The show has been running for 21 years and has produced nearly 6,000 episodes to date. In this courtroom, “The people are real, the cases are real, the rulings are final.” The cases may be real, but there’s no shortage of absurdity in the stories that are brought before Judge Judy Sheindlin. From stolen pets and squabbling neighbors to ‘stoned’ defendants and sisters fighting over one man, she’s had it all.
It’s no wonder Judge Judy has been consistently at the top of daytime television’s ratings for its entire lifespan. Viewers just can’t get enough of the eccentric characters and entertainment value of the quirky cases. But there’s one particular fan, who is also a star of entertainment, who has always dreamed of meeting the inimitable Judge Judy Sheindlin.
That fan is one, Amy Schumer.
On Wednesday, May 10, 35-year-old Amy Schumer spent a day on the set of CBS’s popular courtroom reality-TV show. Schumer enjoyed an immersive experience as she went from being a courtroom spectator, then being an unruly plaintiff, to finally having a chance to sit on the throne and pretend, for a moment, that she was the Queen of reality-TV herself, Judge Judy Sheindlin.
Amy Schumer wasted no time in bragging about her up-close-and-personal encounter with one of her favorite shows when she took to Instagram to post a few images and a short clip of her as various players in the courtroom scenario.
“Dream day with @byrdman1157 and #judgejudy he always does a no-look pass with documents! Thank you for having me and my sis!!!”
Initially, Judge Judy herself was not present on the set, and that’s when Amy grabbed the opportunity to flex her acting muscles with an impersonation of the judge. It turned out to be a funny exchange in which Amy jokingly reprimanded Bailiff Petri Hawkins-Byrd for looking her directly in the eye as he passed her some case documents.
In that quirky moment, Amy revealed just how much of a fan she really is, by acknowledging one of the Judge Judy traditional hallmarks – Bailiff Hawkins-Byrd never makes eye contact with Judge Judy when he hands her papers.
When Schumer stepped into the role of a plaintiff – her sister being the defendant – the situation became a tad unruly, and The Byrdman had to step in to diffuse the tension.
Of course, it was all for the sheer fun of it. It would be impossible for one of Hollywood’s funniest comediennes to be on set on not play it up.
Later on, Judge Judy took up her prime position the judge’s chair, and Schumer managed to get the supernaturally poker-faced Judy Scheindlin to crack a friendly smile.
Judith “Judy” Sheindlin once remarked that she was “thrilled” with the success of the show.
“I am thrilled with the opportunity to continue this exciting second career. The confidence and support CBS has shown in our program has been steadfast and very much appreciated.”
Amy Schumer certainly isn’t the only die-hard fan of Judge Judy , as figures reveal that the syndicated TV series rakes in a whopping $47 million a year. Not bad for a retired former New York City judge’s “second career.”
Now in its 15th season, Judge Judy draws an average of 10 million viewers. The syndicated court show was the No. 1-rated daytime program of the 2009-2010 TV season, beating The Oprah Winfrey Show .
You can watch some of Judge Judy’s best burns below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBRNk3VczuM
When Amy Schumer isn’t busy performing shenanigans in the Judge Judy courtroom, she’s globetrotting while promoting her latest film, Snatched , which opened last Friday.
Schumer stars with veteran actress Goldie Hawn in the comedy that sees Schumer’s character, Emily Middleton, convincing her “cautious mother, Linda (Hawn), to accompany her on an exotic getaway to South America.” But the mother-daughter pair isn’t quite compatible, and a series of misadventures in a South American jungle makes for entertaining viewing.
[Featured Image by Damian Dovarganes/AP Images]