Dr. Phil Accused in Publicist’s Discrimination and Termination Lawsuit

Jerry Sharell, Dr. Phil McGraw’s longtime publicist, filed a Los Angeles Superior Court suit alleging wrongful termination and discrimination after relocating to Dallas to launch Merit Street Media; he claims he was excluded for being openly homosexual and later placed on hiatus with reduced benefits as Merit Street and its Envoy Media venture faced bankruptcy and restructuring, while McGraw’s representatives deny the allegations and say the matter will be vigorously defended, with arbitration implicated.