Judge Judy

From Free net encyclopedia

Judge Judy is an American syndicated judicial show. It was first shown in 1996 and remained the only "courtroom" show on television in the United States since The People's Court ended its first run in 1993, and until that series returned with Ed Koch as judge in 1997. The return of The People's Court, as well as an influx of other judge shows, such as Judge Joe Brown and Judge Hatchett, are largely seen as a result of Judge Judy 's success. The show's tagline is: "Real cases. Real people. Judge Judy."

It features former family court judge Judith Sheindlin, Esq. hearing small claims court cases with an award limit of $5,000USD which is the maximum in most states. She is notorious for berating litigants for the bad choices they make in their lives. Through "cross-examination", she frequently exposes the lies the litigants tell her and makes a point of publicly humiliating them for lying in her "court". When the litigants interrupt her, she has been known to yell "I'm speaking!", something that is uttered in nearly every episode.

Petri Hawkins-Byrd, Judge Judy's bailiff, with his absolutely sedate composure, is often a foil to the scalding Judy.

Judge Judy operates according to the principles of the American legal system, and takes on real cases. Judge Judy acts in a more inquisitorial fashion in a manner similar to U.S. appellate courts and many international courts, as opposed to the non-interventionist manner of judges in U.S. and most Anglo-Saxon trial courts. There are no lawyers present and participants defend themselves, which is standard in a small claims court. The people who appear on her show sign a waiver beforehand, agreeing that judgement in her court is final and cannot be pursued elsewhere unless she dismisses the case without prejudice (which does not happen very often, this usually takes place only when pursuing something like return of property is inappropriate for small claims). Additionally, the producers of the show pay participants.

Judge Judy has been parodied on (and once even appeared on) Saturday Night Live, with Cheri Oteri in the role of Sheindlin. Amanda Bynes also parodied Judy on The Amanda Show, in a skit called Judge Trudy. The Simpsons' Judge Constance Harm is a parody of Sheindlin.

Sheindlin, with her show now in syndication, has surpassed Oprah Winfrey to become the highest-paid woman in television history. [1]

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Catchphrases from the show and other memorable quotes

"On your best day you're not as smart as I am on my worst day... while I'm sleeping!"
"I eat morons like you for breakfast."
"Beauty fades, Dumb is forever."
"I'm speaking!!!"
"You can kiss me goodbye, figuratively. Your case is dismissed."
"What do you do for a living? ... 'Um...' is not an answer! What's 'Um'? What kind of training did you need to do 'Um'?"
"I only do one thing at a time. I'm old, I can only do one thing at a time, otherwise I get confused and then I can't trick you..."
"Don't be nervous, I only eat litigants on Thursdays."
"Shhh!!!"
"Your answer is a lot of Who Shot John."
"Yes try yessss"
"Put a period on it and move on!"
"You're not the boss, Applesauce!"
"I'm going to deal with your counterclaim as fairly and expeditiously as I can: it's dismissed."
"I love the truth. If you don't tell me the truth, you're gonna be eating your shoes."
"Put on your listening ears!"
"Don't say stupid things to me. If you say stupid things to me, it presupposes that I am stupid, and I don't want people to think I'm stupid. Old, maybe; stupid, never."
"I'm very smart. They don't keep me around here because I'm gorgeous."
"I suggest that you get a job."
"You're a big baby!"
"Uhh, that is such baloney."
"You are full of baloney!"
"Uncross your arms."
"Take your hands off your hips."
"That's a bubbe meise!"
"I am not going to ask you to leave, but the next time you come into my courtroom dress more appropriately; you are not going to a beach party." (This was said to a woman wearing a pink cami top.)
"I want you to look at me when you're testifying."
"Do you see stupid written on my forehead?"
"Pay careful attention to me!"
"Do you take any medication?!"
"If it doesn't make sense, it's not true!"
"I don't believe you!"
"Where did you think you were coming today, to a tea dance?!"
"Stop playing with your papers."
"Do you see my mouth moving? When my mouth moves, yours stops."
"Listen very carefully!"
"You are one french fry short of a happy meal!"
"Are you nervous? Good."
"That's your problem."
"I'm speaking and you're not receiving."
"So do retards!"
"Ever heard of birth control?"
"Count yourself very lucky you didn't reproduce with this moron."
"Find a new hobby! Making babies isn't one!"
"There is only one attitude here and that's mine!"
"My time is more valuable than your baloney!"
"Miss Stupid over here doesn't think so!"
"What school of double-talk did you go to?"
"I can tell phonies from at least ten feet away!"
"Are you a lowlife sir?! Yes you are!"
"Listen to me!!! Just tell me things that have a point! It's very late and I'm hungry. It's lunchtime!"
"Stop being a baby!"
"Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining!"
"Was he a difficult pregnancy?" (said to the mother of a litigant)
"Every third person you touch is going to be an idiot!"
"The Jewish people have a wonderful word... chutzpah."
"First, take your hands off your hips, then stand up straight like you're in court. You are not at the beach."
"Your counterclaim for your stress is dismissed, because the only one who is stressed so far, sir, is me."
"Byrd get her a jumper, she looks cold!" (said about a girl wearing a skimpy top)
"A lot of things could have happened! That sounds to me like a case of shoulda woulda coulda!"
"I would trust your witness much more if he didn't have holes in his jeans."