In 1997, Robert Williams (former Captain Beefheart, Sex Pistols - John Lydon drummer) filed a lawsuit, which aired on Judge Judy. Williams claimed that Lydon had head-butted him and fired him for no reason.
And so the two parties found themselves in the syndicated television chambers of the esteemed Judge Judith Sheindlin, who referred to Williams as a "nudnik," and scolded Lydon when he resorted to classic Johnny Rotten behavior (blowing his nose loudly and interrupting the proceedings).
But, according to a Virgin Records press release promoting the Judge Judy taping, "During rehearsals, Williams' behavior became increasingly provocative, adversely affecting the camaraderie of the band." With no time to find a replacement, they went ahead with him anyway, but scheduled a dinner meeting to discuss the matter with Williams.
Lydon hired drummer Robert Williams (who might be the only person on the planet who can claim to have worked for both Captain Beefheart and Pee-wee Herman).
Judy obviously doesn’t care much for Williams and calls him a “nudnik.” She seems to like Lydon, though, despite having to shush his snide outbursts numerous times.
JOHN LYDON: There's no point in me wasting money on separate individual hotel rooms, when I'm perfectly able to share. And I'm apparently the pop star.
JUDGE JUDY: Don't play something for me that doesn't say what you purport that it doesn't say. It doesn't say anything about his acknowledging that he assaulted you. Stop! Say nothing else!
Mr. Lydon, you have almost been very patient, sir. (The court laughs).
LYDON: Well, as you can understand, Mr. Williams is a very difficult person to work with, and I think this is classic him.
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In 1997, Robert Williams (former Captain Beefheart, Sex Pistols' John Lydon drummer) filed a lawsuit, which aired on "Judge Judy." Williams claimed that Lydon had head-butted him and fired him for no reason.
He was seeking $5,000 in lost wages. He lost his case due to a lack of evidence. Lydon's version had Williams quitting his band four days before the start of a tour. It looks as if she takes a shine to Lydon though, despite having to calm his boisterousness by telling him to keep quiet on many occasions. But it certainly deserves its place in his canon of classic television appearances. SPOILER: Williams faces a stern telling off from Judy, who advises him that the music industry is full of strange characters, unlike any other business, and that perhaps he is in the wrong trade. JOHN LYDON: There's no point in me wasting money on separate individual hotel rooms, when I'm perfectly able to share. And I'm apparently the pop star. JUDGE JUDY: Don't play something for me that doesn't say what you purport that it doesn't say. It doesn't say anything about his acknowledging that he assaulted you. Stop! Say nothing else! Mr. Lydon, you have almost been very patient, sir. (The court laughs). LYDON: Well, as you can understand, Mr. Williams is a very difficult person to work with, and I think this is classic him. Williams protests that he did not want to share a room with two other musicians while on the tour, and thus was let go. John Lydon (aka “Johnny Rotten”) goes before TV’s Judge Judy in a 1997 episode. The case is straightforward enough. Robert Williams, former drummer of Lydon’s Public Image Ltd., brought suit for breach of contract and assault and battery. Judy obviously doesn’t care much for Williams and calls him a “nudnik.” She seems to like Lydon, though, despite having to shush his snide outbursts numerous times. It’s also clear she has absolutely no idea who he is. “I don’t know from this band,” she says, “This last band I heard was Lawrence Welk… Jimmy Dorsey… Tommy Dorsey… I don’t know. Those are bands!” Judy ultimately calls out Williams for expecting so much order amidst the chaos of the music business, and she dismisses his suit. And as for Johnny Rotten’s odd fifteen minutes on daytime television? “Perhaps this was the moment Lydon’s ambition as a TV presenter was born,” muses, who knows? It’s a long way from the famous Bill Grundy interview, yet perhaps not so far from his televised confrontations of the following few decades. But consider as evidence a much earlier Lydon appearance on a 1979 TV court show, “Juke Box Jury”, where Lydon and a panel of celebrities pass verdicts on the current pop hits: “It ain’t the Donna Summers I know. I hate it. It was awful!” Imagine this: You're the former frontiersman of one of the most provocative bands in history and 20 years later, you're resolving a small claims case with a former band member on a nationally syndicated television show. Some people would feel like their star might've fallen, but not the Sex Pistols' John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten). Back in 1997, when producers of Judge Judy learned about the dispute, they asked him to air his dirty laundry on an episode of the show and Lydon immediately accepted. "I love this country!," he proclaimed. Here's how it happened: Lydon had put together a backing band to support him on a tour in support of his 1997 solo album Psycho's Path. Lydon hired drummer Robert Williams (who might be the only person on the planet who can claim to have worked for both Captain Beefheart and Pee-wee Herman). But, according to a Virgin Records press release promoting the Judge Judy taping, "During rehearsals, Williams' behavior became increasingly provocative, adversely affecting the camaraderie of the band." With no time to find a replacement, they went ahead with him anyway, but scheduled a dinner meeting to discuss the matter with Williams. What happened during that meeting is what led to the lawsuit. Williams claimed he was fired while Lydon said he quit; Williams also claimed he was assaulted but Virgin said he bumped his head on Lydon's chin. And so the two parties found themselves in the syndicated television chambers of the esteemed Judge Judith Sheindlin, who referred to Williams as a "nudnik" and scolded Lydon when he resorted to classic Johnny Rotten behavior (blowing his nose loudly and interrupting the proceedings).
John Lydon (aka “Johnny Rotten”) goes before TV’s Judge Judy in a 1997 episode. The case is straightforward enough. Robert Williams, former drummer of Lydon’s Public Image Ltd., brought suit for breach of contract and assault and battery. Judy obviously doesn’t care much for Williams and calls him a “nudnik.” She seems to like Lydon, though, despite having to shush his snide outbursts numerous times. It’s also clear she has absolutely no idea who he is. “I don’t know from this band,” she says, “This last band I heard was Lawrence Welk… Jimmy Dorsey… Tommy Dorsey… I don’t know. Those are bands!”
Judy ultimately calls out Williams for expecting so much order amidst the chaos of the music business, and she dismisses his suit. And as for Johnny Rotten’s odd fifteen minutes on daytime television? “Perhaps this was the moment Lydon’s ambition as a TV presenter was born,” muses, who knows? It’s a long way from the famous Bill Grundy interview, yet perhaps not so far from his televised confrontations of the following few decades. But consider as evidence a much earlier Lydon appearance on a 1979 TV court show, “Juke Box Jury”, where Lydon and a panel of celebrities pass verdicts on the current pop hits: “It ain’t the Donna Summers I know. I hate it. It was awful!”
Imagine this: You're the former frontiersman of one of the most provocative bands in history and 20 years later, you're resolving a small claims case with a former band member on a nationally syndicated television show. Some people would feel like their star might've fallen, but not the Sex Pistols' John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten). Back in 1997, when producers of Judge Judy learned about the dispute, they asked him to air his dirty laundry on an episode of the show and Lydon immediately accepted. "I love this country!," he proclaimed.
Here's how it happened: Lydon had put together a backing band to support him on a tour in support of his 1997 solo album Psycho's Path. Lydon hired drummer Robert Williams (who might be the only person on the planet who can claim to have worked for both Captain Beefheart and Pee-wee Herman). But, according to a Virgin Records press release promoting the Judge Judy taping, "During rehearsals, Williams' behavior became increasingly provocative, adversely affecting the camaraderie of the band." With no time to find a replacement, they went ahead with him anyway, but scheduled a dinner meeting to discuss the matter with Williams.
What happened during that meeting is what led to the lawsuit. Williams claimed he was fired while Lydon said he quit; Williams also claimed he was assaulted but Virgin said he bumped his head on Lydon's chin. And so the two parties found themselves in the syndicated television chambers of the esteemed Judge Judith Sheindlin, who referred to Williams as a "nudnik" and scolded Lydon when he resorted to classic Johnny Rotten behavior (blowing his nose loudly and interrupting the proceedings).
