Dr. Phil has made a lifelong enemy of Oprah Winfrey. According to The National Enquirer, Oprah was and is royally pissed that Dr. Phil scored an exclusive interview with Nadya “OctoMom” Suleman. Oprah was mad because she and her producers were doing some wheeling and dealing behind the scenes, trying to land the exclusive interview. According to sources, she felt “like Phil stole Nadya from under their noses.”

Oprah used to produce Dr. Phil’s show, but is now just a co-owner, so I really wonder at the validity of this report. No doubt, Oprah probably really wanted to interview Nadya. But Dr. Phil got there first, and Oprah was probably happy that a show she co-owns got the exclusive. Oprah has a few bad qualities, but I do think she’s an utter professional, especially with someone like Dr. Phil, who Oprah would probably see as an employee.

The second part of The National Enquirer’s report is that Oprah is trying to “get back” at Phil. How exactly? Oprah has had enough of putting herself on the cover of O Magazine, and she’s decided to put Dr. Phil’s wife Robin on the cover – but she’s not inviting Phil to be a part of it. This might have some vague truth to it. Oprah put Michelle Obama on the cover, she’s promised Ellen DeGeneres a cover, and it would make since to put Robin McGraw on the cover. The same source tells NE, “Oprah has been looking at new ways to tweak Phil – hence the cover offer to Robin.”

A vengeful Oprah Winfrey is striking back at former protégé Dr. Phil after he snared an exclusive with Octo-Mom!

In a chess move designed to heat up their behind-the-scenes feud, she’s approached Phil’s wife Robin McGraw about appearing on the cover of O, The Oprah Magazine.

“Oprah is trying to branch out from putting herself on the cover every issue. She knew offering Robin a spot would rub Phil the wrong way!” a source told The ENQUIRER.

“When Phil heard about it, he asked Robin, ‘They want us both, right? You know, we’re a team.'” When Robin told him that Oprah wanted only her, Phil looked like somebody had just run over his puppy. Later he turned nasty and said Oprah was trying to put him down.”

Oprah launched Dr. Phil’s career by featuring him as a weekly guest on her show, and then produced his talk show starting in 2002. Sources say Oprah still owns a percentage of the Dr. Phil show, although Phil has been producing the show since they parted ways two years ago.

The two recently butted heads when Phil tried to launch his new daytime show The Doctors without telling her – while Oprah prepped her own series Dr. Oz, featuring Dr. Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon who’s a regular on her show.

Then Phil scored exclusive interviews with Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman while Oprah’s staff was still negotiating to get her,” said the source.

“It was like Phil stole Nadya from under their noses,” said the source. “Oprah has been looking at new ways to tweak Phil – hence the cover offer to Robin.”

[From The National Enquirer]

Dr. Oz freaks me out. I can’t watch Oprah when Dr. Oz is on. It seems like his life’s mission is to make people terrified of doing anything, at any time because we’re all going to die. I really hope Dr. Oz’s show crashes and burns… fingers crossed.

Oprah also produces and owns Rachel Ray’s program, so just how many shows will have the Oprah seal of approval in two years time? I wonder why she never offered Paula Deen her own show – Deen is a superior cook to Rachel Ray, and Paula’s got a great, earthy personality. She would make a great talk show hostess, but probably wouldn’t let Oprah treat her like an employee. Maybe that’s my answer!

Images thanks to Fame Pictures and PR Photos.com.