degrees or not, they’re still bringing down their professions for personal bucks.
Then there’s this other guy who doesn’t even claim any credentials. He just gets somebody on his show who has done something bad, and then gets in the person’s face, berating him, with lots of close-ups. The audience eats it up. Idiots.
Regardless of any degrees they may or may not have, I can’t take seriously somebody who combines an honorific with their given name.