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“Judge Judy” continues to rule the syndicated ratings roost — in repeats — even as Judy Sheindlin debuts her new court show, “Judy Justice,” premiering Monday (Nov. 1) on Amazon Prime’s free streaming service, IMDb TV.
“Viewers can still catch me at 4 o’clock, with my old hair,” Sheindlin, 79, told The Post. “And the last time I looked, ‘Judge Judy’ was the number-one program in syndication in daytime television. If we can bring half of that 8 million-viewer audience with us [to ‘Judy Justice’] that’s terrific.
“The truth is, I think that my story, which I started 26 years ago after spending 40 years in the family court, is still relevant.”
No argument there. Sheindlin moves into “Judy Justice” not only with a huge, built-in fan base, but with new faces assisting her in the courtroom — including her granddaughter, Sarah Rose, who will be the show’s law clerk. She’s joined by stenographer Whitney Kumar and bailiff Kevin Rasco, a former probation officer who’s worked with Sheindlin for a number of years.
“Whitney turned out to be a truly wonderful find. She’s talented and pleasant to look at and she’s got an upbeat personality and is so happy to be involved in a new adventure. She’s married with a couple of kids and has a lovely husband,” Sheindlin said. “Kevin has been my security for years — every morning he came out and looked around to make sure there were no miscreants floating around who wanted to hurt me — and he’s a joy to be around.
“He has a big smile on his face and is just lively and intelligent … he watched and listened for five or six years and he’s thrilled at this new opportunity.”
Sheindlin said she “instinctively knew” that her granddaughter Sarah, who will graduate from law school in the spring, would be right for “Judy Justice.”
“Her aunt was visiting her and I said, ‘Let your aunt put you on tape and let her ask you questions. Sit in an official-looking chair and put on a black suit, this is not a bathing-suit [audition],” Sheindlin said. “Then we decided [that] I would ask her questions, just so that the people on the other end could see that she is articulate, good-looking, youthful … what you want from a clerk on a [court] program. She was never frightened of the camera and she’s gotten more comfortable. She even disagreed with a decision I made and I said, ‘I can see your side of the equation,’ which is a big leap for me.
“She’s a third-generation lawyer in our family. She’s smart and she’s got a little snark in her, which is perfect.”
“Judy Justice” shoots in LA (Culver City) and features a new, bright set. “I changed up the robe,” Sheindlin said. “I went to the color board and said, ‘What looks good on me? What will reflect the light on my face? And I also think the new collar [on the robe] is a little more modern.”
“Judy Justice” will premiere on IMDb TV with four episodes; new episodes will be available each weekday.
“It’s a new show [and] you can only do so much,” she said. “If you go into a theater you’re going to see comedy, drama, a ballet … you know what you’re expecting, and when you go to a court show … you pretty much know what to expect. Truthfully, it’s [the show’s] execution and its leader and who’s presenting the case.
“It’s really no different for me from what I’ve been doing but people will be able to pick up their phones and iPads and stream it on the go. I honestly don’t know what the future of daytime broadcasting is during the afternoon. There’s so much out there … but I just have the feeling that people are demanding that entertainment come to them rather than the other way around.”
Sheindlin said she never contemplated retiring after leaving “Judge Judy” behind.
“To what? For what? I like to work. I find that my blood pressure is best when I work because I think it’s just as challenging to find something that gives you fulfillment, something to do if you still have energy,” she said. “As long as I left ‘Judge Judy’ after a quarter-century on top, which I did … it just felt perfect, and then on to another adventure with a big company where I had another year to think about it.
“You’re really supposed to know when to say goodbye, but if you haven’t gotten that message yet, and you love what you do, keep doing it.
“Why not?!”
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