Dr. Oz Claims He's Being 'Canceled' During Senate Campaign

Dr. Mehmet Oz is the latest celebrity complaining of being “canceled” by the media, but what’s really going on? The TV star only recently announced his campaign for a US Senate seat in Pennsylvania but is already coming out swinging against the press.

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‘They Don’t Want To Call Me Doctor Anymore’

In a video he posted to Twitter, Oz holds up a copy of The Philadelphia Inquirer, telling viewers the paper is attempting to “cancel” him. “Last week The Philadelphia Inquirer had me on their front page as ‘Dr. Oz,’” he says. “This morning they just announced, no more doctor, even though I’m a practicing physician. I’m taking care of patients. I’ve done thousands of heart surgeries. They don’t want to call me doctor anymore. I won’t be canceled.”

I won't be canceled. pic.twitter.com/CHF6NwSP9X
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) December 8, 2021

Is Oz actually being “canceled?” All signs point to no. In fact, the Inquirer explained that dropping “Dr.” from his name is simply newspaper policy. “The day after Oz announced his candidacy, the Inquirer’s front-page headline, photo caption, and first sentence all referred to ‘Dr. Oz.’” the paper explained.

“That goes against the paper’s style guide, which reads: ‘Do not use Dr. on first reference for anyone with the title, whether they are a medical doctor or have a doctorate in a nonmedical field, to avoid complaints of unequal treatment from individuals who worked hard to achieve doctorates in nonmedical fields.’ It specifies just two exceptions: obituaries and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” it continued.

The statement published by the paper went on to say that fellow Senate candidate Val Arkoosh is also a medical doctor, but they wouldn’t refer to him as “Dr. Arkoosh” in headlines. “Going forward, the Inquirer determined that it will refer to all candidates in the same way,” the statement said. “Which means that while Oz may be referenced as a celebrity doctor, ‘Dr. Oz’ will be limited to mentions of his TV show…which is now off the air in Philly.”

Oz’s Campaign For Senator

Some are wondering if Oz’s previous career on TV will harm him in the race. He has frequently promoted unproven anti-aging and weight-loss supplements, and was even called before Congress in 2014 to testify about his role in the scam-medicine business.

He told a Senate panel on health and science, “I do personally believe in the items I talk about in the show. I passionately study them. I recognize that oftentimes they don’t have the scientific muster to present as fact.”

The seat Oz is running for was recently vacated by retired Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and he’s facing some stiff competition. There are 12 Democrat candidates and 11 Republicans, including Oz. This race will be important in the two partys’ fight for control of the Senate.