Yes, Even More Jersey Backlash!!
Within hours of MTV announcing that our favorite guidos and guidettes are getting ready to re-apply the spray tan for season two of the smash series Jersey Shore, The National Italian American Foundation has issued a statement calling the show "a disgrace" that is "laden with promiscuity, debauchery, and violence."
Joseph V. Del Raso, the President of NIAF, continued:
"Television personality Joy Behar perceptively remarked, 'It makes it hard for young Italian Americans to be taken seriously in the work force.' This concern is even more salient in places around the country where there are few Italian Americans. Italian Americans, the Garden State and the Jersey Shore deserve better."
We think these guidos need to relax! The Situation said it best this morning on The Today Show:
"We're not saying we're a definition of Jersey, or a definition of New York, or a definition of Italians. I just happen to be Italian. I happen to have some spiky hair and a six-pack, and I am proud to have that. And if you don't like me, I don't care. I still got 5 million viewers Thursday nights at 10 pm."
We think MTV should invite Del Raso down to whatever shore the cast fist pumps onto so he'll stop taking their antics so effing personally.
Do U think the NIAF has a legitimate point??
[Image via WENN.]
Spoiler Alert! Which Housewife Is Going GAY??!?!
My family is Italian and we weren't offended by "The Sopranos" or "The Jersey Shore" what kind of brainless morons believe that the actions of a few individuals reflect a whole race?
Come on, Joey! Promiscuity, yes; violence, yes…but there was no debauchery! You're such an exaggerator! Have some Ron-Ron juice and chill.
well, they do make italian americans look stupid, but this man, who is ALL OVER THE NEWS ON THE EAST COAST, is making it worse for IA by calling attention to the Jersey Shore. MTV is not watched like network tv, but by this man going on and on, all he is doing is giving MTV ratings. All of us know that these 'people' are not on all of the beaches on the Jersey Shore, just like New York beaches-some are party beaches, some are not. Just like in CA, FL and everywhere else. and yes, on the jersey shore, they are not all Italian.
You're not perfect Italians. You're not God's gift to the earth. No one race is. Anyone who thinks all the people in any one race behaves the same is a damn fool. Lighten up.
DUMB SHOW FOR STUPID PEOPLE.
These OXY MORONS are not even Real Italians…Third or four generation? J WOW is Irish….Give me a break! My husband is 100% Italian, born and raised there, but he does not feel offended. He laughs his ass off of these morons..Let them make some money, that's the only thing they will be good for…they are a joke and they make us laugh, so what??
common people !!! It is just a show about young peeps having brainless fun … I for one love the show and I have to say bthat Snooki grew on me
Cant wait to see season 2 !!!
Perez what if there was a show sterotyping Gays or Cubans (Latinos)?
Unless you show up to a job interview in a sparkly Ed Hardy shirt, no one is going to discriminate against you if they suspect you're Italian because of the people on Jersey Shore.
I am Italian. And I for one say NO ! If your that STUPID and LACK that much COMMON Sense to think THAT THESE IDIOTS represent us! IS ABSURD you ARE MAKING them represent us by posting your dumb shit ! Now go back to the rock you crawled out from under! Cuz my Italian ass could care less wtf these idiots do ! They are not a reflection on ME or my ancestors so WHATEVA!
I'm Italian (father, Sicilian & mother, Italian). I do not take this show literally. It's a bunch of kids making the most out of what MTV has given them. NO ONE said this group of kids is the DEFINITION of Italian. I'm not offended by it. I find it quite hilarious most of the time. It certainly doesn't define who I AM. Only MY actions define who I am. NIAF is giving this too much attention.
Hell, Joy Behar makes it embarrassing for Italians to turn on the TV already.
100% Italiand and Love the show, but Perez, whether or not these idiots think otherwise, Guido is a derogatory racist term and should really not be used so lightly. it's just as bad as "Sp*c" or "Ch*nk" or "F*g" or any of the many others. Feel free to talk shizz about the cast, but please don't call any Italian who opposes them "these guidos". Not cool.
Give me a break! This show is NO different then MTV's Real World! Same exact concept, only with "Italian Americans" @ the Jersey Shore. Lighten up. Sounds like Mr. Del Raso could use a night out with these kids! Lol! Seriously, nearly every young adult goes out, parties, fights, has casual sex, etc. So….
guidos and new jersey have had a bad rep way before jersey shore. most of that cast isn't even from new jersey. i'm italian AND from long island (tho totally not like these idiots at all) and while it's annoying that yet another show enforces this stupid image, it's not offensive per say. it's just redundant. the played out long island/new jersey guido bit is getting boring, IMO.
Everywhere I turn, there is at least one Italian American. I don't think they have a problem being taken seriously in the workforce. Even with Jersey Shore on the air. No one associates every Italian American with people on the show.
Re: peaceloveandsex – There are shows that stereotype gays. Nearly every show on Bravo does. And VH1 has its fair share of shows that stereotype African Americans…
I'm IA who has rented a house on the Jersey Shore and do just fine.
I wouldn't say it's offensive to all Italians but its offensive to any intelligent human. This kids are disgusting and they shouldnt be celeberated for endorsed or promoted or anything of the sort. They shouldnt be let back on tv or made to think their disgusting moronic behavior is acceptable or ok. They need to grow up and clean up and fade back into obsecurity of ruining their lives in shadey night clubs or whatever nasty stuff they do. I honestly havent been able to stand watching an entire show and i've honestly tried. I think this people should be taken off tv and go away. Period. Yes they are offensive. They are not just offensive as italians but as people in general.
Re: Dani0824 – every young person gets into fights and has casual sex? um no honey some people party responsibly w/o being loud obxionous whores and go to college or do other things. The kids on this show are in no way a reprsentation of American or Italian or new york or new jersey youth. and if they are God help us all…
I wish I could be like other people on this website and say that I'm 100% Italian, but I'm not. My father is British and my mother is Tuscan, so that makes me 50% Italian. I have to say though, that the show offends me not because it portrays Italians in a bad light, but because it makes people think that almost all young people in America behave badly, and if they're not fighting, getting drunk and having casual sex with random people they pick up at bars, they're abnormal, or boring, or missing out on being young. The proof is on this website. There are people who have already made broad generalizations about how young people act just by watching this show, or other shows like it. Just read one or two comments on this website! There are other ways to enjoy your youth without being belligerent, narcissistic, disrespectful and destructive! I wasn't like any of these people at those ages, and I thank God for that!
I'm an Italian American. So basically I have to live up to the NIAF's standards? Only proper, well-behaved Italians are allowed to be on TV?
Re: fuckmario – You're right! I think Nicole is half Spanish!
Can't you come up with anything more original than "fist pumps"? Enough of that shit already! I wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire.
By the way, I can't stand Joy Behar. A show isn't going to make it harder for Italian people to be taken seriously at work. No one should be that gullible to think a reality show defines an entire nationality! Who would even take Joy Behar's show seriously! She spends most of her airtime talking about celebrities and their problems, as if they're as relevant as the war in Afghanistan. Also, she usually interviews comedians, tabloid writers and washed-up actors on serious political issues as if these people are qualified to say anything about politics! They just say stupid, biased comments that their publicists told them to say, and make sexual innuendoes and sexist, racist jokes for attention! The show's a gong show!
:)
Maybe so, but what can you do? Perez is a disgrace to gays, and they just have to live with it.
Jersey shore has nothing to do with being Italian. It's about youth clubbing culture in America and it's fascinating. Good job MTV.
Look, I'm Italian/American and I live in New Jersey, which apparently, the crew of Jersey Shore does not, but in any case, Who care? If you're stupid enough to generalize that all Italian/American or people who live in New Jersey behave/act in this way, you have the problem - and this is a tv show, reality or not, come on, people, it's embellished - People of all nationalities, colors, races, beliefs, etc. are portrayed in the media as behaving all the same, but that's not reality…get over it - TV is make believe, all of it, even the news is sensationalized and distorted -
The problem is, apparently everyone posting here realizes that the actions of a small group do not represent the group as a whole, but MANY MANY MANY people do not understand that. If you don't know a single Italian American person, this is the image you have. I think if this was a show that made Cubans look like trash, Perez would have a different view.
these idiots aren't even from new jersey. so obviously they're not representing jersey because they don't even live there. and i go to the jersey shore every summer and it is nothing like this show depicts it to be. seaside heights is the sleeziest part of the shore. it's where all the high school kids go after prom to get drunk and stay in crappy motels cause it's cheap. but from just watching this show you would never know about all of the gorgeous million dollar homes at the actual jersey shore
They are NOT trying to portray Italian Americans as a whole- they are portraying who they are as individuals. There are plenty of people who, of other ethnic cultures, go out partying, clubbing, drinking, hooking up, getting in fights, and act like fools in public. Their is no difference between this show, and the Real World, or any VH1 reality show. They are just going out and having fun. I really saw nothing on the show that was embarrassing for Italian-Americans as a whole group. These kids were doing what any other group of 21-29 year olds do when they party over the summer. I will keep watchin anything these guys do, b/c they are 100 times more entertaining to watch then any other reality show right now - not b/c their guidettes or guidos, but b/c they are truly funny people who know how to have a good time
italian is not a race
Everytime u write about any of them u have 2 put "the fist pump"comment -enough w/ that already-Fist pump on the mind much
the IAA needs to calm their own racist asses down and figure out that people don't represent their ethnicity…secondly, these fools are as "italian" as mcdonald's is a "restaurant". how many of them speak italian, have been to italy or even have a foreskin?
Ruh-roh….
If any of you have seen the PBS show the PRIDE & PASSION: THE ITALIANS IN AMERICA you would see all the AMAZING contributions Italians have given to this world. They were the 1st people to find a way to make water go UPHILL without using any sort of machine..art, music, food, Italians have accomplished to much and contributed so much to the advancement of the modern world. But for some reason every time they are portrayed on TV its as mafioso or greaser dummies like John Travolta either in Welcome back kotter or Saturday night fever or Jersey Shore. Obviously this segment of the population exists, its not solely limited to Italians. But why is this the stereotype presented? Im italian, my husband is 1st generation American. His name is Carmine. Last season I found out my 5 year old sons assistant soccer coach had his wife google us because with the name Carmine XXX….they figured he HAD to be mobbed up. I mean WTF? My 5 year old can't be left in peace to play soccer without having some untrue shit assumed by an ignorant asshole? And WHY is that? The media portrayal of us.
Perez if there was a PRIME TIME show that went out of its way to protray homos in the worst stupidest most ignorant stereotypical way possible, these GLAD GLSEN And all teh other queer groups would have that shit pulled faster than you can say Perez sucks lady gagas tucked dick! So dont say Italians shouldn't take offense..fuck off!
5 million viewers? Seriusly? Watching that stupid show?
This Jersey Shore thing is a sore spot for me. I am from New Jersey, I do not have "da joisey accent", nor do I conduct myself like an alcoholic slut. I am puerto rican, Irish and Italian-I was never totally comfortable with being puerto rican as people I've encountered treat you with less respect once they learn you are "latina", they start up with the "hey mami" bullshit and start speaking at you ini spanish. So I always told people I was Italian and Irish. After all the publicity Jersey Shore got i was talking to one of my colleagues at work and when I mentioned I was part Italian he mentioned the show and asked if I "was loose and liked to party" After that, now I just tell people I'm Irish.(it helps that I have very white skin and luckily got the Irish name). It is annoying because if somebody "douchifies" the Irish I am gonna have to find a different ethnicity(maybe there is some hidden scandanavian descent somewhere in the family tree)
Paula Jean Mary Camillucci says, "just f*@#ing RELAX! It's a fun show, nothing more.
My family is Italian American and we are proud of all that we have achieved in this country. College. Graduate degrees. Home ownership. Civil service. Yet, when I introduce myself to people, I am continually surprised by the number of mafia (and now, "Jersey Shore") jokes I get in response. I'm tired of it. In this world, perception is reality, and the perception - particularly in parts of the country where there are few Italian Americans - is that these kids are representative in some way of Italian Americans. I wish the media would move on to some new storylines.
Re: foxxyaaisha23 – please realize that no race or ethnicity is perfect..there are stereotypes about everyone good and bad..you can't keep changing who you are or denying parts of yourself because someone else thinks a certain way about you. f so you'll never be happy with who you are and you're gonna drive yourself crazy
@ topic i love the jersey shore i think its hilarious!! but the truth is people are stupid and they believe what they see on tv! that's why stereotypes stay alive and why people generalize entire groups of people i.e all black people steal, kill and talk ghetto, all latinos are violent and alcoholics, all white people are greedy, selfish and serial killers, etc…STEREOTYPES HAPPEN TO ALL OF US. so if we are to remove a show like Jersey Shore from the air then there are ALOT of other shows going along with it. we need to learn to stop judging ONE person or people based on the actions of another individual(s). thats what the NIAF needs to focus on
ok i'm done lol
Ok… these are REAL kids who actually live their lives this way, at least for the summer. Most of them ARE Italian American. MTV did not create these personalities. This isn't fiction. They're young kids who are doing what SOME young kids do on the Jersey Shore. Living the same kind of life that some people live when they're on spring break or at mardi gras, etc. These kids also happen to be proud to be Italian American. Since when does pride automatically translate into something negative? FOR THE MOST PART, this is young, innocent fun.
These kids aren't unlike a lot of the kids out there today that have to learn from their mistakes and suffer the consequences of those mistakes. Their lives just happen to be televized. This happens to be their reality. For someome who represents the NIAF to be this upset over how other people's reality makes Italians look is just ridiculous to me. If this isn't HIS reality then so be it. Italian Americans should continue to be the hard working, upstanding citizens that most of them are and they'll be ok. Living your life in a manner that makes YOU proud is the only way to separate yourself from behavior that you don't approve of. We need to stop worrying so much about what other people are doing and exercise some responsibility for our own actions. I doubt society cares enough about these kids to base any sort of generalization of Italian Americans on their lives. I know I don't. I just love the show and I can't wait for season 2. GTL Baby! lol
Re: foxxyaaisha23 – why don't you just try being proud of who you are and living your life in a manner in which you can be proud? it's sad to me that you would buy into all of the bs and deny who you are. hopefully one day your feelings will change. living your life in shame for the way others choose to live their lives is no bueno. it must be hard.
Oh but you can take Kathy Griffins jokes so personally serious?? Okayyy
typical answer from the situation