Dr. Phil's longtime publicist is suing him over claims of wrongful termination and discrimination

Key Points:

• Jerry Sharell, longtime publicist for Dr. Phil, has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination and discrimination based on his sexual orientation after being excluded from McGraw’s move to Dallas and later put on hiatus.
• Sharell claims he was excluded from the Merit Street Media team relocation due to being openly homosexual and faced a hostile work environment, including derogatory comments and religious pressures linked to the network's Christian affiliation.
• The lawsuit comes amid ongoing legal and financial troubles for Dr. Phil’s media ventures, including Merit Street Media's bankruptcy and accusations of evidence destruction, which McGraw denies.
• Envoy Media, McGraw’s new company, disputes Sharell’s claims, stating the hiatus was a common industry practice and denying any discrimination, with legal counsel emphasizing Sharell’s breach of a contractual arbitration agreement.
• Sharell alleges that after the transition from Merit Street to Envoy Media, his status changed to independent contractor with reduced benefits and compensation, and he was uniquely targeted for financial cutbacks despite his decade-long service.