Former co-host of “The Doctors,” Dr. Ian Smith, has escalated allegations of racism against the medical talk show by filing a lawsuit. The complaint, lodged on Monday, names distributor ViacomCBS, production company Stage 29 Productions, Jay McGraw (son of Dr. Phil and head of Stage 29 Productions), and executive producer Patty Ciano.
Dr. Ian Smith, who is Black, alleges unlawful termination and details instances of racial discrimination and sexual harassment during his time on the show. Hired in 2013 for the sixth season, Dr. Smith claims he was not invited back for the seventh season after raising concerns about discriminatory practices he witnessed and experienced.
According to the lawsuit, the issues raised by Dr. Smith included disparities in airtime and compensation between African-American and white hosts. He also pointed out the underrepresentation of African-American hosts in integration segments and the insufficient number of African-American producers on staff.
In 2020, Patty Ciano approached Dr. Ian Smith to potentially become the solo host, particularly in the wake of George Floyd’s killing and the ensuing civil unrest. The lawsuit states that Dr. Smith explicitly addressed his previous concerns about racial issues and unfair treatment of African-American hosts. He conditioned his return on assurances that such conduct would not be repeated.
Ciano reportedly assured Dr. Ian Smith that significant positive changes had occurred, promising fair treatment and the absence of discriminatory behavior. Despite these assurances, Dr. Smith claims that Ciano continued to disregard his diversity concerns upon his return. When Dr. Smith suggested potential Black producers to enhance diversity, Ciano allegedly responded that it wasn’t a priority and that budget constraints prevented further hires, stating, “I don’t think that’s important right now. We have you as the host. That’s what matters. Besides, I really don’t have the budget to hire any more producers.” However, the lawsuit alleges that Ciano subsequently hired more white producers just two weeks after citing budgetary limitations.
Adding to the claims, Dr. Ian Smith also accuses Ciano of sexual harassment, alleging inappropriate comments about his physique and suggestions to wear tighter clothing to accentuate his muscles. Dr. Smith states he filed an anonymous complaint regarding these issues, but CBS allegedly concluded an internal investigation finding no misconduct.
Furthermore, Dr. Smith claims he directly confronted Ciano about “racist discriminatory statements” made about him by other producers during Zoom meetings. He states that Ciano dismissed these incidents as producers merely “venting about their bosses” after long work weeks. Ultimately, Dr. Ian Smith was terminated and replaced by Dr. Drew Ordon, who is white.
Earlier in the year, similar accusations against Ciano and “The Doctors” surfaced from former co-host Dr. Rachael Ross. Dr. Ross described a “toxic” work environment and recounted instances of harassment from Ciano regarding her hair. She reported these issues to HR, warning of potential reputational damage for the show concerning minority employment. Dr. Ross stated she was “basically forced out” and her contract was not renewed.
In response to Dr. Ross’s allegations, Ciano denied the claims, stating she was “devastated” by the “unfounded and shocking allegations” and affirmed her commitment to diverse talent and inclusive storytelling. A spokesperson for the show further refuted the allegations as “baseless” and “inaccurate.” As of the report, there has been no response from “The Doctors” or its representatives regarding Dr. Ian Smith’s lawsuit.
