Judge Judy Decries Cancel Culture, PC Police: “It’s a Frightening Place for America to Be”

Judge Judy has become a TV fixture over the decades thanks to her brash, no B.S. take on every case that enters her courtroom. So it should come as no surprise that the Judge Judy star — whose real name is Judy Sheindlin — has plenty to say about cancel culture. In an interview published by the The Hollywood Reporter yesterday, the judge opened up about her thoughts on the “PC police” and the current state of the country.

When asked about her take on people “being shamed for past comments,” Sheindlin told THR that she’s “not a big fan of the PC police.” She added, “If you’re a bad person, if you’ve done something wrong, you’ve got to be prepared to pay the piper. And there are people who have done just that. They’ve paid the price with their good name, their footprint. That’s a good thing.

“But to have a fear of speaking your opinion, for fear of being put on somebody’s list and canceled? It’s a frightening place for America to be,” she continued. “And you’re right. I’m not a big fan of the PC police. Is it PC to say to people who are 19 or 23 years old, have no job, no prospects and six children, ‘Find something else to do with that organ?’ No. But where I come from, I’ve seen the ravages of that kind of neglect.”

Sheindlin, who served as a Manhattan family court judge before landing her TV show, also weighed in on the Derek Chauvin trial verdict, telling THR she thought having footage of George Floyd’s murder moved the case along more quickly. “That’s what happens when you have a movie. It wasn’t an issue as to what happened,” she said. “And the judge, I think he was pretty straight-up. He didn’t duck and cover. The media wasn’t going to allow any delay, and rightfully so. The country wanted a resolution. It’s a different age now. If it’s a homicide, a robbery, a burglary … you often have it on video.”

While Sheindlin is ending Judge Judy this year, she’s got another project lined up. “I’m not tired. I don’t play golf or tennis. I have no desire to learn how to play mahjong, chess or checkers,” she told THR. “I know what I like to do.” Next up for the TV star is a reality series titled Judy Justice, which set to premiere IMDb TV.

Head to the Hollywood Reporter website to read the full Judge Judy interview.

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