Farewell, Judge Wapner - Judge Judy won't miss you!

Judge Wapner, the original 'TV Judge' who presided over the 'People's Court' from 1981-94, passed away on Saturday at the age of 97. Those of you may remember that Judge Wapner was very critical of Judge Judy some years ago, and started a public feud with the woman from Brooklyn.

Wapner made it very clear back in an interview from November 2002 he was not a fan of Judy. "She is not portraying a judge as I view a judge should act. Judge Judy is discourteous, and she's abrasive. She's not slightly insulting. She's insulting in capital letters."

Judge Judy responded: "I refuse to engage in similar mud slinging. I don't know where or by whom Judge Wapner was raised. But my parents taught me when you don't have something nice to say about someone, say nothing. Clearly, Judge Wapner was absent on the day that lesson was taught."

Wapner reiterated his feelings about Judy a few years later: "She is a disgrace to the profession. She does things I don't think a judge should do. She tells people to shut up. She's rude. She's arrogant. She demeans people. If she does this on purpose, then that's even worse. Judges need to observe certain standards of conduct. She just doesn't do it and I resent that. The public is apt to gain the impression that this is how actual judges conduct themselves. It says 'judge' on the nameplate on the bench and she's wearing a robe."

Responded Judy: "As a young person, when I had watched The People's Court. . . I said you know what, I could do that. And at least as well because while Joe Wapner is a very good judge, didn't have much of a sense of humor. And I always knew from a very practical perspective that you have to marry those two things in order to be successful in entertainment."

Years later, during an interview with Larry King, Judy was asked if she enjoyed watching Wapner on TV. Her response: "Meh! Oatmeal!"