Judge Judy told people unhappy with America to “go somewhere else.” Fellow TV judge Ms. Pat called the remarks out of touch, privileged, and something Sheindlin should be ashamed of.
The clash pits two blunt courtroom personalities against each other at a moment when Judith Sheindlin is winding down her on-camera career and Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams is building her own unfiltered version of the same format.
Ms. Pat Responds To Judge Judy’s Comments
The exchange has become a shorthand for a larger argument: whether criticizing the country and demanding change is compatible with patriotism, or whether people who dislike the system should simply leave it.
What Judge Judy said
In a wide-ranging USA Today interview tied to the 30th anniversary of Judge Judy, Sheindlin, 83, described America as her home and “the greatest country in the world.” She praised its capitalist system, entrepreneurship, and culture of excellence, citing examples from the polio vaccine to Apple, Amazon, and AI. Then she drew a hard line.
“If you don’t like this country, go somewhere else,” she said. “Don’t come to the greatest country in the world, the most successful country in the world and say, ‘I want to change it.’ There are other countries that have the something else that you want. Go there.”
Sheindlin has used a house metaphor in related remarks: America is her home, and people should not walk in and announce they intend to redecorate it. She also rejected the idea that “everybody should be equal,” saying people differ in talent, height, and ability.
The comments came as CBS aired a primetime special looking back at her career and as she prepared to step back from regular on-camera work after Judy Justice wraps. The original Judge Judy ran 25 seasons from 1996 to 2021.
The remarks quickly drew criticism. On The View, Ana Navarro and Sunny Hostin accused Sheindlin of selfishness and failing to distinguish love of country from criticism of a particular government. Other cohosts defended her emphasis on excellence and free enterprise.
Ms. Pat’s response
Ms. Pat did not hold back when TMZ caught up with her on a rainy New York City street. The comedian and host of BET’s Ms. Pat Settles It and her own self-titled show, which films in Atlanta, said Sheindlin was “out of her mind” and spewing “stupid s***” that ignores the daily struggles of ordinary people.
She argued it is easy for Sheindlin to take that position because she is wealthy and white. For many Americans—especially minorities—leaving is not a realistic option, and the country’s problems land differently depending on who you are.
Ms. Pat said Sheindlin is out of touch with “the struggle of real people” and ought to be ashamed of herself. She added that when those same issues eventually hit Sheindlin personally, her reaction will not be polite.
The TMZ clip, posted September 29, captured her speaking directly to camera under an umbrella, delivering the kind of raw, profane dressing-down that has become her brand. TheGrio summarized her position as a challenge rooted in differing life circumstances: Sheindlin’s wealth and status give her a perspective many Americans simply do not share.
Two judges, two styles
The contrast is personal as well as political. Sheindlin built an empire on no-nonsense rulings, personal responsibility, and a courtroom style that brooks no excuses. Ms. Pat has openly described herself as “what Judge Judy would be if they weren’t holding her back.” A convicted felon who once sold cocaine, she now hosts a court-arbitration show that leans into comedy, family drama, and language that would never air on network daytime television. She has joked about wanting a crossover episode.
Their disagreement is not really about whether America has problems. It is about what people who live here are allowed to do about them. Sheindlin frames the country as a successful house that outsiders (or dissatisfied residents) should not try to gut and rebuild. Ms. Pat frames that view as the luxury of someone who has already won the game and no longer feels the cost of the rules.
The video and the original interview have circulated as two competing versions of blunt talk: one that says love it or leave it, and one that says that advice is easier to give from the top. Both women have made careers out of saying the quiet part out loud. This time they said it about each other.
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