Is MTV’s Jersey Shore Just a Tad Too Racist?
I’m sure by now you’ve either seen or heard one of your friends go on endlessly about MTV’s new reality show Jersey Shore. I caught up with both episodes over the weekend and I have to say it’s the best reality TV show I’ve seen since the first 3 seasons of The Real World. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who hates Reality TV.
My girlfriend and I found the show not only hilarious but pretty accurate to our own formative years surrounded by Brooklyn and Jersey Guidos & Guidettes. The only two Guido types sadly missing are the plump “life of the party” Guido and the Alterna-Guido. However, unlike me, she felt the show was a little exploitative and racist and well, she’s not alone. The Italian-American defamation league (UNICO) has gone after the show for portraying a poor stereotype and TV critic, Linda Stasi chimed in with her own 2¢ on the matter in today’s NY Post.
I personally don’t see things their way and tend to agree with MTV’s response to the critics. I’m of the mind that “Guido” has moved into its own youth based sub-culture much like Punk, Juggalo & Hipster. The “Guido” stereotypes (like it or not) have become identity benchmarks within their own community like mohawks and studded belts have to punk rockers. Remember, that’s within its own community… NOT the Italian-American community (and anyone who can’t separate the two has bigger issues than this show).
I’m not ignorant to how things work behind the scenes on reality shows where the producers play a role off-screen in creating on screen conflict (especially since Greg spent time working on Elimidate). However in no way do I think anyone on the show is acting in a way that’s “clearly at the urging of its producer.” Linda Stasi believes otherwise, but I think the show’s producers are for the most part letting the camera roll and what gets captured makes for some great TV. Yes it’s funny and yes we’re laughing at them (at least I am) but that doesn’t mean everyone else is… fuck, I’m sure that if the people on Jersey Shore were to watch a show based on the daily interaction of the Мишка office, we’d undoubtedly be the butts of their jokes too.
After spending decades with a front row seat to the Guido sub-culture I honestly find that the show is not only accurate but silly and amusing. Is this any different than say MTV turning their cameras on at the Gathering of the Juggalos and making a show out of that? Is it really exploitative if it’s documenting things as they are? No question MTV could be heading down a slippery slope by singling out one specific sub-culture that is so ethnically tied, but did they really go too far? I guess that’s where you all chime in with your own thoughts about it in the comments.
If you haven’t yet seen the show go to MTV’s site now and watch both episodes and bonus clips. They’re totally worth the watch and then you can decide for yourself if the show is too exploitative and inaccurate.
P.S. As an added bonus, here is Snooki’s Youtube channel.
December 8th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Dude, I caught the first half of the first episode this weekend, and I was fucking floored. I couldn’t believe the hilarity unfolding on the screen. It seemed like I was peering into some alternate dimension, and I couldn’t turn the fuck away. People calling themselves “Guidos” and “Guidettes” and just being so god damn vapid and…amazing.
It’s horrifying, spellbinding shit.
December 8th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
December 8th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Welcome to my adolescence…
Actually one of my favorite characters on the show is their landlord and the guy who runs T-Shirt shop, Danny. He’s your “Average Joe Guido” or “Classic Rock Guido” as I’ve come to know ‘em.
December 8th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
it’s pretty dead on to what’s going on in south shore of staten island, hell i think 3 cast-members are actually from SI…
I don’t think it’s racist, since there are such things as russian guido’s, irish, asian, etc…
-Ed hardy
December 8th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
ps: this show makes the shore look somewhat more glamorous than it really is, it’s a fun spot to go down to for a day and get wasted in the sun. not exactly the cultural hub for “our kind” but definitely worth a day of drinking beers and eating shitty sea-food.
I think the best part about the shore is walking around the boardwalk after last call, its like a dystopian landscape of broken looking carnival rides and vomit, kinda like asbury park
December 8th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
It’s not racism, it’s animal cruelty.
December 8th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Is there anyway that Africa can give these people aids? I mean this shouldn’t be hard right?
December 8th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
“totally worth the watch” – interesting sentence when used in reference to MTV’s programming.
December 8th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Also worth review: this MTV True Life “I Have a Summer Share” set in Seaside, NJ (same town as Jersey Shore) circa 2003.
Clearly someone in the reality department over at MTV was inspired while pouring over the archives. Gotta say tho, they seem to have perfected the formula this time out.
December 8th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
MISHKA and T&B present JERSEY SHORE GUIDO MASSACRE coming this summer at club Bamboo! Heavy Bass Bangers, fist pumping and YAGER BOOOOOOOOMBS!
December 8th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Being from Jersey and ride or die for my Garden State, I used to be 100 percent AGAINST this kind of shit. Even more so after I moved to MA and realized that, seriously, everyone’s perception of Jersey comes from the media’s relentless bullshit stereotypes.
I lived in Jersey for 20 years – in Bayonne and the countryside of Newton – and I’ve vacationed at the Shore. Never met a “guido.” I swear none of them actually live in Jersey.
Honestly, I don’t care about this fucking show or the general public’s opinion of Jersey, but if retards run their mouth and can’t BACK UP their “Jersey is a dump” POV, then fuck off.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Only like two of the dudes on the show are actually from NJ which is kind of lame. Need to just go hang out at guido bars like the Rock Cellar and videotape people fist pumping to remixes of “Living on a Prayer”.
I swear to god that chick Snooki is straight up huffing glue any time she’s not on the camera, bitch ain’t right in the head.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:31 am
Right after I watched it, I immediately thought about the need for a Juggalo reality show. Where like 8 Juggs that don’t know each other, move into a house and get psychopathic. That would be the most entertaining shit on TV ever. WOOP WOOOOP!
December 9th, 2009 at 11:27 am
this might be my replacement now that dexter is almost over
December 9th, 2009 at 11:45 am
CV is definitely onto something amazing.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Seconding Caffeine Powered.
Also, I watched both episodes for shits and giggles and found myself overwhelmed. I live in Brooklyn, so whenever I walk through Bensonhurst or Bath Beach, I see guidos in all directions. they exist, and each one is a stereotype. To put a bunch of them in one house and film it is genius.
I hate guidos, but I don’t hate Italians. This is going to become some Chris Rock “I love black people but I hate niggaz” shit soon.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
no this doesn’t top the original true life (jersey shore) those were the real fist pumping idiots.
these kids are just tainted semen.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
As an Italian myself, people like this have always appalled me: I mean, I went through high school being, uh, “persecuted” by my Italian brethren for not fitting into this crap (maybe I’m an “alterna-guido”?). I’m not embarrassed by it per-se- I don’t associate myself with people like this- but it is a tad racist and I do feel a slight pang of defensiveness. When MTV inevitably makes a show called “Brighton Beach” or something like that, I’ll feel a little better. MTV is obviously homing in on the racial association here- and that’s the selling point of the show. Not the Jersey Shore club scene or even a diverse group of “guidos” (racially). I’ll admit, this stuff is funny, but as Crook said, it may be a slippery slope.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I wanna know more about Greg’s time working on Elimidate!
December 9th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
that snooki chick went to my highschool.
December 10th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Im italian and I was raised in Staten Island and honestly I don’t see a problem with the show. So what if they are referring to themselves as guidos and guidettes? Its just a term used by young Italians For the most part, being a guido/guidette is just a way of living–how you dress, do your hair, what you do for fun. All italians are family oriented but considering yourself a guido/guidette does not necessarily reflect how Italians are. They just happen to be Italian and chose that way to be! When Basically Jersey Shore is an entertaining show with young kids who are having some summer fun. They arent represting THE JERSEY SHORE because Seaside Heights isnt JUST the jersey shore but most people think Seaside Heights when they hear Jersey Shore. I really believe if people have a problem with the show, then dont watch it! Its only going to get people mad…I mean for gods sake – just let them be!!!!
December 14th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
I don’t understand why this is considered racist since Guido and Italian are not races.
December 25th, 2009 at 12:14 am
This show is a joke, its not at all what its like at the jersey shore. I’ve lived at the shore all 24 years of my life, and at the summer it sux. You get staten island Guidos all of them with the same fucking hair cut (by the way it look ridiculous) who trash the town and give jersey shore people a bad rep no one from jersey wants you here . Just stay at your dump of an island. THE SHOW SHOULD BE RENAMED AS “BENNYS”
January 16th, 2010 at 12:57 am
I go to school @ the college of Staten Island with Guidos they are ok once you get to know them. My AX tees can’t wait for the summer to start. Jersey Shore sucks Ibiza that is where its at!
July 29th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Jersey who?