So after weeks of talking about how he regretted talking about Britney, Dr. Phil found himself in a unique position today: talking about Britney Spears on The View.  Did you get that?

The psychologist had already booked the daytime gig before Britney’s hospitalization earlier this morning.  But since the whole point purpose of his visit was to talk about the pop singer, he was fortunate enough to capitalize on today’s events.  Strangely enough, this was the least-confident Dr. Phil I can recall seeing.  Although he didn’t believing meeting Spears in the hospital was wrong, he was a little defensive - and not really at ease - during his conversation with the ladies.

“And all I’ve ever tried to do is help in this situation…and provide some help…and by that I don’t mean like sitting down and doing therapy with her because I don’t do that anymore.  I haven’t done that for a long, long time - don’t want to do it.  But I’ve always felt like…and had offered to the family to help…uh, get her into the hands of the right kinds of professionals that could provide medical support and psychological or psychiatric support.  And I don’t know the circumstances of how she’s wound up back in the hospital today but if it’s moving in that direction, then that could be a good thing.”

After that mini-speech, Barbara clarified that his hospital visit was a personal request made by the family.  (Lynne Spears is good friends with Phil and his wife, Robin.)  Walters then asked him:  “When you went to see her, what did you expect to be able to do?”

“I think the whole purpose in going - we had discussed before I went - was just to have a meeting….start a very low-key dialogue that at some point in the future might make her open to some suggestions about getting some help.  That if she got in the position where she thought ‘You know, I need some help’ that maybe there would be somebody that she knew…somebody that she had met…somebody that that she could call and say ‘Hey, what should I do? Where should I go?’”

Dr. Phil said the statement he gave after leaving Cedars-Sinai was intended to quell conversation.  (His visit wasn’t exactly a secret.)  He, of course, now understands the move did just the opposite; it encouraged comment.  But now the question is: How is going to get us to stop talking about the fact that he won’t…stop…talking?