Петри Хокинс Бёрд: От судебного пристава до звезды телеэкрана.

American television personality

Petri Hawkins Byrd (born Petri Adonis Byrd; November 29, 1957, in Brooklyn, New York), also known as Bailiff Byrd or simply Byrd, is an American court show bailiff, television personality, social media personality, actor, voice actor, writer, and former New York State Court Officer. Byrd is best known for his sidekick role as Bailiff Byrd for the entire series run–totaling 25 seasons–of Nielsen top rated courtroom television program Judge Judy. From his stint on Judge Judy, Byrd is television's longest court show bailiff in history.

Petri Adonis Byrd was born on November 29, 1957, in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Taking to comedy and impressions from an early age, Byrd's father thought he was so entertaining and amusing as a child that he and his friends frequently called Byrd up from prison just so they could hear him imitate celebrities. Growing up, Byrd admired and imitated such celebrities as Flip Wilson, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Ed Sullivan, Bill Cosby and others. Meanwhile, Byrd's stay at home mother held their family together. Byrd has described his mother as a strict disciplinarian who was insistent about her children achieving their education and treating people with respect. Of his childhood, Byrd has stated, "My escapes were going to school, reading, television and movies—anything that would take me out of the world I was in and put me in a world that could be." Recounting the times he was assigned to function as Sheindlin's bailiff in the Manhattan family court system, Byrd commented, "I was never bored in her courtroom. Her get to the point style didn't always sit well with the litigants, and there were times she was definitely glad to have me around." That same year, Byrd's personal life changed radically: he and his wife, Felicia, separated and she moved with the couple's children to California. The couple tried to get their marriage back on track by participating in cross country relationship counseling for five months. Judge Judy remained the number 1 Nielsen rated court show for its entire series run. In addition, the court show scored highest in daytime and syndication ratings for much of its first run, and won 3 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program. In the series, Byrd took the role of Sheindlin's typically apathetic and lightly surly courtroom bailiff, as one who did not hesitate to assume a menacing presence with litigants when Sheindlin needed extra reinforcement. Byrd's main role in the series constituted introducing the cases (calling the parties forward, swearing the litigants, directing the courtroom audience when to rise and be seated, delivering the docket number and handing Sheindlin the case files), delivering materials between the judge and the litigants, dismissing the parties, and escorting them out once the case was complete. Opening and closing out the proceedings, each Judge Judy case began with Byrd making the statement of "Order! All Rise!" and ended with him stating, "Parties are excused. You may step out." (this was later changed in the final season to "This case has concluded, parties are excused"). Limited in his speaking role, Byrd typically only commented when addressed by Sheindlin, supplying her with always curtly expressed nonchalance and lighthearted comments. Byrd was also tasked with controlling emotions that ran high among the parties and preventing potential altercations between the show's guests, typically by standing in between them and the litigant podiums during the proceedings. Sheindlin frequently directed Byrd to expel litigants from the courtroom who acted in ways that she found inappropriate. Byrd had been described by the Los Angeles Times as "the guard dog to the pit bull." In another running gag, Sheindlin relied on Byrd's sophistication and academic knowledge, with Byrd interceding in areas with which she struggled: mathematics, new media, social media, current fads, etc. Byrd also routinely delivered evidence to Sheindlin while having his head and eye contact directed away from her off to his sides, a trait observed publicly by Amy Poehler. A trademarked pet peeve of Byrd's was frequently having to block litigants from attempting to deliver evidence to Sheindlin themselves directly when they were unaware of the show's practice to hand evidence over to the bailiff—although, on occasion, Sheindlin requested litigants to approach the bench, for example, to present evidence of bodily injuries or document clarifications. Sheindlin often comically incorporated Byrd in the midst of her critiques and reprimands at litigants, as by sharing with the parties of Byrd's disapproving thoughts of them without any actual communication of this from Byrd at all. Of their on screen relationship, Sheindlin had quipped, "We're like two old married people who have reached an accord. I can rely on him to be my protector. We don't have to exchange words—he knows what I'm thinking. People who watch us sense we have a history, and that is very important. Byrd described Sheindlin as "Blunt, witty, and sharp as a tack." Though when asked if he'd like to appear as a litigant on the program, Byrd answered candidly (laughing), "Hell no. And I don't advise any of my friends to do so. Not if they want to maintain their love of the judicial system." Byrd's duties and involvement were significantly reduced during the show's 25th and final season due to the COVID 19 pandemic: while he still introduced and closed out the cases, he no longer delivered evidence back and forth between Sheindlin and the parties and rarely communicated back and forth with Sheindlin. The cause of this was due to Sheindlin adjudicating the proceedings remotely from New York, while Byrd and the disputants still reported to the Los Angeles studio set.

Byrd was also on the long running UPN show "The Parkers". He portrayed a motorcycle Police Officer. Byrd has participated in several movies and TV shows, including Tom Hennessy, Soul Lake (a 2015 independent horror film), Under The Palm Tree, American Skin, Sheen Talk, Inspirit, and Reesie's Pieces. By the same token, his other projects include Curb Your Enthusiasm (through the show visiting the Judge Judy program), A Deeper Love, Playing Mona Lisa, In the Eyes of a killer, Saviour of None. Byrd also played a judge role in the independent film End of the Law, which was shot in Sacramento, California and premiered at the Crest Theatre on October 3, 2003. In December 2019, Byrd returned to disclose improvements in relation to diabetes and his overall health. On August 5, 2021, Byrd performed in his first post Judge Judy role as a guest on The Bold and the Beautiful. In the episode, Byrd plays a marriage officiant at the wedding of Steffy (played by Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Finn (played by Tanner Novlan). Amid Byrd's much publicized exclusion from Sheindlin's spin off series Judy Justice (which includes several former Judge Judy crew members) and the strong fan response received, he was reportedly approached by producers to present a program of his own that would see him as the mediator in some form. Byrd communicated an interest in the idea of acting as a television mediator. On April 28, 2022, it was announced that Byrd would be holding the role of bailiff for an upcoming court show produced by Sheindlin's team that is currently in development. The court show, Tribunal Justice, is presided over by former Hot Bench judges, Tanya Acker and Patricia DiMango, along with Sheindlin's son, former district attorney Adam Levy.

A streaming court spin off of Judge Judy, entitled Judy Justice (also hosted by Judy Sheindlin), premiered on IMDb TV from Amazon Studios on November 1, 2021. In December 2020, during 25th season production of Judge Judy, Byrd noted publicly that he would be "honored" if invited back for the spin off series in an interview with the Associated Press. However, the first trailer for the court show, released in September 2021, was absent of Byrd with a different bailiff presented, and Sheindlin additionally remarking that she was solo as far as a cast for the past 25 years in advertising Judy Justice as conversely having a cast. This was met with widespread outrage and criticism from Judge Judy fans. Addressing fan complaints over his absence in an October 8, 2021, interview with Entertainment Weekly, Byrd stated that he was not asked to participate in Judy Justice. Byrd added that he was not offered an audition nor communicated with at all in regards to the spin off since Sheindlin first disclosed news of the court show in a March 2020 Ellen DeGeneres Show appearance—news that came as a surprise to Byrd. It was not until July 2021 after the Judge Judy program ended and production of Judy Justice began was there a discussion, resulting from Byrd himself phoning Sheindlin at the behest of his wife Makita (former Judge Judy producer who was requested to return for the spin off series but could not due to suffering from a cancerous brain tumor). According to Byrd, when he asked Sheindlin if he would have a role in the streaming series, Sheindlin explained that he was not invited to take part in the program because his salary would have been too high. Byrd described feeling perplexed by Sheindlin's statements, stating he never had the opportunity to discuss salary or lower salaries with anyone. Byrd has described feeling "confused and dismayed" by Sheindlin's treatment. He added, however, that he was humbled by the show of support from fans. In her own statements to the press, Sheindlin remarked, "Byrd is terrific, and we had a great 25 year run. This is a whole new program with a whole new cast and an exciting energy." In following appearances on The Real, Entertainment Tonight Canada and The Black News Channel, Byrd quipped that Sheindlin's treatment of him was akin to Batman abandoning Robin. When questioned on the nature of his relationship with Sheindlin, Byrd answered that he and Sheindlin never treated each other like friends throughout the court show's entire 25 season run, nor while working within the family court system prior to that. Rather, Byrd described himself as only having a professional relationship with Sheindlin limited to behaving cordially around each other, Byrd using the analogy of what a relationship might be between a low ranking mail clerk employed for Bill Gates at one of his companies. Elaborating, Byrd pointed out that Sheindlin never once invited him to a lunch or celebratory get together in all of the show's 25 seasons. Byrd has stated that he welcomes a phone call from Sheindlin if she takes exception to any of his media appearances or opposes any of his public claims. He has added ultimately that he holds no grudges, is grateful to Sheindlin and wished her all the best with Judy Justice. Judge Lynn Toler, former court show arbitrator and longest reigning arbitrator of the courtroom series Divorce Court (formerly taped from the same studios as Judge Judy and thus a longtime friend of Byrd's), made an appearance on Bonding with Byrd on October 19, 2021. In the interview, Toler provided details on her various dissatisfactions leading to her resignation from Divorce Court and her current hosting role on Marriage Boot Camp. In addition, Byrd and his wife founded a jointly owned production company that they named "Bonding with Byrd". Byrd has shared that their production company is geared towards launching broadcast entertainment projects for streaming as well as developing and presenting stage plays. and Amy's F*** It List (2023).

In 2000, Byrd and his family moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Elk Grove, California. The move was said to have resulted from Byrd and his family taking a liking to Elk Grove's affordable housing community and family oriented atmosphere. Asked if he'd ever move to Los Angeles, California, where he reported to the set of Judge Judy for 25 years, Byrd answered with an emphatic "No." Byrd said he greatly disliked all the extravagance and glitz of Hollywood and preferred a simple, reflective life. Byrd is a churchgoing Christian. Altogether Byrd has four children, all adults and all from his first marriage to Hawkins.