When I was a little girl there was nothing good to watch on TV during the day. Cartoons and other children’s programming were on in the morning and after school. Soap operas and talk shows ruled the airwaves during the day. I didn’t like either one.
Then something marvelous came to daytime programming: The People’s Court. There have been many great courtroom shows and many great judges since Judge Wapner. My favorite, and probably the most successful, is Judge Judy.
I appeared before Judge Judy in 1997 and she’s a mean little mama (credit WKRP in Cincinnati). I had sued my ex-boyfriend because he owed me money and was making no attempts to pay. Two days after I filed my case I got a letter from the Judge Judy show asking to hear my case. I was delighted. Instead of having a judgment to send to my creditors, I’d have the money I needed. My ex countersued me for the prizes we won on the game show. I got my money and he got the prizes. He let me keep a label maker, ring, and $250 wallpaper gift certificate. My mom used the certificate to redo the kitchen and I got a beautiful painting of a cat that looked like my cat BJ.
A common theme on the court shows is people who let unrelated people into their money. There are so many exes suing because they had been taken to the cleaners by the people claiming to love them. I bet that more than half of the shows are along these lines.
What I learned is to not let anyone in your money. I understand wanting to help someone, but that person should be attempting to help himself. And remember that if you can’t afford to give money away, don’t make a loan.