Working with the Oz

From 1998 until the middle of 2009, I had the opportunity to work with the now famous television celebrity doctor, Dr. Mehmet Oz - always in the capacity of a camera or audio person on medical video crews - and usually at Columbia University Medical Center, located in northern Manhattan. And on perhaps 100 different occasions.

But it wasn’t until late in 2002, once I found out Mehmet was heading to television to tell his audiences about alternative therapies, complimentary medicines, healthy eating habits and so on, did I ask for his autograph. Then shortly after that, I decided to try to secure his signature on all kinds of paper materials he would be somehow associated with - and to do this Dr. Oz-focus collecting effort for as long as I could.

And how did I do?

Well, today, my collection includes over 100 pieces of paper ephemera, and I secured his autograph 46 times. Not too bad, right?

And where were they obtained? In our video studio at first - in 2003 during the months the good doctor was practicing in front of VHS cameras and small audiences to go on TV, and at later taping sessions of him simply talking to a camera; at lectures of his; at press-covered hospital events he participated in; when he was educating teens, parents and other members of the Washington Heights community about good eating habits at a couple of his Health Corps-sponsored events; a few book talks; and whenever I caught up with him before or after his numerous book and CD audio taping sessions in 2007 and 2008. (Added note: For obvious reasons, the numerous times I assisted with the videotaping of his surgeries I never brought any paper materials with me, nor were any available.)

Mehmet was very amiable to my efforts. After about the sixth time I asked for his autograph, every additional time we met he would often smile at me, pull a pen out of a pocket of his white coat, and say something like, “Michael, where do I sign?” Then I would lay the materials in front of him or give him a marker to use instead.

Today, whereas Mehmet is still associated with Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at the medical center located in northern Manhattan - although at a much lesser degree because of his growing celebrity-related work and television filming schedule - I am no longer at Columbia. Some of you know the story: The huge audiovisual operation there (in existence for 40 years) was finally closed in June 2009 after a couple of years of medical school wide cost-cutting measures, and I lost my job.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed working with and serving Dr. Oz in the capacity I did. (And getting all those autographs.) He is just as friendly, passionate and caring as you see him on The Dr. Oz Show. And he surrounds himself with good people too.

It was especially thrilling to see him go from in front of my little video camera at Columbia to those at the Discovery Channel, Oprah and now at his own show on Fox television.

You can check out 14 images from my collection in my Dr. Oz autograph collection album on AML!.

Oh, and if you want to see more images or know anyone interested in it? Let me know.