D R. PHIL MCGRAW is being blasted for continuing to film Dina Lohan as she suffered a meltdown during a Sept. 17 appearance on his daytime talk show.
In an exclusive ENQUIRER interview, former child star Paul Petersen, who played the adorable Jeff Stone on “The Donna Reed Show” and now works as an industry activist, slammed the TV doc for allowing Lindsay Lohan’s troubled mom to fall apart on national television.
“The man is a doctor. He can tell the signs of intoxication, yet he didn’t do anything,” Petersen fumed. “He exploited her!”
Throughout the interview, Dina avoided Dr. Phil’s questions and exhibited bizarre behavior, including breaking into sobs and at one point making an obscene hand gesture! She was reportedly paid $50,000 for her appearance.
Petersen says she was “obviously impaired” and that, as a doctor, McGraw had an obligation to stop the interview and offer help.
“The trouble is for him, celebrities of any stripe are considered fair game,” said Petersen. “It’s all about ratings.”
This isn’t the first time 50-year-old Dina has drawn attention for all the wrong reasons. She’s been heavily criticized for turning a blind eye to daughter Lindsay’s well-publicized years of drug and alcohol abuse that helped land her in prison.
Petersen, 67, founded a support group, A Minor Consideration, to improve working conditions for child actors. He’s also done interventions for those in crisis from drug or alcohol abuse.
The actor called Dina’s interview “excruciating to watch,” and blasted talk hosts as “scavengers.”
Despite his criticisms, Petersen did have praise for one former talk-show icon – Geraldo Rivera.
“He actually paid for rehabilitation for those guests who were clearly in need.”
