Mood:
incredulousTopic: Politics
I've gotten myself another guilty pleasure of the reality television form and this time, it's bad. I'm in love with MTV's new show, "Jersey Shore." Think Real World amped on hair gel, pumping iron, protein shakes, and being trashy.
Ah, quality.
So far, we're only three episodes in and already one of the eight housemates has gotten booted for not showing up to work at the t-shirt shop. Eh, she was boring anyway!
In MTV's usual form, Jersey Shore has stirred up quite the controversy among Italian Americans. Last week, news broke that Italian Americans were upset over the way MTV was depicting this group of people. Andre DiMino, President of UNICO National spoke out in an Inside Edition story and said "Here's just another example of why Italian-Americans still continue to be the only ones that it's politically correct to bash. We're either Mafioso on one side or in this show, we're bimbos and buffoons."
Well, well, well. It's almost an argument, yet it isn't. And I've got ammo strapped on my back to fire.
First of all, the creator of the show MTV programming president Tony DiSanto IS Italian-American. Immediately after the controversy broke, he spoke up to defend the show.
"It never crossed my mind that this would be offensive," he said to MTV. "I don't look at these characters as representing an entire ethnic group. They refer to themselves as 'guidos' sometimes, but it's more about the way they act, their behavior, what they're attracted to, their rituals. It's not about an entire ethnicity."
This brings me to my second point: the people on the show volunteered for this. And they are damn proud to be there—hell, half of the house has said Jersey Shore is the BEST thing to ever happen to them.
One advertiser, has pulled out of marketing during the show. Guess who that was? DOMINOS PIZZA! How hilarious is that...because wait, don't Italians just love pizza?!?!!?
Anyway, back to the serious issues at hand.
I've heard people saying, and as DiMino said, that Italian-Americans are the only group that it's okay to make fun of...that statement could not be more false.
Ever heard of Tiny & Toya? That show CLEARLY made fun of and pissed of plenty of blacks. But did it get taken off air? Nope. What about Whitney Houston on Oprah? How bad was that?
What about the Hills? That makes white chicks look like complete idiots, but do you see us rioting in the streets? Hell no! We gather in groups to watch it!
And bring on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. That isn't about a race of people, but it definitely rips an entire group of hilljacks and they're the first ones in line to buy tickets.
So to all the Italian-Americans who think they are better than the mafia and the buffoons, here's my advice—don't watch Jersey Shore. Fahget about-it! Instead, make a pizza.
