MTV's Jersey Shore Irks Italian-Americans

Stereotypes in 'Jersey Shore' are damaging, says UNICO

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 25, 2009 1:50 PM CST

(Newser) – The young Italian-American stars of MTV’s upcoming reality show Jersey Shore are celebrated in a promo as the “hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos” this side of Parsippany. Ick, says Italian-American group UNICO. They may well “keep their hair high, their muscles juiced and their fists pumping all summer long,” as the ad promises, but this breed of “trash television” traffics in stereotypes and should never see broadcast, the group’s president tells the New York Daily News. What? an MTV spokeswoman demurs. The cast “takes pride in their ethnicity.”

[Images (1)]

[Videos (2)]

The cast of MTV's "Jersey Shore." (MTV)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

A news report on responses to the show. (WNBC 4 New York)

A clip from the "Jersey Shore" promo. (pdlexpd)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

CLICK BELOW TO VOTE

100%

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Getty Images

White Grandfather Cuffed for Walking With Black Granddaughter (NewsOne)

Man in Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half a Head (HuffPost)

These Exes Were Spotted Making Out … and That's a Bad Thing (Bleacher Report)

Help! I'm Having an Incestuous Relationship With My Twin (Slate)

Proof that Twitter Users are Sexier Than Facebook Users? (GeekSugar)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 13 comments

cognitivefilter

Nov 26, 2009 12:39 PM CST

barf

JoeQ

Nov 26, 2009 7:36 AM CST

Yes, ROCKY, personally I've never heard the term 'guido' used before, but I'll take your word for it that its usage is indicative of a terrible history of ethnic slurs against Italian Americans in this country. It must be stopped. And you know what they say, those who forget the pasta are condemned to reheat it.

whatup

Nov 25, 2009 10:30 AM CST

hahaha excellent, stasis

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds Major Cash Inside

Study Finds Arsenic in Baby Formula, Cereal Bars

New York Daily News (Source Grid »)

Entertainment

television • reality TV • New Jersey • MTV • stereotypes • Italian Americans • Guido • Jersey Shore • UNICO

More Newser Stories

Mayor to Snooki: Thanks for the Publicity!

'Jersey Shore' star's arrest puts town back on the map

(NEWSER) - "Snooki arrested!" screamed the headlines around the world, and the mayor of the town where the Jersey Shore star faces a disorderly conduct charge couldn't be happier, reports the New York Post . "We're getting wonderful publicity!" says Ken Hershey. "We couldn't pay a half-million dollars for this!" Details of the incident are still emerging: In the Post's account, a drunk Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, was heard saying, "Do you know who I am? I'm fucking Snooki! You can't do this!" as Seaside Heights, NJ, police took her into custody. More»

Snooki Mystifies Times Reporter

Dad can't account for 'Jersey Shore' star's popularity, either

(NEWSER) - With the second season of Jersey Shore mere days away, the Snooki phenomenon comes under the scrutiny of New York Times reporter Cathy Horyn, and no one emerges unscathed. To be fair, Horyn compares the 4-foot-9 Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, to Elizabeth Taylor. But she also likens her body to a turnip and writes, "Trying to hold a conversation with Snooki is a little like getting down on your hands and knees with a child." More»

Your Jersey Shore Glossary

The MTV reality show is awe-inspiring, as long as you understand vocab

(NEWSER) - “You are not prepared for Jersey Shore,” promises Leslie Gornstein of MTV’s controversial reality show—but perhaps her glossary will help. The show follows eight guidos and guidettes who descend upon the New Jersey town of Seaside Heights for the summer with a single goal: "to ‘pound out it’ with a suitable young Italian-American of the opposite genduh,” she writes in the Los Angeles Times . But what do all the words mean? Read on: More»

Hey, Times : Lay Off Snooki

'Jersey Shore' star doesn't deserve 'condescension'

(NEWSER) - Snooki probably brushed off Cathy Horyn’s “spectacularly condescending” New York Times profile . But in case she took it to heart, Mary Elizabeth Williams begs her, “do not ever change”—no matter what “that bitch from the paper of record” says. Williams may not be a Jersey Shore fan, she writes for Salon , “but having spent my career around people who brag about their SAT scores far, far into their 40s: Screw you, Times, I'm off to do body shots off a Hooter girl's navel.” More»

New Jersey: Hey, We Don't Stink

Website launches to combat the stereotypes

(AP) - Don't believe everything you see on Jersey Shore: Tired of boorish comments and jokes about New Jersey, residents and business people have created a website to express their Garden State pride. The site—JerseyDoesntStink.com—is designed to rally those who are tired of the putdowns about pollution, wisecracks about wise guys, and cheap shots about corruption. With companion Facebook and Twitter pages, state residents can sound off online in defense of their home state. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

MTV's Jersey Shore Irks Italian-Americans