Jersey Shore Cast On Strike!

Shouldn't the cast of Jersey Shore just be happy enough with the fact that they are making a living off fist pumping and posturing for cameras? Snooki & Co. will be back on the small screen with season 2 at the end of the month, but now TMZ reports that they've gone on strike just as they're set to film spots for season 3 (yes, season 3).

The site claims that they're "so dissatisfied over their contract situation that they refused to shoot scenes until they get a better deal... The cast was supposed to begin shooting 'at home' scenes today for season three, but they told the crews they weren't shooting without new contracts." Allegedly the cast feels they can make more money over the next two months through appearances rather than filming. In February, after they all signed $180K contracts for season 2, Viacom's head honchos reportedly told the cast to rein in their personal appearances because they wanted to "protect the brand."

Anyway, what do you think Snooki's sandwich board would say, you know, if there were a picket line? More pickles please?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on July 19, 2010 12:25 PM

Comments [rss]

Theodore Wirth

Snooki's sandwich board:

Will strip for cash

Will denigrate Italians

Will be yesterday's news

Snooki who?

Implants 4 Less

Going out of business sale

Jesse

MTV should be banned for putting this drek on tv

Shinobi Shaw

MTV is notorious for being cheap and low paying (tell me about it, I had a intership there several years ago!) but these famewhores don't derserve anything more that worth the dreck they are spewing!

eitan

They should make a reality show about the people who watch this one. Who are they?

Splicer

They write for Gothamist.

BillyShears

One of the most easily-replaceable casts in TV history.

fosiacat

who?

virgilstarkwell

just pay them whatever they ask for. seriously. it's worth it.

Splicer

Is Snooki getting more orange over time? She looks like the old mascot from Nedicks.

nicemarmot

With the exception of Snooki, they're all easily replaceable. And even Snooki is replaceable if they look hard enough.

whitecastlerock

Fire them today-there isn't a guido shortage in America...

r1b2

What a bunch of schmucks.

r1b2

What a bunch of schmucks.

ozik

Actually, they are doing it just right. They have five minutes, they need to get as much out of it as they can. By shutting down mid-production they cost MTV money.

As much as I hate these idiot people and the idiot people that watch them, they are doing it right unless MTV calls their bluff.

Spirit of 76

It's not mid-production. According to the Gothamist writeup and the TMZ story they linked to, season 2 is in the can and will begin airing in two weeks. The cast has stopped filming on the beginning of season 3. It's the perfect opportunity for MTV to just throw out the lot of them and start with a fresh cast with minimal delay in the production. After all, didn't MTV use to make reality shows with a different cast every season? (I don't know of any examples firsthand, having stopped watching MTV back when they were still a music video channel in the 1980s.) It's still the norm to get new people every year in most reality shows I've heard of today, like Dancing with the Stars, the Biggest Loser, Survivor, the Bachelor/Bachelorette, the Apprentice, etc.

Spirit of 76

Great idea, guys. Squander the final 5 minutes of your fame. Go ahead and walk out. Obviously too young to remember the David Caruso debacle. He was so sure NYPD Blue was going to fold without him when he left for movie stardom. He didn't get any big movies and Blue continued for another 11 seasons.