PSYCHODOLAN SOAP OPERA INTENSIFIES
By HOLLY M. SANDERS
From Oedipus to Hamlet, the father-son dynamic has fascinated playwrights and psychoanalysts. Now, New York has its own paterfamilias drama — the Dolans.
Cablevision Chairman Chuck Dolan and his son, CEO Jim Dolan, are dealing with a deep-rooted resentment, communication blocks and power struggles in their dispute over the future of their company.
In light of the escalating family feud, The Post turned to the "dean of American psychologists," Dr. Joyce Brothers, for some insight on the dynamics that typically drive father-son dysfunction.
Rifts like the Dolan-clan conflict often occur between a self-made father and the eldest son, who feels the most pressure to follow in his dad's footsteps, Brothers said.
Typically, self-made fathers fall into two categories. One becomes a mentor to his son, showing him the ropes and reassuring him that failure is frequently a precursor to success. The other type often drives his son away.
"That is the kind that says, 'I have taken all the hard knocks and done all the hard work, and I don't want to share the glory,' " Brothers said. "Although he doesn't purposefully set traps, he makes it really tough." In turn, "the son feels really aggressive toward the father."
Jim Dolan, 49, must have felt his father's ire when the duo disagreed on the future Cablevision strategies.
Chuck Dolan, 78, is considered a pioneer in the cable business and is credited with the idea for HBO, while Jim Dolan has struggled to earn the respect of shareholders and put his stamp on the company.
Any hidden resentment towards his dad emerged when Jim Dolan voted to pull the plug on his father's cherished project, Voom.
Under the circumstances, the pair seems to have little to lose by spending some time in family therapy. But Brothers cautions that it's rare for father and son to resolve their differences when the conflict reaches a boiling point.
"They've been growing up this way," she said. "It's a lifetime of being in a very large shadow. I don't think I can do much on my couch."
