Dr. Phil Settles Naked Man Lawsuit and Other Shady Talk Show Stunts

Two women who lived at the Dr. Phil house for a week in 2007 got the laugh last at the balding talk show host's expense after settling a lawsuit with him. They claimed to be traumatized by a naked man who was sent to the house to provoke a reaction.

Far from calmly offering the naked man a beer or pulling up an extra chair for supper, the women wigged out -- although maybe that shouldn't have been a surprise to the show's producers. The reason the women were on the show was because they had difficulty relating to other people.

Describing her dramatic reaction, plaintiff Crystal Matchett said: "As a naked man ran into the house, I was in shock and total disbelief of what was happening, feeling violated and disgusted. I heard ... Dieu (the other plaintiff) scream, 'How dare you' while covering her eyes and running into the bedroom."

Responding to the women's allegations of fraud, negligent misrepresentation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, Dr. Phil's defense team countered, "This incident was part and parcel of the scenarios being used at the house to focus each of the participants on their ability to tolerate unique individuals and situations, and to resist their own judgmental character."

Or maybe it was just about ratcheting up the ratings? Regardless, the suit was settled out of court today, and both sides are keeping the devilish details a secret.

Dr. Phil was not the first talk show host to use a provocative premise to attract viewers. Here are a few other dramatic stunts from talk show history that dunked their hosts into legal hot water.

Jenny Jones and the Secret Admirer Murder

The blonde talk show hostess almost had to shell out more than $25 million when a man was killed after appearing on her show. The murdered man's family claimed a mentally ill man named Jonathan Schmitz was enticed by Jones' producer to appear on her show after being told he would meet a secret admirer.

What he didn't know was his prospective Juliet was a Romeo, a gay man named Scott Amedure. A few days after the taping, a humiliated Schmitz shot and killed Amedure, the man who had a secret crush on him. A jury ruled in favor of the murdered man's family, but an appellate court later overturned its decision.

Tyra Banks and Her So-Called Teen Sex Addict

A mother sued Tyra Banks after her 15-year-old daughter appeared on the model-turned-talk-show-host's program proclaiming to be a sex addict. Without her mother's knowledge, the girl was picked up from her home in a limo and flown out to New York to appear on Banks' show.

The mother claimed her daughter was not only never diagnosed as a sex addict, she was also now at risk of being a target after her confession on national TV. "This show was undoubtedly watched by sexual deviants, perverts and pedophiles alike," said Beverly McClendon in her complaint.

Jerry Springer and the Jilted Ex-Wife

The son of a woman who was murdered sued the Jerry Springer show after his mother was killed by her ex-husband after the two appeared on a "Secret Mistresses" episode of the tabloid talk show. The lawsuit argued Nancy Campbell-Panitz was lured on the show by Springer's staff under the pretense her ex-husband, Ralf Panitz, wanted to re-unite with her. Instead he revealed to her he had secretly re-married and accused his bitter ex of stalking him and his new honey.

In what turned out to be an unfortuitous coincidence for Springer's show, when the episode finally aired three months later the ex-husband watched it in a bar and in a drunken rage killed his former wife. Though the murder may not have been related to the show, the orphaned son claimed the show created "a mood that led to murder."

More From This Contributor:

Oprah and Madonna: Can Celebrities Really Be Spiritual?

Why Oprah and Kirstie Prove Diets Don't Work

Martha Stewart Cartoon and Other Stars Who Need Their Own Animated TV Shows