Dr. Oz Tells Critics: 'Public Shaming and Bullying Me Is Not How It Should Be Done'

Don't mess with Dr. Oz!

On Thursday, Dr. Oz used his show to take aim at the doctors who have called for his removal from the Columbia University faculty. As pictures of eight of the 10 MDs appeared on screen (two boxes featured question marks in place of images), the TV star/cardiac surgeon showed that he believes the best defense is a good offense.

"The 10 doctors who attacked me got what they intended: sensational headlines and sound bytes. I've long believed that doctors should never fight their battles, or each other, in public — but now I believe, I must," he lamented before adding, "They went as far as to call me a quack."

The host revealed that he hired investigative reporter, Elisabeth Leamy, to help him "learn who these doctors really are." With a solemn expression, he continued, "She uncovered some surprising hidden connections. Now it is ironic that I'm being accused of a conflict of interest by these doctors, when, as you're about to see, some of them have their own conflict of interest issues, and some integrity ones also."

Dramatic music swelled as a female voiceover set the stage: "Ten doctors all with one agenda, but what you don't know — several of these doctors who signed the letter asking Columbia University to fire Dr. Oz have big ties to big industry."

First on the chopping block was Dr. Henry Miller, who the special report painted as a talking head for just about all things evil. The report cited his support of genetically modified foods (which Dr. Oz argues should be labeled), his pro-tobacco stance in the 1990s, and his involvement now with the American Council on Science and Health, which, according to the narrator, is "in favor of cigarettes, pesticides, GMO foods and more."

In case the point wasn't hammered home enough just yet, Gary Ruskin, Executive Director of something called U.S. Right to Know, went on camera and said, "What Henry Miller does is he speaks on behalf of big corporations who have big trouble and he tells big lies on their behalf."

Next up was Dr. Gilbert Ross, whose picture flashed on screen with the phrase "convicted felon" stamped across it. "While working as a doctor, Ross was charged in a Medicare scheme that cost the state of New York $8 million in all. Ross was sentenced to nearly 4 years and served time in federal prison," the narrator explained. Lisa Graves, of sourcewatch.org, added that when Ross was on trial, "The judge said [he] was a highly untrustworthy individual. Those were his exact words."

The findings then turned to doctors Jack Fisher and Glenn Swogger, both of whom are allegedly also connected to ACSH (that previously mentioned group that's pro-cigarettes, pesticides, and GMOs).

The fifth and final doctor to be named specifically was Scott Atlas, who allegedly worked with Henry Miller at the Hoover Institution, which "has taken money from companies that produce genetically modified foods."

Having lambasted five of his 10 critics (we assume he didn't find any dirt on the others), Dr. Oz addressed viewers directly.

"Public shaming and bullying me is not how it should be done," he began. "I know I've irritated some potential allies in our quest to make America healthy, but no matter our disagreements, freedom of speech is the most fundamental right we have as Americans and these 10 doctors are trying to silence that right, so I vow right here, right now: We will not be silenced. We will not give in."

Earlier in the day, his daughter, Daphne Oz, made a statement on her show as well — she's pregnant! The Chew co-host revealed that she and her husband are expecting their second child during a segment in which she had to reveal a secret about herself. "This may or may not be something you know about me," she teased before holding up a sign that read, "I'm Pregnant."

Despite this joyful news, however, today Grandpa Oz remained focused on discrediting his critics. The famous MD closed his show by recapping "the attack" on him led "by special interest groups, including an ex felon who served time in prison and a doctor who has ties to the cigarette industry." So, just in case anyone missed that the first (and second) time around: His critics include people who love tobacco, pesticides, genetically modified foods, and have been in the slammer.

"Who should you believe?" the female voice asked viewers. "You be the judge."

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/video/chews-daphne-oz-pregnant-baby-132738211.html