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May 26, 2012

Judge Judy's show sued, accused of racial screening

by Bob Sassone, posted Jan 2nd 2008 3:42PM

Judge JudyDid you know that there is a total of 397 "judge" shows on TV right now? Just turn on your TV at any point during the morning or afternoon and you're bound to catch one. And now one of them, Judge Judy, is being sued by a former producer on the show.

Jonathan Sebastien, who was a producer on Judge Judy for seven years, says he was fired from the show not because ratings were down (the official reason) but because he opposed the racial screening that occurs on the show. Sebastien says that the show's supervisor, Randy Douthit, told him that he didn't want to do "anymore black shows" or have "black people arguing" or hear "black language on TV." Sebastien says that he got cases that involved black people and they were turned down.

Parties being sued are Douthit, Paramount, CBS, and Big Ticket Television.

[via TV Tattle]

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Meghan

I keep hearing people say "It's amazing! Black people can have 10-15 illegitimate children and it doesn't even phase them!" or "All these black people robbing stores and getting women pregnant and then trying to take the women's money or suing the stores!" or "gangstas shooting at the po pos and sitting on the couch playing video games while they make the hos get their money" Why are JUST black people labeled like that? I am a white American. I am not racist. I do believe that there are stupid people in any race. There are just as many stupid, trashy WHITE people (that makes me ashamed) on Maury AND Judge Judy as there are stupid, trashy black people. It's the stupid, trashy people of each race that gives us a bad name. Don't attack just the blacks. It's the whites too. Just do away with all of the trashy people. Then there will be nothing to watch because America sees this crap as "entertainment".

January 03 2008 at 4:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
juscus

i-ba dont think-ba that-ba judge-ba judy-ba had-ba anything- ba to-do-ba with this lawsuit-ba.she does-ba need-ba angery-ba managemant though-ba

January 03 2008 at 4:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
c cole

Oh Good Grief! This is 2008. We ALL know that All black people don't speak in ebonics. We ALL know that All caucasions don't speak in correct english! If the correct english language is not spoken, both are uneducated. It doesn't matter what color your skin is. We ALL know that. That being said, I Do notice when a black person uses beautiful english. There are so many who don't. It's the parents fault that they didn't teach their black children to speak correct english....just like it was my parents fault for saying "Yont to?" instead of do you want to?...chester drawers instead of chest of drawers...eadit instead of idiot....We're all responsible for what we learn and for what we teach our children...black, white or brown.

January 03 2008 at 4:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Al Udeen

I agree 100%, theres way too many Blacks on TV as it is & terrible to watch & listen to!

January 03 2008 at 4:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
VC

I have to admit I cringe everytime I see a Black person on a court show acting "ghetto". But I don't believe behavior is all about race. I believe there are trashy, low-class, uneducated people in every race. How you act has more to do with the environment you grew up in and what you were taught than the color of your skin. So, I would avoid putting people of any color on the show who are ignorant and don't know how to conduct themselves in a court of law. And, I wouldn't care if the person is Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, etc. I would only want people on the show with legitimate cases and respect for the judicial process. As for Judge Judy having already made up her mind before hearing the case, that's because she reads over the case file prior to entering the court room. So, she already knows the facts of the case. She does however, tend to show very little compassion at times. I also tend to disagree with her rulings more than the other judges. I can't wait to see how this suit plays out. Until then, I choose to give her show the benefit of the doubt. After all, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

January 03 2008 at 4:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John F.C. Taylor

Well, if the guy is telling the truth, then I hope he nails the show for every penny he can get. If he's just another disgruntled employee trying to make trouble because he was fired, I hope they hang his butt. As for Judge Judy being prejudiced, I don't care. If she or any othe "judge" show is on when I turn the TV on, the channel is immediately changed.

January 03 2008 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
joe

This country has a black history month, however no White history month. Gee lets see whos profiling

January 03 2008 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joann

So what! Judge Hatchett has mainly blacks and Divorce court has mainly blacks They are not funny like they think they are and need english lessons on top of that! Judge Judy should be running for President The only woman I would vote for!

January 03 2008 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Krazyrbone

It makes me laugh when people say things about BET , black people got Bet, what about MTV? Mtv 2? All the other channels on the television are geared towards white or mixed audiences , then everyone thats not black wants to talk about 1 channel...If Judge Judy doesnt want blacks on her show then F*ck it! We can go on Judge Mathis! By the way Im biracial so what show do u people suggest I apply for? LMAO! Stupid.....

January 03 2008 at 4:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt

Its not about racism, its about programming, programs are geared to certain demographics, "The Real World" is geared toward 13-29 year olds, "Oprah" is geared toward 26-59yo women etc..."The Judge Judy Show" has every right to pick and choose who they put on their show and the type of cases that they air. Doesn't matter if its black, white, chinese, whatever, if viewership is down because every other case involves 2 black people arguing about the same crap, the show has the right to not put it on the air because that leads to crap ratings and the canceling of the show. Anyone who wants to believe that ethnic groups don't act or talk a certain way is living in a fantasyland, the fact is, different groups of people act in different ways. For example, you are not going to go into a business meeting with 2 white males age 50-60 and say "what up yo" thats just a fact, and lets say it was a job interview, is it racism if you didn't get the job because you talk like that?? Every little thing that people don't like or isn't geared toward them in some way has now become racism and its rediculous. If the judge judy show decides they don't want that type of programming ,thats their right. Its like if you are casting a movie and the part calls for a white male age 18, is that racism?? Is it gender descrimination because its not for a female?? Would it be good casting to put Leo Dicaprio in "boyz in the hood"?? Was it racial descrimination???

January 03 2008 at 4:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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