Should MTV's Jersey Shore Be Cancelled?

What I find disingenuous are the comments from elitist New Yorkers (AKA Brian Denton) who seem to overlook their own state's "guido" element. Even venture to Staten Island, Long Island or Bay Ridge? New York is more than what's below 96th street. Plus in the promos, the dude says he's from Staten Island.

"The more appropriate and easier question to answer is whether New Jersey should be cancelled."

It's so amusing how ignorant people really are. How can you judge people from Jersey, as a whole, based on six people on a "reality" television show. What's interesting about this is that everyone seems to be judging people from New Jersey, based on these people as well. Some of the cast is not even from Jersey. What amuses me is that I know people who act like them and dress like them and you know what? They are some of the most loyal, family-oriented, good people I've ever met. so FUCK YOU. You shouldn't judge people without getting to know them, you close-minded asshole.

- I am aware this post has absolutely nothing to do with the article itself. I am just responding to one particular comment.

Drop the usage of the term guido, this show becomes just another lowest common denominator showcase

The more appropriate and easier question to answer is whether New Jersey should be cancelled.

I can't believe what I have been reading here. Guido, a not uncommon Italian given name, is used as a pejorative in too many situations. How anyone of Italian heritage can think otherwise just doesn't make any sense.

This show should be canceled, but not because of Italian stereotypes. (I'm Italian.) Cancel it b/c douchebag idiots like these shouldn't be given more airtime on television.

What does this have to do with music anyway? I don't get it, MTV.

The Question is "should it be cancelled". NO NO TRIPLE NO.

This is too funny. There are actually people like that out there.

T.V. exploits everything so why not this.

There is humor in life.

I still can't understand the girls butt dancing.

Why is anyone looking for responsible TV in the Reality category.

Relax...it's a reality show on MTV.

Also, is the Italian-American Organization trying to imply that this demographic doesn't exist on the Jersey Shore?

whatever.

So, when is the network going to change its name? It's nothing like it was 15 years ago.

Cant see how this is different from calling a show 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'. Queer was and still is a slur in many instances, yet is acceptable in this case b/c the guys on the show thought it was fine. Same deal here.

Exactly. They even have "Guido" web sites that sponsor club nights and other events that these people go to. There's a whole "guido culture" out there, if "culture" is what you want to call it.

I suppose I will learn something from this show :)

Who ever going to watch this has like an IQ below 90 and going to lose problem a few more for this stupidity on television.

Also MTV has no concept of taste. I guess it is the viewers they attract.

How is it a stereotype when that's how they really act?

guido was an ethnic slur back in the 50s and 60s, to be sure. now?

a guido can be italian, polish, armenian...hell, i knew iranian guidos, and i've even heard of that most rare of flowers, the black guido.

Shout out to the Korean, Filipino, Jordanian, and Bangladeshi guidos! For realz.

I can't even believe there hasn't been a mention of Nuyoricans or Dominicans.

I hope this show stems a Jersey Shore channel.

will this reinforce the guido stereotype or dissuade people from it?

if it's the latter, please air this show.

MTV should be called reality tv.

adam lambert

I don't think this show will be accurate at all.

For one, I actually understood what they were saying.

I'm Italian and I'll be the first to say this is no stereotype. I hope this show goes on the air. I'll be tuning in every week for pure comedic entertainment.

They have no right to even pretend it's offensive to them. Certain parts of NJ (& NY) have more than their share of kids who took behavioral & dressing clues from 'Growing up Gotti".

Their parents bristle whenever organized crime is mentioned, but then there's no Italian-American wedding w/o theme from "The Godfather".

yo, i'll kick your fucking ass if you talk any shit about the godfather. fag!

watch the "fag" word asshole.

maybe, i should've put that in quotes, and indicated that a north jers guido was speaking. so much for subtlety.

If this is offensive, UNICO should stroll down 5th or 3rd Ave. in Bay Ridge on a Friday or Saturday. They'll want to close down the neighborhood for reinforcing stereotypes.

OK, just saw the promo clip.

I think one of the deputy commissioners for the mayor's TV and film agency has that thick accent.

it's on my torrent list.

Why dont they do show called Krazy Kikes of West 47th St. or the 125th niggers.

Curb Yo Enthusiasm?

to me a guido is not necessarily an Italian.

there are Jewish guidos and Russian guidos.

Dago wop wop wop is much more offensive.

(an offensive joke that was told to me by an italian american, that's the only line I remembered from it)

i think the 'joke" was something like, "How do you tell if an Italian car (Ferrari, Fiat, Lancia whatever) has a flat tire? Dago wop wop wop....." told to me by an Italian American relative when i was a kid.

yeah and what did Iroc-Z stand for (back in the day)?

Italian Retard Out Cruising

i'm guessing my gay brethren won't be represented much on this show. i won't know. i haven't watched MTV since the mid 80s. and i'm pretty much sure "reality" TV is one of the signs of the upcoming apocalypse.

I worry that the sets and costumes will be accurate. I wouldn't want anyone to think that the characterizations are inauthentic.

I think Guido is fairly offensive and am amazed that some ethnic slurs seem to be fine to some people, while others would never be put on air. Can you imagine them doing a show about "spics", "chinks", etc(just imagine the scene from Do The Right Thing)?

The most offensive part of this is the implants in that short fireplug of a chick standing up on the right.

MTV should be canceled.

If the show was called "The Real Housewives of Point Pleasant" none of these guidos would have an issue

Ha!

Also, "don't be a hater!"

i was surprised they actually said "guido" - i always looked at it as an italian racial slur. or at least, i've always used it as an italian racial slur.

Rosanna Scotto this morning on Channel 5 said that she objects to the use of the term guido, specifically in reference to this show, because it seems that it is totally a double standard, that Italian-Americans get called that term, but every other ethnic group is "protected" by PC.

it most certainly is not a slur. it's actually an italian name and a fairly common one at that. i have older family members named guido.

Yes, it's a name, but people use it as an ethnic slur. It's unfortunate.

It absolutely is an ethnic slur. Apparently Mtv thinks that it's okay to use because the people aren't black, latino, asian or jewish.

My grandmother emmigrated from Italy and finds the term extremely hurtful and offensive. She told me that when peole like her family were new to the US neighbors that weren't pleased with their presence made it know by using terms like wop, guinea and guido.

Apparently this is A-okay with Mtv.

I do agree there is a serious double standard, by which it is considered acceptable to be offensive toward whites of European descent (and Asians, I think), but unacceptable to be so toward blacks and hispanics.

It may be a common name, but in this context, it can be a slur because the word "guido" is being used as a generic label to refer to Italian-Americans, or more specifically, to a stereotyped class of Italian-Americans. Like when some one refers to a black person as a "Shaniqua", etc. More specifically, when someone uses the term, it's got a negative connotation.

(sigh)...that was supposed to be a response to ma bell...

I think it's probably the least offensive slur. Maybe others disagree, but to me, guido has come to refer specifically to the type of people on this show. As long as it's used in that way, it doesn't really bother me.

I find wop, guinea and dego much more offensive.

You spelled Dago wrong. All the slurs you mention are offensive.

Eh, I've seen it spelled both ways.

Eh, I'm of Italian decent, and don't have a problem with this. Yes, it perpetuates a stereotype, but the fact is that there are plenty of people who act this way, sadly. And they deserve to be mocked. On television.

I think everyone is way too sensitive about this sort of thing. Stereotypes tend to be based on fact, and can be funny. I like to believe people will have the sense to know that the cast of this show doesn't represent all Americans of Italian decent.

...that said, I'm still not going to watch it. I can't stand these people enough to look at them for more than a few seconds at a time.

Someone watched Curb this week...

I didn't. Should I? Was it a good one?

No, don't cancel it. I'm all for reinforcing stereotypes of New Jersey. Though I can't really imagine who's going to watch it...

Everyone in the show is from NYC or the immediate North Jersey 'burbs. These aren't actual people who LIVE at the Shore represented in this show. All of us who are from the Jersey Shore think of these guys like a plague of locusts invading our bars, clubs and beaches for three months per year.