Judy Sheindlin, the tough judge known by many as daytime television’s “Judge Judy” is now coming to primetime television . The special, simply called “Judge Judy Primetime” will air on May 20th on CBS at 8pm EST. This one hour show will feature Judy dispensing her no-nonsense justice on a whole new crop of cases, picked specifically for the primetime audience and to draw in a new viewership. The special will also take time to explain how Judy Sheindlin, 71, went from a New York Family Court judge to a beloved television sensation. “Judge Judy Primetime” will show clips from her 1993 “60 Minutes” interview and her 2003 follow-up interview to track her progress throughout her long career.
The Judge growing up! pic.twitter.com/ES0CK4UeCf
— Judge Judy (@JudgeJudy) March 31, 2014
Although “Judge Judy” has been on the air for decades, her courtroom hit shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Judge Judy is still the No. 1 show in first-run syndication for three straight years and the No. 1 daytime show for four straight years. The courtroom reality show averages 9 million viewers each weekday. Judge Judy is also the highest earning person in television, taking in a whopping $47 million a year. Judy still has it! It begs the question, though: Who are those 9 million viewers at home watching Judge Judy?
According to surveys, it’s mostly women, with 73% of all daytime television viewers being female. And not just stay-at-home moms: the average viewing age is 60. Judy’s older fan base is proven to be a dedicated bunch, which keeps Judy at the top year after year.
Judy’s show is so successful that she’s launching a spin-off series in fall called “Hot Bench.” This new reality show will feature three judges as they each debate a case presented to them, and then together agree on the best decision. Judy explains why she picked the name: “The term hot bench means a panel of judges who prep lawyers and litigants with questions, who are proactive, who don’t just sit there as receptors of questions. They want answers, they’re active.” Seems like the type of judges Judy likes to keep company with!
Are you excited to see Judy come to primetime? Do you think Judy’s special should be a more permanent switch, or does she belong on daytime television?
. @JudgeJudy brings her wit + no-nonsense style of justice 2 primetime on Judge Judy Primetime 5/20 8PM ET/PT #CBS http://t.co/EjCtSm9ESU
— CBS Tweet (@CBSTweet) April 30, 2014
Image via Wikipedia
