In Greece he may be unknown, back in the United States however where he lives and works, is what we would call λέ celebrity or, more correctly, tele-celebrity.
Also known as “Dr. Oz “, 61-year-old Mehmet Oz acquired his own star a few days ago on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame or Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
Rightly, many will say. After all, Mr. Oz really has a long and “brilliant” television career behind him.
He began making a name for himself in the United States decades ago as a real doctor, before moving to television as a health star. For a number of years he was a collaborator of Oprah Winfrey, while in the years that followed he also starred in his own television talk shows. In September 2016, then-US presidential candidate Donald Trump even appeared as a guest on TV presenter Oz on “The Dr. Oz Show ».
As a telemedicine, Oz would gain shine and publicity. At the same time, however, he would be criticized for some of the views he occasionally expressed in front of the cameras, views which many other doctors in the US would criticize as “unscientific”. He had, for example, at one point called for the dismissal of the top health adviser to the American president, Anthony Fauci.
His case may sound “typical” of the American television landscape.
Mehmet Oz, however, decided a few months ago to enter politics actively, claiming a seat in the US Senate with the Republican Party.
The 61-year-old TV star is claiming the anointing of the Republican faction for the position of Senator who will be elected by the state of Pennsylvania in the by-elections next November. In fact, he stands out as the undisputed favorite.
Following the announcement of his candidacy, however, other facts about his close ties with Turkey would come to light.
Mehmet Oz has dual citizenship: American and Turkish, as the Washington Post notes in a critical article for him. He has even served in the Turkish army (for two years), while growing up, he spent all his summers in Turkey with which he continues to maintain “myriad ties” as noted by the Washington Post in the relevant opinion article (by author Josh Rogin).
Going even further, the Washington Post claims that he maintains ties not only with Turkey in general but also with “the world of authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan” who “cause concern in Washington and beyond.”
Mehmet Oz, who is a Muslim by the way, has been present in recent years at group events in the US, such as the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK – DEİK), Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) and Diyanet Center. of America (DCA), which have been linked to the Erdogan regime but also to the “hunting” of so-called Gulenists and other critics of Erdogan in the United States.
He claims, regarding his Turkish citizenship, that he keeps it so that he can visit his mother who lives in Turkey.
According to the Washington Post, however, many see this dual citizenship as a potential future concern for US authorities.
“People need to understand that Erdogan has Oz in his pocket. Whatever Erdogan wants, this is what Oz will do. “If he enters the Senate, it will be like Erdogan’s hand in the Senate,” NBA basketball star Enes Kader Fridom told Washington Post editor Josh Rogin.
Mehmet ίδιοςz himself emphasizes that he has no political connection or commitment or special relationship with Erdo .an’s Turkey, rejecting all relevant accusations.
At the same time, however, many are sifting through the economic ties he has or may have with business-political interests back in Turkey.
Some even recall (see an indicative post on the National Review website) that Oz had met in the relatively recent past, from 2014 onwards, with top members of the ruling Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP): with the president himself. Erdo .an, with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu, with the former Minister of Justice, Abdulhamit Gül, etc., while in the past he had also collaborated with the Turkish state-owned airlines Turkish Airlines, participating in their advertisements as well as with the BiK platform.
Daily
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
