I’ve been avoiding writing anything about MTV‘s new hit reality show “Jersey Shore” just because I wanted to avoid the controversy surrounding everything about these kids. I’ve watched a few minutes of the show here and there, and maybe I’m an old fart, but I don’t really get it. I mean, it’s sort of like “The Real World” if every cast member was a lower-income drunk 20-something from New Jersey, right? I don’t get the popularity or the controversy for that matter. I guess it’s nice that MTV is trying to provide an image of that generation that isn’t prettified like The Hills, so in that way I’m happy that the “Jersey Shore” kids have become instant cultural phenoms.
Anyway, some of the biggest, harshest critics of “Jersey Shore” are people that have something in common with these kids. And by that I mean Italian-Americans (who are upset with the casual declarations by the kids that they are “guidos”) and people from New Jersey. One of these critics is Alyssa Milano, an Italian-American from Jersey. So Alyssa decided to work with Funny or Die to create a parody of what it takes to look like one of these kids. It’s interesting:
The fake tan looks a little like blackface, yes? But that really is the way some fake tans look, and it looks like Alyssa is specifically trying to look like Snooki, that girl who got her face bashed in by some douche at a bar. I saw an interview with Snooki and The Situation (seriously) on E! and they actually seem like half-decent kids. I mean, they’re not rocket scientists or anything, but they don’t seem like horrible people.
One other thing – have you seen “The Jersey Shore Nickname Generator”? It’s a fun way to spend two seconds – just type in your name and gender, and hit “fist pump” and BAM! You’ve got a Jersey nickname. My nickname for my real name is C-Pow. My nickname for Kaiser is The Good Time. I’m going to ask CB if I can temporarily change my writing name to The Good Time*. Oh, let me put in “Celebitchy”! HAHAHA!!! Holy sh-t, “Celebitchy” becomes “The Paris Hilton of Trenton”. Now I’ll do her real name… oh my God, her real name becomes “The Ashlee Simpson of Cape May”. Best nickname generator ever!
*This was written by Celebitchy’s new writer, The Good Time.
Blackface….why make that comment? The video is hilarious!!!
That show is ridic…but it is fun!
I was disapointed with Jersey Shore, I thought it was going to be like those two True Life episodes, this show sucks compared to them.
Lmao at this. So funny reading about you doing the name change thing!
“I mean, it’s sort of like “The Real World” if every cast member was a lower-income drunk 20-something from New Jersey, right?”
Um, before you insult all of lower income NJ, you should know that 6 of 8 of the cast members are from NY. Only 1 is actually from Jersey.
The video, not nearly as funny as your “nickname generator” comments. lmao at those!
And, since Alyssa is from Jersey and she played ultimate Jersey girl Amy-whatever-her-name-was in that movie about Joey Buttafuco, was she being funny? Maybe I’m being a little thick, since I just woke up and it’s still dark where I live.
to add to what Katalina said, the “low-income” part was kind of unnecessary and, frankly, inaccurate.
“Guido-ism” spans the entire financial spectrum and is not limited to “low income” people. in fact, I’d go so far as to say you find MORE “Guidos” in the higher-income, “new money” bracket than you would the low income bracket. Most of the lower-income, “blue-collar” Italians I know are so far removed from this nonsense.
I was born and raised in NJ, still live here, and I’m just speaking from experience.
The show is gross.
Are you kidding me? Those kids are the biggest douche bags. I’m totally surprised the kids from the shore didn’t pound their loser asses. As for the comment that the kids from Jersey are like these kids you don’t know many of them. The kids from the show duplicated themselves to look just like John Gotti’s loser grandkids. All this show does is credit the locals for a well deserved hatred for the bennies.
Bella, Amy Fisher was known as the “Long Island Lolita” and grew up in NY. Only furthers Katalina76’s point – is NY the new NJ?
A girl who lives in my building used to cast for reality TV (“Blind Date”) and said that the breeding ground (cesspool?) for reality trash is the five boroughs of NY. (This was in the opinion of producers.)
I can’t decide whether Ashlee Simpson or Paris Hilton is worse. Can’t I pick Hoboken or Jersey City to hail from or are they too classy? I’ve heard you’re a good time, Kaiser. That name suits you.
cece, nice bennys reference.
I’m betting not too many folks outside of NJ would understand that!
(for those who don’t…Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, New York…aka, “the TOURISTS”.)
Edit: ses, to add, Milano is also not from NJ. She was born in Brooklyn.
Alyssa Milano career has been non-existent for a long time now. This is just a cheap ploy to get people talking about her again.
My great-grandfather didn’t approve of us watching mob movies when we were kids because he didn’t like being compared to those kind of Italians. I’m guessing he would disapprove of the Jersey shore as well.
@ ses and Praise –
My bad! Valid point about NY being the new NJ. Is it, do you think?
I don’t know if this is a “reality” show or not but I find it funny as hell and I like it. The kid with a whole suitcase full of hair gel, drunk, slutty, mom ma’s girl Snookie, my boy The Situation, with his insane ripped abs and a nose Karl Malden could be proud of. I’ve never been up there, but my nephew in college was telling me how all the hotels up there run specials during high school prom week!! Classy YO!! I was looking forward to this shows debut and I have not been disappointed! Seeing how these people act when they come down to Florida on vacation it’s nice to see them in their natural environment. I know you can’t say everyone up there is like that but still! DAMN!
My Jersey Shore nickname is: ‘The Incident’
I may have to insist on being called that from now on 😉
I get the bennys reference too – I live and work at a different area of the Jersey Shore, which is pretty much the polar opposite of what I’ve seen of that show.
Pretty funny that so many people assumed to be Jersey girls & boys are actually from NY.
I find it strange that New York has no NFL franchise yet they are credited with two. Both play in NJ. A lot of geographical confusion up there for those of us not familiar with it.
“Seeing how these people act when they come down to Florida on vacation it’s nice to see them in their natural environment.”
except, as it’s been noted a few times, THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT FROM THE NJ SHORE. All except one are not even from NJ.
(lucy2, if you don’t mind me asking, what part of the shore?)
Is this a case of if you can’t beat them, join them. Or in her example, laugh at them?
It seems odd that she will be so against the portrayal of Italians in this show, yet help the show by mocking it…which in turn just gives it more spotlight.
It’s not blackface. Come on!
It’s a tandoori fake tan. It’s a debased Dove ad.
@Praise St Angie – LBI.
My JS nickname is A-Pop. Seems to be a curious mix of A-Rod and Grandpop, so I shall not be using it!
oh, I love LBI. I especially love how almost all of the towns are a variation of “Beach Haven”.
and who wouldn’t love a town called “Loveladies”?!
My JS nickname is J-Scream. lmao
my JS nick name is The Tight End..umm what?
You’re wrong, Kaiser, these kids ARE horrible people. Make no mistake.
Also, I still don’t get why this show is still on the air… would a reality show full of black stereotypes become this big? Or Jewish stereotypes?
Mine, too, Jane. lol Then I entered just my first name and got D-Pow.
My JS name is “The Rack.” Considering it was too cold to get out of the rack this morning, I’m keeping it. Went to the University of Rhode Island in the 1970s and there were “guidos and guidettes” then, too. Being a “stoner,” we didn’t see a point in making fun of them, but our paths didn’t cross much outside of the classroom. I am a little shocked, tho, that they would be REPRESENTIN’ in the new millenium. It seems so retro.
“Also, I still don’t get why this show is still on the air… would a reality show full of black stereotypes become this big? Or Jewish stereotypes?”
I don’t think they got as big, but there sure as hell have been shows like this with nothing but black stereotypes. That disgusting Flava of Love for one.
That stuff put on Milano’s skin did remind me of modern blackface, although I know that wasn’t the intention. Fake tan people look more orange than brown.
My JS name is Tan-tric. I think I’ll just stick to Samantha.
My name is “The Tan-Trum!” I love this link, hilarious!
I am Bronx-born, raised and still live there. I am certain I have more experience with guidos than most posters here. Guidos are NOT horrible people. They are usually quite the opposite. (One has to allow for the bad apples, as with any race). Guidos are usually mostly concerned with their appearance and having fun. They are very sweet to girls, particularly, but they make loyal friends. A guido will always have your back. Don’t be intimidated by them. A guido friend is a beautiful thing. If you want to stay up drinking and partying all night, your guido friend will be with you every step of the way. A guidette may seem snotty, but if she becomes your friend she will watch over you like a mother and beat the crap out of anyone who messes with you. This is what Jersey Shore does to me- I have regressed and am talking like a 23 year old. Seriously though, Guidos have a lot of heart. I LOATHE reality shows; I never watch them. But I LOVE the Jersey Shore.
Your Jersey Shore nickname is: The Position
It may not seem like it but i think kaiser is right when snooki and the situation seem to have a descent head on their shoulders.
Actually, there are lot of former NYers that moved to Toms River and they DON’T act like this. And isn’t one of them from Rhode Island. NOT NY people. That’s in New England.
Let me put it this way. Karma usued to be PACKED but the locals avoided that place because of these morons.
As for stereotyping…there are tons of Italians living around Seaside and although they’re pretty materialistic they’re not gaudy
My Jersey name: THE RACK
Fitting.
In ten to fifteen years Snooki and The Situation will have normal lives, spouses, jobs, kids. So will Sammi and Vinnie. JWow, not so much. But for the most part these kids are just experiencing the real last phase of childhood and freedom.
What the heck? My Jersey Shore nickname is “The Position”. LOL
Lol my real name becomes The Tight End, and my nickname becomes The Position. Weird that my guido nickname is more sexual than my pornstar nickname, but oh well. I like.
@Katalina & Praise St. Angel
“if every cast member was a lower-income drunk 20-something from New Jersey, right?”
I agree that that the analogy is a little glib and blanketed, but I think that it was mean as a contrast to the oversaturation of yuppie, priveleged voyeurism that is The Hills, The City, and Laguna Beach. In comparison to the latter’s cast members, the people on Jersey Shore (whether they’re from NJ or not because obviously the producers don’t give a damn) are of more “modest economic status”.
Oh what the hell? I’m from Cape May and I’ve never actually seen someone with a blowout haircut in real life. These guys are the douchey tourists we hate.
Saw these people when I was in Jersey but didn’t understand what I was seeing – until now. Guess it’s a shock coming from the south. My JS nickname is “The Operation” LOL.
My JS nickname is “The Marisa Tomei of the Bronx”. Whaaaaaaaa.
Mine is A-Cat…how boring.
I think that Alyssa is offensive in herself. Go away.
My cat is also Marisa Tomei!
My husband is The Sausage Party.
That’s wrong, It’s Bergen,Essex,North Jersey, New York