As much as I loved The Real Housewives of New Jersey, I knew that I was loving it for all the wrong reasons. I'm New Jersey all the way: born here, went to college here, have lived here all my life. About ten percent of the people I've met fit the yelling, lunkheaded Jersey stereotypes we've seen on TV since The Sopranos; what I don't understand is where reality TV's recent fascination has been with the louder residents of the Garden State.
First it was Housewives. Then it was Cake Boss, where Buddy Valastro and his crew scream and gesture so much it's a wonder how their cakes don't collapse in the oven. Even TLC's relatively gentle Masters of Reception seemed to highlight the more "Jersey" aspects of my home state.
Now we have Jersey Shore, an MTV reality series premiering December 3. It documents goings on last summer in a shore house with the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos," according to this particularly annoying promo:
The New York Daily News' reality expert, Cristina Kinon, seems to be extremely excited by this news: "It has all I've ever wanted in a reality series, and then some (like pit stains!)."
Oy. Just what my home state needs: more people thinking that it's filled with idiots like these. Again, I'm not saying that I don't find all of this entertaining. I may even watch Jersey Shore (I'm sure my fiancee will immediately add the season pass for it to the DVR as soon as she hears about it) and love it. But I kind of love it in the same vein where I can make jokes about my own family, but will get upset at any outsider who does the same.
Hopefully, this Jersey reality craze fades soon and people move on to another state. Maybe something on desert dwellers in New Mexico... yeah, that'll be nice to see.
MTV's Jersey Shore: yet another chance to laugh at the Garden State
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-11-2009 @ 8:13PM
ac said...
The series should be nicknamed: Why locals avoid Seaside Heights.
Seriously this is real? It looks (and sounds) like My New Haircut: The Series. At least The Sopranos was fictional and well written and the characters (except AJ) were more than just douchebag tools making idiots out of themselves.
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11-11-2009 @ 8:46PM
Aaron said...
I thought guido was a bad word....
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11-11-2009 @ 10:21PM
Creep said...
Wow. It's only a matter of time before they have a reality show about trailer park residents.
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11-12-2009 @ 1:23PM
Laura said...
They need to do a show on REAL Jersey Shore people, not guidos from staten island that come to the shore in the summer. Give such a bad rep. to true Jersey. So annoying.
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11-12-2009 @ 10:16AM
matt said...
Why would you encourage this behavior by giving it a TV show?
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11-12-2009 @ 2:16PM
Franklin said...
This must be inspired by that series of popular YouTube videos where guidos (and guidettes) are interviewed at the beach. In fact, it would be cool if the creators of those videos are somehow involved with this MTV show.
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11-12-2009 @ 9:07PM
mikerocket said...
We have a song called "Gotta Get To The Jersey Shore" www.myspace.com/mikerocket
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11-15-2009 @ 6:03PM
AboutNewJersey.com said...
Funny how the article claims this show is about "loud" New Jerseyans - yet it's about TOURISTS from New YORK who visit the Jersey Shore. For information on the TRUE Jersey Shore - visit AboutNewJersey.com or http://www.facebook.com/the.jersey.shore
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11-17-2009 @ 2:52PM
J 2 The b said...
Jersey, just embrace your Guido stereotype. Who cares what everyone else thinks.
What is Jersey? A politically-corrupt, mob haven with a bunch of muscleheaded meatballs who drive iRocs and grease their hair back. Sounds about right to me.
I grew up in South Jersey (Vineland), so that North Jersey stereotype is funny to me (and probably true).
Dude, wake up, go watch MTV's "True Life: I have a summer share". That whole show was about a bunch of guidos and guidettes in Bellmar (I think).
This show has been done before. And when it is over, everyone involved will end up looking like the guineas that they are.
And yes, I already programmed my Tivo for this one.
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11-18-2009 @ 1:21PM
ali said...
i think this show is complete b.s. no one who actually lives at the "jersey shore" acts the way the people do on this show . the only people who act like that are the bennies who come down here in the summer who dont even live here. you guys are making complete fools out of yourself . no one fist pumps, you look stupid with your orange tans, and your spikey gelled hair, no one thinks your hot and no one cares who invented the "poof" and guys.. please start using deoderant no one wants to see your nasty armpits. if mtv is goin to make a show about the "jersey shore" try to actually cast people who actually live here not people who vaction here .
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11-21-2009 @ 12:13AM
JoJo said...
They should call this show "Staten Islanders Visting the Jersey Shore."
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