By the time I was old enough to actually take interest in the drivel on MTV, the station was already well on its way to being morally bankrupt television. Between Spring Break programs and re-run after re-run of the Real World and Road Rules, the channel was well on its way to completely exploiting the sex appeal and absurd drama of college-aged people. Then we were faced with the trite lives of high school students with shows like Laguna Beach and My Super Sweet Sixteen. Why couldn't it end there?
However, MTV's newest reality endeavor is perhaps its biggest atrocity ever: Jersey Shore. Following their philosophy of choosing the most batshit insane people possible, MTV casted eight Italian-Americans who toss the term Guido around pretty liberally, making a bad name not only for themselves but for Italian-Americans in general. Television is no stranger to racial stereotyping, but seeing it in action this way is appalling.
Even if we forget the recent controversy over cast-mate 'Snookie' getting punched in the face by another cast member (apparently MTV is cool with Guido domestic violence), what are we left with? The guys are obsessed with their (likely steroid enhanced) bodies, and the overly gelled, chemical laced remnants of what used to be their hair. The girls are just about as bad, only they wear far more revealing clothes and for some reason are incredibly attracted to men with no personalities. In fact, the guys and girls seem to have pretty much everything in common except for the rock hard abs.
They all go tanning. They're all out looking to hookup and have a good lay. They all drink to excess. They cheat on their boyfriends and girlfriends. You know, this sounds a whole lot like what I wrote on
party girls a few weeks ago. As many of my commenter's pointed out then, guys are guilty of such behavior too. Well, we certainly have irrefutable evidence now, don't we? As far as this show is concerned, partying is life. Even if these people are totally different in their private lives, this show has completely ruined their characters. That said, how the hell are they cool with being branded as idiotic Guido?
I won't deny that this is probably entertaining for many people. I'm sure there are those that find these type of people really attractive, or like to watch how complete imbeciles choose to live their lives. Maybe some people just want to know what it's like to vacation on the Jersey shore. If that last one is the case though, let me dispel some of the rumors.
Being a resident of New Jersey, I've been down the shore many times, Seaside included. I can say for certain that the show's viewpoint is extremely skewed. Even though it sort of is a shit hole, Seaside is NOT completely filled with over-sexed, under-dressed, loose women or men who are in a constant state of roid-rage and muscle worship. While there are some establishments that pander to those types of people, for the most part it's actually a family-friendly place.
Honestly, the show seems like just another attempt by MTV to promote a life of heavy partying and sex. This time, rather than following the lives of the privileged, they're following the lives of people who try to emulate the privileged. The worst part of all of this is not its moral and racial insensitivity, but the fact that MTV KNOWS who watches their programming: impressionable teenagers.
So here's my question to you: why does MTV continue to promote people engaging in such questionable activities?
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Comments (61)
It sells and its cheaper to produce. The same reasons that dozens of other networks run reality TV shows. Follow a few people around with a camera while their lives fall apart and watch your ratings skyrocket.
it's been shown to make money. why stop what's bringing in the cash? it might not be right, but it doesn't stop people from watching. train wreck? Yup.
Thank you. My roommates are obsessed with this show. They try to justify what these people do on the show and I don't see why they would. Then she reminds me that she's an Italian-American.
It has nothing to do with heritage, these people are just vacuous and give a bad image of Italian-Americans. It gives people another reason for people to stereotype. Way to be progressive MTV. It's one thing that watching bad behaviour can be mildly entertaining but do you know who may be watching?
I understand profit and money. This is an easy way to do it but it sucks.
It's no surprise that this show is another horrible holy grail glorifying (and demonizing) people and their actions. Some of the people that end up on all these shows are quite sweet and normal but this industry just makes bigger idiots out of these people that need to live their lives.
People do stupid things. Do they have to remind us?
In all honesty, I'd probably watch it, if I had MTV. I like Laguna Beach and The Hills.
lol THANK YOU! It is funny how dumb it is though.
I'd rather just watch porn. If I had the option I wouldn't include Mtv in my cable subscription >.>
one of the girls dated a guy who was married-enough said.
i have yet to watch an episode yet i saw a video of the girl getting socked in the face
MTV needs shit that sells. And dysfunction sells. And that's really easy to find now a days. Plain and simple.
I agree. This show is a disgrace to Italian Americans and people from New Jersey who have to deal with this stereotype. Newsflash - they're not even from Jersey! MTV brought them in from Staten Island.
It boggles the mind. Though, I thought I Love New York was the worst...
Reality shows in general have gotten way out of control. Jersey Shore is by far the worst I've seen though. I watched the introductions in episode one and became extremely disgusted.
I can't believe that one guy had a tanning bed installed in his house. Tanning beds are horrible as it is. I can't wait for the 10 year reunion if Jersey Shore when they're all bald from over-doing their hair and covered in wrinkles and moles from tanning too much.
because its the only thing keeping their sad, sad network afloat.
face it, a lot of people watch it not because they like it, but to make fun of it or because they hate it. MTV doesn't care if people like their shows, they just want people to watch them and talk about them!
I've never seen it, so I can't actually judge the show itself.
but I do want to say I really enjoy your posts here at mancouch, you're one of the writers on here that isn't a complete tool!
I actually was refusing to watch it... UNTIL... I saw the clip (which they removed from the episode - so I heard - after complaints anyway) of whatever her name is getting punched in the face. Of course I don't condone domestic violence - but lemme tell you people... sometimes a bitch deserves to get punched in the jaw. And girls like the ones on this show... I'd probably punch them too (not that I'd do as much damage since I've never punched anyway in the face in my life).
And, I'm from Jersey. Seaside... is Seaside. That culture they portray... it most certainly does exist. Though... most of these characters are from Staten Island... NOT Jersey. I wouldn't say its a family oriented place either, at least not in my opinion. There are much nicer place on the Jersey shore (granted for the Jersey Shore). *shrugs*
Truth is, people LOVE horrible television... especially horrible television that reminds them that while they may be dysfunctional and insane at times... they're not the cast of MTV's Jersey Shore.
I just always wondered when MTV would change their name, because it is no longer music television in the least bit. I can actually recall a time where MTV used to show music videos most of the day! Shocker, I know....
Now, you either have to be 16 and under to watch, or at least be under the influence and with a group of friends to laugh at the ridiculousness of the shows and people on them.
In a way, it reminds me of that show Laguna Beach (but far more sleezy). The way they take a location and turn around to look like something completely different. Like you said, the Jersey shore isn't that bad. Laguna Beach isn't really a nice, upscale, rich place like they made it out to be on MTV. One of my friends visits Laguna quite often, and she said its pretty trashy.
Wow. Thanks for sharing dude. And thanks for *not* feigning rage at something that's been talked about endlessly for weeks. Also: thanks for giving us a really unique perspective that's never been previously expressed-I'm so tired of the mainstream media saying that Jersey Shore *isn't* offensive and that "guido" is a fabulous word for both Italians and non-Italians alike. No one else has before made the point that MTV "sucks" and reality TV "sucks" before, so you're really making people think.
If more people were as unique and ground-breaking as you, I'd begin to think that MTV cut costs on advertising by simply offending people and having them write "scathing" reviews of the show that are just repulsive enough for people to want to check it out themselves, the same way they cut costs by firing writers and actors and enlisting fame-whoring members of the public, instead.
But that's definitely not the case, you're definitely one in a million. Thanks for opening our eyes.
Does anybody really take this shit seriously? Come on, guys, it's fucking reality television- sometimes it's fun to watch, but I certainly can't make it part of my weekly ensemble. I think everyone gets that it's not supposed to be an accurate portrayal of either Italian-Americans, Jersey Shore, or the main consumers of hair gel.
I've spent my life (or summers) at the Jersey Shore. This is a microcosm of a few select parts of maybe two out of 100 towns (Seaside, Wildwood, maybe Margat. As others have said, it's a small part of people from Northern Jersey and mainly Long Island New York. Guidos have been popular online since the late 90s and they are funny. They are so extreme it brings humor to other "normal" people. I say normal because usually these people don't stay like this their whole lives...but some do a la Sopranos. But as Shy_Away stated PERFECTLY..its TV and entertainment. I enjoy it and realize the scenarios are mostly staged and they get the LCD of people to join in the fun. My brother been working at MTV for over ten years and he has the inside scoop. He told me about Hills being staged a year before it became live and the same with this.....its more acted out as you think and then its just booze and women at their beck and call. WHy do you think there is always girls ready to come home with them.
@leavingeverything@xanga - They did that right the first time, when they gave us Daria. That used tobe my favortie show. Now, MTV is made for those crossing puberty!
i was both surprised and pleased to see that this was written by a guy.
MTV promotes it because they know people like watching other people act stupid and dramatic.
Honestly, this show makes me a little happy that I mirror my Irish roots more than my Italian ones because I think there will be some morons that think this is how all Italians act. Overall though, I think most people know that the show is filmed in select parts of New Jersey where that sort of crowd is more common......I honestly think it does New Jersey more of an injustice than Italians. I doubt it will do great thing's for the shore's tourism.
I agree with everything posted about how awful the show is, but I can't look away from a train-wreck. :) Give me trashy women, with equally trashy men, alcohol-induced drama, and a 3rd grade vocabulary and I'll have a good time making fun of it all.
@missneeraja@tripcrazed - Well that wasn't sarcastic at all.
Listen, I'd love to be 100% original all the time, but lets face it, no one is. How many more movies are going to be remade or have sequels? How many more vampire books will there be? How many artists sample bits and pieces of other people's songs? How many blogs cover the same news stories every day?
The simple fact is, this is something people are talking about, and this is a good place to discuss it, so I started a discussion.