Key Takeaways
- Judge Greg Mathis joked that he stopped asking wife Linda for a particular type of sex after she repeatedly said no, though he never specified the request.
- Mathis said his fear of rejection affects his marriage and other parts of his life, while Linda explained that she still wants to feel pursued after 41 years together.
- The conversation follows their reconciliation after Linda filed for divorce in August 2024, with the proceedings officially dismissed in April 2026.
Judge Greg Mathis spent 24 seasons laying down the law on television, but one ruling he apparently can't overturn is his wife's decision about what happens in their bedroom. During a recent episode of Mathis Family Talks, the longtime television judge revealed that Linda Mathis repeatedly rejected a particular intimate request, so he stopped asking altogether.
The revelation came as the couple discussed romance, intimacy, and how to keep their marriage interesting after 41 years. When a listener asked whether either spouse had stopped requesting something from the other, Mathis offered an answer that caught Linda off guard.
"I've been kept asking a certain type of sex. She never said yes, so I just stopped asking for it," Mathis joked.
"Is that so?" Linda responded.
Mathis never specified exactly what he was requesting, and he quickly acknowledged that he was joking. But the exchange opened the door to a more revealing admission about something that has affected him throughout his life: his fear of rejection.
"The reality is that I have a problem with rejection," he explained. "I probably miss out on a lot because I'm scared of the word no because of the emotion that it gives me."
The former Michigan judge said his sensitivity to rejection extends beyond his marriage, admitting that he avoids asking for favors or assistance if he suspects someone might turn him down. He even acknowledged that his discomfort with hearing "no" kept him from soliciting political donations despite his extensive political background.
Linda, meanwhile, revealed that she understands the feeling. She explained that she has always expected men to pursue her, even after decades of marriage.
"I enjoy the fact of being pursued," she said. "So, if I have to pursue that person, that's not meeting my needs."
That distinction sparked a spirited discussion about who should initiate intimacy, with Mathis arguing that couples shouldn't necessarily wait for their partners to make the first move.
The conversation carries additional significance considering how close the couple came to ending their marriage.
Linda filed for divorce in August 2024 after separating from Mathis the previous month, citing irreconcilable differences. Although they reconciled within months, the divorce proceedings weren't officially dismissed until April 2026.
Their marital difficulties previously became a topic of conversation on The Tamron Hall Show, where Mathis compared the pain of their separation to losing his mother.
"I'd do anything to get my mother back. So, I did anything to get my wife back," he said.
Linda explained that their reconciliation required a renewed commitment to understanding each other.
"We learned each other again," she told Hall.
