Johannesburg - The legendary and honourable judge Greg Mathis sr is known around the world for his no-nonsense attitude in the courtroom and now South Africans will get a view of the man, as husband, father and grandfather.
The Mathis family are ready to share their unfiltered lives with the world and while the judge might rule the courtroom, at home he is just “Dad”.
“When the robes come off, I am just another sucker. I have been ordering people around for more than 30 years but at home, I have to follow the rules. I get mistreated,” Mathis joked when Saturday Star sat down with him this week.
The well-known and much-loved judge, his wife, Linda and their four grown children – Jade, Camara, Greg jr and Amir – along with their own careers, relationships, personalities and off-the-wall dynamics, are ready to take Los Angeles by storm. The family docu-series offers a rare look into the Mathis’ exclusive Hollywood lifestyle and family fun. The series premieres with back-to-back episodes on July 31 at 8pm on E!.
“Only 50 shows like these are approved yearly so I really didn’t think it would happen. I am so pleased that the show is having a positive effect across society. The fear of people looking into our private lives is gone. It’s about us setting the example,” he said.
“Mathis Family Matters” follows judge Mathis and his wife as two of their adult children move back to Los Angeles to all find their way and join the rest of the family.
Judge Mathis has had great success helping others, but when it comes to his family, his opinions and being an “expert on everything” sometimes falls flat as he helps to guide his children through adulthood.
Linda, the matriarch of the family, has a fabulous quick wit personality and since this is the first time the family have been under one roof in a long time, it’s her mission to keep everyone together through the ups and downs.
The first-born, Jade is living life to the fullest on both coasts, as she decides if her dreams of being a full-time motivational speaker outweigh her career in law.
Camara can do no wrong in the eyes of the judge, and with the nickname “Mother Mathis” she has started a family of her own along with her husband, Ryan and daughters Nora and Zara. Camara is trying to manage it all as she works on balancing family life and her law career.
Greg jr and his long-term boyfriend, Elliott, are busy working on multiple real estate ventures, and as they take their relationship to the next level, they struggle with sharing their true bond with the world.
The youngest, Amir, is building his own production empire, and after a recent divorce he jumps right into another serious relationship, causing his siblings to intercede with a love intervention. The Mathis crew are ready to shake things up with fun, big laughs and family love at the core.
“It was important to show our obstacles. We deal with LGBTQIA+ issues, mental health issues and even my own struggles with ADD ( Attention Deficit Disorder). But you will see no fights. You will see great debates. We advise, we challenge and we encourage. Oh and there’s lots of teasing,” he said.
Judge Greg Mathis sr, a national figure, known for his advocacy campaigns for urban youth and equal justice, is the longest-running African-American male host on television.
His inspirational life story of a street youth who rose from jail to judge has provided hope to millions who watch him on the Emmy Award-winning television court show “Judge Mathis”.
His public service career began in college where he led Free South Africa and voter registration campaigns on campus, while also working nights at McDonalds as a swing manager. After graduating from college in 1983, he joined the staff of Detroit City councilman Clyde Cleveland, and continued to work as an advocate for equal justice with Reverend Jesse Jackson’s PUSH Excel, where he currently serves as chairperson. Judge Mathis has also served as a national board member of the NAACP ( National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) and the Morehouse School of Medicine.
In his efforts to reach out to youth and ex-offenders both in and outside of the courtroom, Mathis opened the Mathis Community Centre in Detroit and has assisted thousands of youths with his non-profit agency, YAAT (Young Adults Asserting Themselves), an agency that provides career, business start-up and job opportunities, as well as job training and college enrolment assistance.
In honour of his years of work and commitment to his hometown of Detroit, the city named one of the streets, Mathis Avenue, after him. The street is part of a new housing development, which replaced the housing projects he grew up in.