20 Facts That Reveal Who The REAL Dr. Oz Is

Publish date: 2024-08-14

In the world of television, there is now a conscious push towards promoting health and wellness. Leading the charge are some prominent personalities such as Dr. Oz. Dr. Mehmet Oz is known for his ability to dish out advice on several health and medical issues. This is precisely what he does on his famous talk show, “The Dr. Oz Show.”

Prior to becoming a television personality, Dr. Oz. had studied at Harvard University. From there, he went on to study at the University of Pennsylvania School Medicine where he eventually earned his MD. He also obtained an MBA from The Wharton School, according to Biography.

Following his education, Dr. Oz pursued a career as a surgeon and specialized in heart transplants. And over the years, he rose to fame as a heart surgeon who also promotes complementary medicine. Meanwhile, he’s also become an author and radio host.

And although you may watch him regularly, you might not be aware of certain facts that reveal who the real Dr. Oz is. Check out what we found:

20 In The Beginning, His Wife Mistook Him For A Waiter

When Dr. Oz first met his wife, Lisa, the moment instantly became awkward. Apparently, the two were somewhat set up by their parents. Dr. Oz’s father and Lisa’s dad decided to go out to dinner with their children in tow. However, Lisa didn’t know who Dr. Oz was. She told Yahoo Lifestyle, “I thought he was the maître d’. Wow, that waiter is so hot.”

19 He Proposed To His Wife With Trash

The way that Dr. Oz proposed to his wife was in the heat of the moment. He recalled to Yahoo Lifestyle, “We dated for about seven months, and then we got into a big fight, and I realized I couldn’t live my life without Lisa.” And then, Dr. Oz proceeded to chase her down the street and propose to her using a tab from an aluminum can. He said that he then told her, “It’s not much, but I’ll make something out of this. Let me marry you.”

18 He And His Wife Set Up An Oz Olympics For Their Family

To help keep their four children in shape when they were younger, Dr. Oz and his wife decided to create the Oz Olympics. It also helped highlight the kids’ individual abilities. Lisa told Shape, “Some were better at throwing balls, some were faster at running. So Mehmet developed game-like competitions where each child could win a medal. That's how we spent many evenings when they were little.”

17 Dr. Oz Likes To Renew His Marriage Every Seven Years

Dr. Oz is one husband who likes to renew his vows as regularly as possible. And for him and wife, that means doing it every seven years. During an interview with People, he explained, “Every seven years you have to reinvent the relationship – this is true not just for marriage, it’s true for work and other friendships – but especially in a marriage.”

16 He’s Got Serious Connections With Baseball Pros

While speaking with Us Weekly, Dr. Oz said, “I transplanted Frank Torre, brother of Yankee manager Joe Torre, just before the 1996 World Series. I got to ride in the Ticker Tape Parade after they won.” Last year, Dr. Oz also participated in the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game during the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.

15 He Has A Pretty Sizable Net Worth

According to estimates from the website Celebrity Net Worth, Dr. Oz has a net worth of around $30 million. Meanwhile, he is said to receive a salary of $8 million. If you must know, “The Dr. Oz Show” is an Emmy-winning show. In fact, in 2018, the show secured its 5th Daytime Emmy for talk show informative.” It also marked the show’s tenth win total. And if this trend continues, you can expect Dr. Oz’s net worth to increase even more.

14 He And His Wife Were Caught Fighting On Video

Lisa once told Oprah.com, “I once saw a video of a family vacation that captured a fight Mehmet and I were having in the background. I was so horrified by my venomous tone, I quickly erased the tape—but seeing that fight is still having a positive impact on our relationship.”

13 He Employs Reiki In The Operating Room

According to the International Association of Reiki Professionals, “Occasionally, Oz even invites Reiki masters into his operating room, allowing them to tend to patients undergoing precarious surgeries like heart transplants. Drawing on viable unseen energies, Reiki masters like Pamela Miles and Julie Motz have melded their expertise with Oz’s mastery as a heart surgeon.”

12 He Warned Viewers About Arsenic In Apple Juice But Said His Kids Can Keep Drinking It

In 2011, Dr. Oz came under fire for alleging that several brands of apple juice contained dangerous levels of arsenic. According to CBS News, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded with a statement saying, “There is no evidence of any public health risk from drinking these juices. And FDA has been testing them for years.” Meanwhile, Dr. Oz later told Associated Press that he still wouldn’t hesitate to give his children apple juice.

At one point in his show, Dr. Oz. made a claim that some imported olive oil available in U.S. supermarkets may be fake. In particular, he claimed that “[A] shocking 80% of the extra virgin olive oil that you buy every day in your supermarket isn’t the real deal,” according to Forbes. In response, the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) filed a lawsuit against the doctor. Eventually, however, the suit was dismissed.

10 Physicians Demanded For His Dismissal From Columbia University

In 2015, 10 doctors sent a letter to Columbia University, accusing Dr. Oz of “an egregious lack of integrity.” According to CBS News, the letter claimed, “Dr. Oz has repeatedly shown disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine, as well as baseless and relentless opposition to the genetic engineering of food crops. Worst of all, he has manifested an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain.”

9 Throughout His Controversies, Oprah Winfrey Kept Supporting Him

While speaking with People at the HealthCorps Annual Gala in New York City, Dr. Oz. said, “Oprah’s a very supportive woman. She’s very mothering.” He added, “She said, ‘You’re not unique, it’s part of the experience of life.’” As you may know, Winfrey had helped popularize Dr. Oz. Moreover, during an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” he was also referred to as “America’s doctor.”

8 He Met Oprah While Working On A Documentary

During a chat on ESPN’s SportsNation, Dr. Oz recalled, “Oprah came on my documentary series entitled "Second Opinion" on Discovery Channel. She had confidence that America wanted to know more about our bodies, if we had the right messenger, so she helped me evolve into a better teacher.” Since then, they’ve continued working together.

7 He Once Made It Clear That His Show Is Not A Medical Show

The show’s title may have the world “doctor” in it, but Dr. Oz himself said it is anything but a medical show. While speaking to NBC News, he explained, “We very purposely, on the logo, have 'Oz' as the middle, and the 'Doctor' is actually up in the little bar for a reason. I want folks to realize that I'm a doctor, and I'm coming into their lives to be supportive of them. But it's not a medical show.”

6 He Claimed That Chickpeas And Dark Chocolate Can Fight Anxiety

In 2017, Dr. Oz tweeted a link to an article claiming that seven foods, including dark chocolate and chickpeas, can fight anxiety. In response, an op-ed on Forbes stated, “It might seem harmless at first glance, but suggesting that anxiety disorders can be treated with food is irresponsible—these disorders affect millions of Americans and are often debilitating.”

5 He Claimed That Green Coffee Extract Has Weight Loss ‘Magic’

In 2012, Dr. Oz aired a segment entitled “Green Coffee Bean Extract: The Fat Burner That Works” where he declared, “This miracle pill can burn fat fast, for anyone who wants to lose weight.” The problem was he based this declaration on a dubious study, one that only involved 16 people, according to Forbes. Because of this, Dr. Oz came under harsh criticism.

4 He Enjoys Endorsing Weight Loss Supplements

Over the years, Dr. Oz has endorsed a number of weight loss supplements on his show. He promoted raspberry ketones, which he hailed as “a number one miracle in a bottle to burn your fat.” At one point, he also endorsed FBCx. He claimed that this is “basically a fiber and we know that fiber when taken correctly is a very effective weight loss tool.”

3 His Weight Loss Supplement Claims Made Him The Subject Of A Congressional Hearing

During the congressional hearing, Senator Claire McCaskill told him, “I can’t figure this out, Dr. Oz - I don’t get why you need to say this stuff when you know it’s not true.” In response, Dr. Oz explained, “I recognize they don’t have the scientific muster to present as fact but nevertheless I would give my audience the advice I give my family all the time, and I have given my family these products.”

2 He Was Sued For His Weight Loss Supplement Claims

In 2016, Dr. Oz’s weight loss supplement claims made him the target of a class action lawsuit. According to the website Top Class Actions, the lawsuit stated, “As a renowned surgeon at Columbia University with specialized medical and scientific knowledge, Dr. Oz knew that the claims he was making about the supplements being ‘miracle fat busters’ were patently false or misleading consumers.” It was later settled.

1 He Did Come Clean About The Weight Loss Supplement Issue, But Blamed His Marketers Too

While speaking with Fox News, Dr. Oz said, “I wish I’d never used the laudatory terms I used for weight loss supplements. That was the big mistake I think we all acknowledge. I stopped doing that a long time ago, over a year ago.” He later added, “I never wanted my messages to be hijacked by marketers on the web that are stealing my name and likeness and trying to sell you products.”

Source: Forbes, Yahoo Lifestyle, Oprah.com, NBC News

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