This Is Not the Jersey Shore

Posted on December 16, 2009
Filed Under Culture, Tune In | By Ashley Singh

MTV Jersey ShoreI’m sure you’ve heard about the new show on MTV, Jersey Shore. In case you haven’t, it’s about eight 20-somethings who venture down to Seaside Heights, New Jersey to work on the boardwalk and live and party in a house together. According to the network, “MTV peels back yet a different curtain to follow eight young adults as they move into a summer share to indulge in everything Seaside Heights, New Jersey, one of the most popular summer hot spots, has to offer. Jersey Shore uncovers sometimes surprising, often hilarious and usually over-the-top personalities as they juggle work, love, nightlife, friendship and the drama that ensues. In the end, viewers see that there is more to these tan and buff individuals than hair gel.” The cast boasts constantly about their status as “guidos” and “guidettes”, which is all part of their Italian pride.

I first heard about this show when I was interning in Seaside this summer. I pretty much forgot about it until I started seeing promos for the show a month ago. I decided to give this show one chance, being that there were Facebook groups popping up such as, “People from New Jersey DO NOT act like ‘MTV’s Jersey Shore’ cast!!!” and “JERSEY SHORE LOCALS AGAINST MTV’S ‘JERSEY SHORE’”. As I was watching the show, I couldn’t believe the amount of arrogance and condescension radiating from these people. I know where that house is, where they are working and where they’re partying, and I’m not at all concerned that they’re painting Seaside Heights in a bad light because that place has had a bad rap since I was little; I’m just concerned that the rest of the country is going to think that people from New Jersey are actually like this. Seriously, now I have to lie to people when they ask me where I’m from—as if Jersey didn’t get enough flack before this show came into existence.

What I find most ironic about the whole thing is that only one person on the show is actually from Jersey. I have lived in Jersey since I was two and I can honestly tell you that locals are not like this. We actually call people like the cast of Jersey Shore “bennies,” meaning they overpopulate our beaches and boardwalks and make it impossible for locals to enjoy the summer. Any rational local will tell you that we don’t go near the beaches during the summer because the bennies have landed, and they will also tell you that it’s the beach—not the shore. We don’t fist pump in the clubs, and any self respecting man doesn’t take a half an hour to do his hair.

Joseph Del Raso, the president of The National Italian-American Foundation has even made a statement about the show, saying that “we find this program alarming in that it attempts to make a direct connection between ‘guido culture’ and Italian-American identity…’Guido’ is widely viewed as a pejorative term and reinforces negative stereotypes.” In response to all the criticism over Jersey Shore, an MTV spokesperson said to ABC.com, “We understand that this show is not intended for every audience and depicts just one aspect of youth culture. Our intention was never to stereotype, discriminate, or offend.” Cast member Snooki said of the term that “it’s basically [a term] to describe Italians who like to look good and be the center of attention, and there’s nothing wrong with that…it just means you like to take care of yourself.”

So watch it, don’t watch it, it’s up to you; but please, please, don’t think that all people from Jersey are like this.

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