How Judge Judy show is rigged
AGC Queen
JUDGE JUDY is supposed to be a court of law, but to some people who've been on
the show it's a fake and a phony.
STAR has uncovered the truth behind the courtroom doors of the hit syndicated
show, in which litigants are paid and coerced to appear, and coached by
producers to irritate and annoy the 56-year-old, acid-tongued Judy Sheindlin to
boost ratings.
And one thing about the verdict is clear before the cases start -- unlike any
real court, you can't lose.
That's because producers guarantee they'll pay the judgment if Judge Judy rules
against you.
And although Judge Judy promises justice, it gives anything but a fair shake.
Just ask one Sacramento, Calif., couple who were at her mercy recently.
Dominic and Naomi Accetta say senior producer Richard Velasquez called their
home, informing them they were being sued for $5,000 by Julianne Hernandez, who
claimed they got her fired from her clerk's job at Blockbuster video store. He
said they would be better served if they let Judge Judy settle the case.
"I was petrified," Naomi tells STAR. "Where would we get $5,000? We just bought
this house and we have a new baby. We didn't have that kind of money."
In a letter to the Accettas, which STAR has obtained, Velasquez wrote: "There
are many advantages in doing the case with us. If you win your case, we will
pay you an appearance fee and if you lose, we pay the judgment for you, so you
have nothing to lose."
Naomi says: "He said a researcher had found our case in the Sacramento small
claims court, but we found out later that the papers weren't even filed until a
day after we taped the show."
The letter signed by Velasquez is dated February 12. The papers weren't filed
until February 25, STAR has learned.
"They were lying to us from the beginning," adds Naomi.
It all began when Naomi called Blockbuster to find out about new movie
releases. After what seemed an interminable time, she was abruptly
disconnected.
Julianne says Dominic Accetta stomped into the store, demanding to know who had
hung up on his wife. An argument ensued, Julianne lost her job and the Accettas
got a free copy of The Horse Whisperer.
Upset, Julianne remembered an ad she's seen on TV.
"The pitch was, 'If you want justice, call Judge Judy.' I just wanted to show
the Accettas that getting me fired was wrong. I spoke to Richard Velasquez and
he told me, 'This is a $5,000 case.' I wasn't going to sue them for that much.
He put that figure in my head," Julianne tells STAR.
Ever wonder how the show gets people to appear? They pay them lots of money,
put them up in a hotel in Hollywood and give them a food allowance.
To get Hollywood hooker Divine Brown to appear, the show threw in a makeup and
nail job along with a hefty payday.
At the time Judge Judy was in a ratings slump and facing cancellation. Divine
was getting a lot of attention after her prostitution arrest with actor Hugh
Grant -- Divine was just what the sagging show needed to boost interest.
"She got a $5,000 appearance fee for a made-up case," confirms a former Judge
Judy producer. "The producer contacted the guy, who he knew, and encouraged him
to file a case."
Although testy Judy threw the case out of court, the show became a hit and a
household name.
"The show will lie," says the ex-staffer. "They rev people up. Everybody gets
paid. Nobody loses out on money."
While some producers on Judge Judy retain a certain amount of integrity, others
push litigants to behave outrageously.
"A producer had one of her litigants throw a glass across the courtroom. Judge
Judy threw the litigant out," adds the former producer.
The Accettas tell STAR the show paid Dominic an appearance fee of $500 and his
wife a witness fee of $350, plus airfare, an overnight stay at the Doubletree
hotel and a $150 lunch.
"In the green room one woman boasted that she was getting paid $1,000," says
Naomi. "You weren't supposed to discuss your case, but everyone was comparing
once the producers were out of the room.
"They get you on the show with promises of cash, but once you're there they
treat you like props. You can't even go to the bathroom without a security
escort.
"The producer was yelling at me like a director. He said, 'Look at me! Did you
hear me?' "
"The Accettas got a lot more money than I did," Julianne says. "I only got $100
for going on the show. I got a judgment of $500, but the Accettas didn't even
have to pay it. The show did."
Litigants are also encouraged to interrupt "because Judge Judy likes that,"
according to the Accettas and Julianne.
"I was told to talk back because Judge Judy likes that, but she humiliated me
and made me look like a fool," Julianne complains. "She wouldn't even listen to
me. Judge Judy said, 'Look at her. She's just a big-mouthed little kid.' I'm 5
feet and she made fun of my height. She insulted me."
To add insult to injury, the show even put them all on the same flight back
home.
"I was scared," Julianne recalls. "The producer promised me I wouldn't be on
the same flight as the Accettas, but then I saw them at the airport."
Another ex-litigant, Hollywood DJ Michael Floyd, tells STAR the show contacted
him after seeing he filed a small claims suit in court.
"The defendant had canceled some jobs. I was suing for $3,000. The show asked,
'Do you want to be on TV?' I got paid $100 just to show up, and they also paid
the defendant $100.
"The producer told me what to do and said I had a good case. I won $1,100. I
knew the show paid that. The defendant didn't have to pay a cent.
"But the defendant had a nicer green room and better food. And once the taping
was over they pushed me out a side door.
"I wouldn't go back on Judge Judy."
The show did not return STAR's calls.
Send email to: PUSSS...@aol.com
Puzzla
>STAR MAGAZINE...
>
>JUDGE JUDY is supposed to be a court of law, but to some people who've been on
>the show it's a fake and a phony.
>
>STAR has uncovered the truth behind the courtroom doors of the hit syndicated
>show, in which litigants are paid and coerced to appear, and coached by
>producers to irritate and annoy the 56-year-old, acid-tongued Judy Sheindlin to
>boost ratings.
>
At the end of 'The People's Court', they clearly state that all
judgements are paid from a 'pool'. In other words, from the show.
Puzz
kkramer
knows Judy.
Kramer <President, Judge Judy Fan Club>
AGC Queen wrote in message <19990819112129...@ng-fs1.aol.com>...
Uncle Waltie
AGC Queen wrote:
>
> STAR MAGAZINE...
> It all began when Naomi called Blockbuster to find out about new movie
> releases. After what seemed an interminable time, she was abruptly
> disconnected.
>
> Julianne says Dominic Accetta stomped into the store, demanding to know who had
> hung up on his wife. An argument ensued, Julianne lost her job and the Accettas
> got a free copy of The Horse Whisperer.
Um, this all started because Naomi got disconnected? Why didn't she
just call back? What people won't do for a fucking free rental!
-walt
--
It's wrong to wish on space hardware.
-Billy Bragg