New York City officials on Wednesday reportedly sued TV personality Dr. Phil’s son Jordan McGraw, seeking to block the release of a reality show about the NYPD that McGraw had been producing under the previous mayor, Eric Adams.
The suit, filed by the New York City Law Department, now under the control of new mayor Zohran Mamdani, reportedly accuses McGraw and his production company of breaching the contract over the show, Behind the Badge, and seeking to sell footage over objections from city officials. The legal action asks a judge to bar the sale or distribution of the show.
The footage poses an “an imminent threat to life and safety of active police officers” in its current form, containing “extremely problematic” details like the passcode to a police station door and details about “encrypted police communications” and “sensitive and confidential policing techniques,” according to the suit, which was obtained by NBC New York and The New York Times.
The complaint reportedly alleges that McGraw, a musician and actor and son of the TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw, showed “blatant” disregard for a clause giving the city veto power over “unusable” portions of the police footage by allegedly seeking to sell the footage for air this year over repeat objections by Adams’s office.
“[I]t appears that the City is seeking to restrain publication on a matter of public concern forgetting perhaps that prior restraints are presumptively unconstitutional under the First Amendment,” Chip Babcock, a lawyer for McGraw, told NBC New York.
Despite the apparent objections of his administration, Eric Adams praised the show in a Wednesday post on X.
“Jordan McGraw brought exceptional talent in revealing the inside story of the dangers NYPD officers face every day,” Adams, a former NYPD officer, wrote. “He and his team meticulously addressed every concern raised by City Hall. I’m proud that the work they did tells the real story of our brave police officers. Heroes don’t wear capes, they wear blue uniforms. I understood that. I hope America will get to see that too.”
The lawsuit is the latest series of concerns surrounding the show, which was slated to be hosted by Dr. Phil himself, according to the Times.
A Texas-based firm linked to Jordan McGraw reportedly received $500,000 from the 2025 Adams campaign for consulting, NBC New York previously reported, citing Adams’s former campaign manager.
Mayor Adams sought unusual creative control over the project, acting against the wishes of his police commissioner by going forward with the project, unnamed sources told the Times. The series was officially greenlit the day after a judge dismissed a federal corruption indictment against Adams.
The series reportedly featured Kaz Daughtry, an Adams ally, sitting for a lengthy interview with Dr. Phil.
Dr. Phil reportedly attended an Eric Adams fundraiser as the mayor sought to defend his spot in City Hall from the Mamdani campaign last year.
The Independent has reached out to Jordan McGraw’s attorney for comment.
