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05/06/2004 Entry: "Other people's pain is not entertaining"

Fran likes those Judge shows. You know, like Judge Brown, Judge Judy, and so on. I never watch those shows, but I had a chance to in Jacksonhell and again recently while Fran was watching them.

I really equate those shows down with Jerry Springer style talk shows. I don't know how these people remain real judges, because a lot of their attitude and professionalism is sub-par. I have seen real judges, in action, and while they might be boring, at least they are not making sarcastic comments and trying to use trendy and hip language with double entendres and puns for one liners. CR watched them yesterday with us, and said that when he got to go on a field trip to circuit court earlier this year, they told all the kids outright that people like Judge Judy would have been fired after just a day in our county.

The prosecution and defendants are often no winners, either. I am sure that's on purpose, but man ... what ever happened to requiring a suit and tie? Maybe it was never a requirement, but if the prosecution shows up with paperwork, notes, evidence, an outline of events, and a business suit, and you show up in an untucked flannel shirt and plenty of bling-bling ... you are not going to faire well in a court of law. Especially if you keep sheepishly grinning and saying "Your honor, you know how it is..." as a defense for smashing in your ex-girlfriend's car window and stealing her stuff because her new boyfriend said you were all show and no substance.

Sometimes, both people are morons. That must be a great day for those who select the cases for TV. "Wow... a jackass suing an idiot! God LOVES me! Sign 'em up!" I am sure I am being manipulated into wanting to smash both their heads in and going, "Get on with your lives!" Suing an unemployed 19 year old for $2000 of punitive damages because he shot out your car speakers for playing rap music at 130db and leaving the windows open doesn't mean a thing if he doesn't have $2000.

The worst thing about these kinds of shows is I never like seeing people in pain. Even if they "deserve" it. The Springer-style talk shows are the worst because you just have so many people hurting, crying, in anger ... it's traumatic! I don't want to see people fight each other! But I suppose I am in the minority. I recall when CR was 2, and we took him to a hockey game. Christine's old work had tickets they were supposed to give to customers, but the customers hated them so much, they never took them. So employees ended up with them. They were good tickets, too, like the front row in front of the Plexiglas, near the center line. In one of the games we went to, a fight broke out right in front of us. I had never seen adults fight in more than shouting matches at this point, so it was kind of weird to see two fully grown men, in uniforms, wail out and punch each other. It wasn't like the movies at all, it was so freeform and unrehearsed. And it sucked. They fought like little kids, and I mean like 3-4 year old kids. Grabbing, hitting, missing, pulling, and it just looked silly. It upset CR, though, who said they shouldn't be doing that. I distracted him so he wouldn't cry, and the referees broke it up and sent them to their rooms--er, penalty boxes. I told CR they got in trouble, just like he would if he ever did anything like that. I was a mixture of bemusement and angst at the whole thing. It didn't help that people behind us were cheering them on.

The crowds love a fight.


The Peanut Gallery responds with: 1 Comment


The producers of the shows pay the winner the money, which is one reason to go on them. And not everything is real. Check out http://www.corporatemofo.com/stories/030601court.htm .

Posted by Chikin's girl @ 05/06/2004 03:44 PM EST

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