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Judge Judy is doubling down on her love of America, telling people who want to fundamentally change the country to “go somewhere else.”
During an interview with USA Today, Judy Sheindlin, 83, opened up about her views on America and the enduring popularity of her courtroom television persona.
“I have a house, and I have a home. I consider America my home. America has been good to me. I think that it’s the greatest country in the world,” Sheindlin said.
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Judge Judy tells America’s critics to “go somewhere else.” (Getty Images for Keep Memory Alive)
“If you don’t like this country, go somewhere else,” she continued. “Don’t come to the greatest country in the world, the most successful country in the world, and say, ‘I want to change it.’ There are other countries that are the something else that you want. Go there. Go there. But don’t come into my home and say, ‘I want to change it.’”
“We are a capitalist country that revered excellence, that revered entrepreneurship, that revered all the things that made us great,” she added. “Whether you like it or not, it’s there.”
Sheindlin’s comments came as CBS celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Judge Judy” with the primetime special “Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable.”
The TV icon also addressed the growing nostalgia for an earlier era, suggesting that many people are craving elements of the 1950s — including a greater sense of order, personal responsibility and common decency.
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Judge Judy Sheindlin appears on the set of her television show in Los Angeles on Dec. 2, 1997. (Bob Riha Jr./Getty Images)
“I think in the middle of this country, there are more people who long for the 1950s than long for the 2030s,” she says. “They long for a time when people respected each other.”
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“You can’t pick up a paper without seeing violence and hate speech and antisemitism and racism and cruelty and beheadings,” she continues. “People can’t even get together with their families anymore, because you have one section of the family that is more liberal, one is more conservative. They can’t even talk to each other with civility.”
Sheindlin previously described the appeal of her courtroom shows as a reflection of what viewers want in their own lives.
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“People are frustrated in the same way they were 30 years ago,” she recently told W Magazine. “They like rules, law, order, and personal responsibility.”
Judge Judy Sheindlin said she plans to step away from the camera after decades in the industry. (Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)
“They like their neighbors to be nice and quiet, to keep their cats on their own property,” she added. “There are reasons for bad behavior, but there are never excuses for bad behavior if it affects someone else.”
The original “Judge Judy” premiered in 1996 and ran for 25 seasons before ending in 2021. Sheindlin later launched “Judy Justice,” which is set to conclude in October.
Her son, Judge Adam Levy, is now carrying on the family courtroom tradition with his own series, “Adam’s Law.” Sheindlin also served as a producer on the show.
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Sheindlin has said she plans to step away from appearing on camera but will continue working behind the scenes.