Stiviano Interview Drives Up ‘Dr. Phil’ Ratings

Dr. Phil’s hour-long interview Wednesday, May 21, with V. Stiviano, the 31-year old woman at the center of the Donald Sterling scandal, drew a big crowd and sent ratings for the top talker sharply higher.

Overnight household ratings for Wednesday’s Dr. Phil Show jumped 73% from its average lead-in and 22% from its May 2013 sweep average to a 3.3/9 in its 56 metered markets, according to Nielsen.

The Stiviano interview did best among the top 30 markets in Indianapolis, where it clocked an 8.0 rating/18 share at 4 p.m. on WTHR, actually doubling its Ellen DeGeneres lead-in and growing 33% from its year-ago time period average.

Its best metered market overall on Wednesday was Dayton, Ohio, where it scored an 11.5/31 at 10 a.m. on WHIO, up 40% from its Live with Kelly and Michael lead-in and up 19% from last year at this time.

In Los Angeles, where the Sterling scandal originated after the L.A. Clippers owner was recorded making racist remarks, Dr Phil’s Stiviano interview was No. 1 in its time period on KCBS at 3 p.m. with more than double the rating of its nearest competitor — it earned a 3.3/10, up 200% from its lead-in and 83% higher than the show’s year-ago performance.