Dr. Phil McGraw spoke out in support of American Eagle’s controversial campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney.
During an appearance on the Friday, August 8, episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the therapist, 74, offered his take on recent criticism directed at the brand for allegedly nodding to eugenics via ads featuring Sweeney, 27.
In a clip from the appearance, shared via a Fox News article the following day, McGraw began, “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? What an insult. That is ridiculous.”
McGraw continued, “I’m going to go out and buy those jeans for every woman in my family, everybody I know, just to show support.”
The episode also included thoughts from Bill Maher, 69, mocking social media users who have taken offence to the brand’s campaign. “I don’t think they [American Eagle] did it on purpose, but I also think it’s pretty funny that all the online social justice girls are like, ‘It’s racist. There’s no such thing as good genes, right?’ And then you go on Tinder and swipe left on every bald guy,” the TV host said.
The musings from both stars come after Us Weekly exclusively reported that Sweeney isn’t letting backlash from the ad get to her. A source told Us on Tuesday, August 5, that “Sydney thinks this whole thing has been blown out of proportion.”
In the July 23 campaign, Sweeney was seen modelling denim pieces from the brand across multiple videos and still images. The campaign’s tagline, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans, “ played on the final word’s double entendre interpretation.
The campaign widely ruffled feathers, with some online users receiving the messaging as a reference to eugenics — a debunked theory that suggests humans are improved via selective breeding.
While Sweeney is yet to publicly address the backlash, American Eagle took to its social media on August 1 to share a statement that addressed the controversy. “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the Instagram response read at the time. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The campaign has even sparked public responses from a string of high-profilers, with some supporting the brand and others slamming it. President Donald Trump complimented the work via his media platform, Truth Social, on August 4, writing, “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there … the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ’em Sydney!”
Former Bachelorette Gabby Windey, meanwhile, said she wasn’t a fan, telling fans via TikTok on July 29, “We’ve all seen the commentary, and yes, it’s terrifying.”
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