Dr. Phil Defends Sydney Sweeney During American Eagle Controversy
Dr. Phil McGraw voiced his support for American Eagle’s contentious campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney.
During a segment on the Friday, August 8 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the 74-year-old therapist addressed the backlash against the brand, which has been accused of alluding to eugenics in their advertisements with Sweeney, 27.
In a video clip from the show, shared in a Fox News article the next day, McGraw stated, “Six million people were killed, six million Jews were massacred and murdered, and they equate that to a blue jeans ad for a Hollywood actress? That’s an insult. It’s absurd.”
He further added, “I’m going to buy those jeans for every woman in my family and everyone I know, just to show my support.”
The episode also featured comments from Bill Maher, who ridiculed social media users outraged by the campaign. “I doubt they [American Eagle] intended any harm, but it’s amusing that all the online social justice warriors are saying, ‘It’s racist. There’s no such thing as good genes, right?’ Yet you swipe left on every bald guy on Tinder,” he remarked.
These perspectives come in light of a report from Us Weekly indicating that Sweeney is not letting the criticism affect her. According to a source quoted on August 5, “Sydney believes this whole episode has been exaggerated.”
In the July 23 campaign, Sweeney showcased various denim pieces from the brand across multiple videos and stills. The tagline, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” played on the double meaning of the final word.
The campaign received widespread criticism, with some online users interpreting the messaging as a reference to eugenics—a discredited idea suggesting that humans can be improved through selective breeding.
While Sweeney has yet to publicly respond to the backlash, American Eagle issued a statement on August 1 addressing the issue. “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ has always been about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the brand stated on Instagram. “We will continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Sydney Sweeney is not allowing the controversy from her divisive American Eagle advertisement to affect her. “Sydney thinks this entire situation has been exaggerated,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “She’s focusing her efforts on her work, including returning to set with her Euphoria family.” (Production on the long-awaited third season of the […]
The campaign has elicited responses from several public figures, with views both in support of and against the brand. President Donald Trump praised the campaign on his social media platform, Truth Social, on August 4, stating, “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there … the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ’em Sydney!”
Conversely, former Bachelorette Gabby Windey expressed her disapproval, sharing her concerns on TikTok on July 29, “We’ve all seen the commentary, and yes, it’s terrifying.”
