That's So Raven 's Orlando Brown Gets Help From Dr. Phil After Concerns From His Friends and Manager
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Dr. Phil
Dr. Phil McGraw is speaking with Orlando Brown to help him amid his downward spiral.
The former That’s So Raven star, who has a long and complicated history with the law, made an appearance on The Dr. Phil Show Friday, where he spoke candidly about his struggle with addiction, homelessness and his mental health.
Brown, who wore a T-shirt underneath a navy suit and fake snake-eye contact lenses, met with the psychologist after his friend and manager Solomon Barron said he reached his breaking point and had to kick Brown, 30, out of his home.
Fearing that the former actor, who played Eddie Thomas on the Disney Channel sitcom, would get into more trouble — or worse, end up dead — he reached out to Dr. Phil for help.
“He’s burned so many bridges no one wants to deal with him. If you can’t help, he does not have a chance,” Barron told the talk show host.
While on the show — which was taped in October — Brown revealed that he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, medicating with marijuana and using crystal meth in the past. “Just the influence and the demons that come with that drug kind of took over,” he told Dr. Phil.
Dr. Phil Orlando Brown with Dr. Phil
“A lot of drinking is what happened,” Brown continued. “I was drinking a lot. I just found myself in a dark place because I couldn’t really find everybody. It’s kinda like looking for your keys, when you stop looking, they’re right there type of deal. I started to realize what was in front of me. From there, now I’m good.”
His substance abuse seemed to have majorly affected his clarity. Though Brown stated that he was four years sober, his friends told Dr. Phil that it was a lie. It was also noticeable when the actor began speaking about his children.
Brown, who claimed he had “quite a bit” of children, revealed that he had four kids that he was aware of — but couldn’t quite seem to remember their ages.
At first, he told Dr. Phil that his kids were 2, 5, 11, and “like 16 to 18.” Brown eventually changed those ages, telling the host later on during the show, “I got a 2-year-old, 4-year-old…5-year-old, 8 and 11… Two-year-old still in the belly. We don’t know [the name] yet.”
Brown also admitted that he hasn’t met all of his children and didn’t know the name of his eldest child.
One name he was, in fact, certain of? His own.
When Dr. Phil asked Brown to recite his full name, the actor confidently responded, “My full name is Orlando Brown Prince Michael Jackson Jr. aka Blanket.” Clarifying on his answer, Brown explained the name was a “nickname I gave to myself. My father was Michael Jackson, the great Michael Jackson.”
He also claims to be the son of Will Smith, his manager said, which “comes out of nowhere,” according to E! News. “All 488 million of my fans know that I don’t fabricate or lie. I’m a pretty straight-up guy,” he later told the host in response to the claims that he lies often.
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When it came time for Dr. Phil to make his professional suggestion for a treatment center, Brown did not seem interested.
“I think there’s a real good chance that what you’ve been through has caused you to have some neurological disruptions,” Dr. Phil said, noting that a significant portion of Brown’s thinking appeared to be confused.
“I think you need some treatment for that, and in a very short time, you can get back to being the Orlando that has been so successful in your life,” he added.
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Brown, however, was more concerned about spending time with his children.
“I just got out of rehab, out of the E.R., I’m not doing no more time away from my kids that I need to,” he continued. “I can’t dedicate another 90 days of being monitored all my life… I want my kids to be with me in Neverland.”
Dr. Phil was eventually able to convince the actor to go to a dual diagnosis and treatment facility in Malibu. Since the interview, the host said Brown has been “committed to treatment and has made great strides.” RELATED VIDEO: Former Disney Star, Orlando Brown, Arrested for Allegedly Hitting His Girlfriend in a Police Station Parking Lot
Prior to getting help from Dr. Phil, Brown was arrested in Las Vegas for an outstanding warrant in April, according to TMZ who reported the news at the time.
Brown was brought back to Los Angeles County, where a judge issued a warrant for him after he failed to appear in court for allegedly striking his girlfriend, the outlet reported.
Authorities in Torrance and Barstow, California, declined to confirm specifics about the case when contacted by PEOPLE, and a rep for Brown could not be found.
In 2014, a woman told police that the actor had threatened to kill her and her daughter. Brown agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and paid a minimal fine.
