ViacomCBS and the production company co-founded by TV doctor Phil McGraw are facing allegations of racism on the medical show, âThe Doctors.â
On Monday, the showâs former host, Dr. Ian Smith, filed a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging race discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.
Smith, who is Black, alleged that he was subjected to racially insensitive remarks and that producers were dismissive of his complaints about the lack of diversity among the staff and guests who appeared on the syndicated show.
According to the complaint, the top producer brushed off Smithâs concerns about diversity, saying: âWe have you as the host. Thatâs what matters.â
ViacomCBS and the
production company co-founded by TV doctor Phil McGraw are facing allegations of racism on the medical show, “The Doctors.”
On Monday, the show’s former host, Dr. Ian Smith, filed a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging race discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.
Smith, who is Black, alleged that he was subjected to racially insensitive remarks and that producers were dismissive of his complaints about the lack of diversity among the staff and guests who appeared on the syndicated show.
According to the complaint, the top producer brushed off Smith’s concerns about diversity, saying: “We have you as the host. That’s what matters.”
Smith alleges toxic workplace behavior in a complaint filed last week
Reid Nakamura | July 19, 2021 @ 3:22 PM
CBS Media Ventures
Ian Smith, the former host of the syndicated daytime talk show “The Doctors,” has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New York State Division of Human Rights alleging racial discrimination and retaliation on the part of ViacomCBS and the show’s producers.
Smith, who was named as the sole host of the show in a drastic reformatting last August, claims his efforts to make the show more inclusive were repeatedly rebuffed by white producers until he was terminated in early January and replaced by a white host.