Jersey Shore

Season one of Jersey Shore is the pinnacle of reality television. The cast of characters ranging from the massive and alcoholic Mike "The Situation", to the iconic gremlin "Snooki" are pristine casting, reaching where trashy tv had never been before. From public urination to street fights with neanderthal strangers, this show is the perfect cocktail of grotesque entertainment.

The derelict Shore House becomes just as much of a character as any of the cast, functioning as a zoo-like observation deck for drama, messes, family arguments and fist fights.

This show is a masterpiece of garbage, with each ingredient elevating it to another level of iconic. A must-watch.

I'm not going to lie. I hate reality television. I really do. Everyday, everywhere you turn, there's a new reality show on the horizon for obnoxious (mostly young) people who clearly don't deserve the attention they're getting on their own reality show, only to have them become tabloid fodder for the next several months after the show has faltered or been replaced by a new one. Everybody knows about Paris Hilton, the Kardashians (Khloe, not Kim, is one curvaceous Armenian-American bombshell, by the way), Kendra Wilkinson, the various "Love" shows on VH1, and now MTV has put out their latest: "Jersey Shore."

Seriously, what is our American culture coming to? Have we really been reduced to an "idiocracy"? According to Mike Judge's 2006 film, yes we have.

"Jersey Shore" became a huge hit when it debuted in December 2009, and also sparked a myriad of controversies stemming from its negative portrayal of eight Italian-American young people (according to Wikipedia, only five of the eight 20-somethings are actually of genuine Italian ancestry), who have a summer share on New Jersey's Seaside Heights community and thus bringing a lot of unwelcome notoriety to the area. These eight self-proclaimed "Guidos/Guidettes" (four Italian-American men and four Italian-American women) - alpha male Mike "The Situation," DJ Pauly D, Ronnie, Vinny (my personal "favorite," meaning he's the least annoying and he is essentially a nice, good guy who for the most part stays out of the worst trouble), Sammi "Sweetheart" (the only one of the cast members who is actually from New Jersey), Jenni "JWoww," Angelina "Jolie," and fan-favorite Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi - spend their summer on Jersey Shore partying, hooking up, tanning, drinking, fixing their hair (guys and girls both), clubbing, fighting, and engaging in every other form of debauchery known to man while also finding some time taking turns working in a boardwalk t-shirt store.

"Jersey Shore" is pretty atypical when it comes to reality television. The show is pure trash, pure unbridled trash. But like most guilty pleasure television, "Jersey Shore" keeps you watching no matter how much it goes against your better judgment, and however many brain cells you might kill by tuning in to watch new episodes every week. It's an instance in which you'll be watching it one minute, and then kicking yourself the next for doing so. The characters are typical reality show fodder: the alpha male, the entertainer, the bitch/drama queen, the slut, the troublemaker, the instigator, the stalwart nice hero guy - you get the point, because we've seen it all before. None of the characters are particularly likable or sympathetic (except for my "favorite," of course, Vinny), but they are engaging and have over-sized egos and personalities that have launched them into pop culture stardom, whether they are deserving of it or not.

In other words, they're here to stay, whether we like it or not...

MTV really outdid themselves with "Jersey Shore"; not only was the show a ratings success (as of now, a third season is already in the works), but it has become a bona-fide pop culture phenomenon complete with t-shirts, endorsements, and its own "Jersey Shore"-esquire lingo ("yo, that ugly chick in the jacuzzi's a 'grenade'"). Already, "The Situation" is set to gain $5 million by the end of the year in a planned autobiography book deal, a workout fitness routine, and various other endorsements. Ronnie was charged with aggravated assault stemming from an incident in which he knocked out a guy who had confronted him at a nightclub. And poor little "Snooki" was recently charged with annoying people on the beach while heavily intoxicated; and she also got her lights punched out by some guy at a bar during the first season (poor "Snooki" - she's got a big mouth, all right, but no one deserves to get hit like she did by a big drunken coward like she did, no matter how annoying she was being).

"Jersey Shore" is trash entertainment, purely. I'm addicted to this show now, I think, after having purchased the first season on DVD after scattered viewings on TV got my mouth watery for 20-something New Jersey-style antics and debauchery. I can't stop thinking or talking about it with people who care for it. Yes, sir, that's reality TV infamy for you, and it worked its magic on yet another poor soul who will be feeling very sorry for having watched it on an ultra-curious whim...

Reality TV is trash. I get that sentiment exactly, but after watching a few episodes of Jersey Shore, I started to see beyond the fake tans, the fights and the horrible language (and bad grammar). What did I see? I saw myself and my friends at age 21. These people aren't stereotypes, they are TRULY how immature people act. I say let them enjoy being young. They are proud of being themselves and having fun. Is this quality TV programming? No, but you know what, sometimes quality programming can be boring. This JS cast is anything but boring and I found myself actually liking them. They ARE characters and they know how to put on a show. I don't know how long this show will go on, and I really do hope they keep the cast intact (at least for season 2) because I will be watching. B-

As a transplanted New Yorker who spent years in South Jersey while growing up; I am ashamed of this addition to its so-called reality programming roster for young people.

This show does seem like something The Science Channel, The Discovery Channel or Animal Planet should be showing. But MTV Networks thought it would be entertaining to show the social retardation and animalistic behavior of these humans raised in this little area by a shore in New Jersey. Understand it's not all of New Jersey, and it darn sure is not indicative of all Italians in New Jersey or living by an 'affluent' shore. (Sorry, I grew up in New Jersey and to this day, I'm still trying to find an 'affluent' shore. Who's kiddin' who here?) An example: New Jersey young women of 30 years ago had problems trying to find out what it is about them that makes them beautiful, wanted, intelligent factors of humankind. To be more than just punching bags, breeders and dolls for their husbands to parade around. 30 years later, this particular enclave never got the word or winds of change. Loooks like those women grew up, married the men that ticked them off and had children and here we go again. Same cycle. These young adults will have children too and 30 years from now you can bet...same cycle. This is appalling.

I would guess that the most boring show in the world to air on MTV Networks (et. al) right now would be the exploits of a teen trying to get into college (with no sex or violence involved) and the trials of trying to get that sheepskin; or a teen having to take a meaningless job instead of going to college as they wished. But maybe MTV should rethink that because this kind of programming for young people should cease. It's not helping them to understand each other. It's not helping them to love a fellow human being or accept them poor - or fat - or just regular. It shows them that young people have to have an ethnic label; they have to live in grandiose style in the lower middle income of areas. It's showing them how to become animals and fight over that piece of steak someone..like from MTV for example...tells them it is Kobe but is actually Kangaroo meat. And it's teaching them how to laugh at abuse instead of reporting it. It's showing them how to be verbally abusive as well as mentally and physically. And its showing them all this gritty behavior, promiscuity, violence, etc. is all okay as long as people laugh at it and you're on TV which makes them think they're the next Spencers or Kardasians or Hiltons instead of the next clowns.

Bottom line, its showing youth that you have no real value to each other or anyone else: male, female or otherwise. A terrible show among other terrible reality shows geared to young adults.

I checked this show out because I heard it was about a group of young New York/ New Jersey Italian Americans living together. Being one myself, I am ashamed of these people and how badly they treat one another. I checked in about half way into season 2. One of the roommates, who was not well liked by everyone, decided to leave after being tormented throughout the entire season. I'd say that was about the smartest move any one of them made.

I don't think I've seen so much outright abuse and calculated disparagement amongst any group of people, ever.

Nice going MTV - go ahead and encourage bad behavior and verbal abuse amongst young adults. Show fighting, swearing, drunkenness, lies and manipulation as being cool and in amongst young adults in their 20s over and over again so other young people can act just like that thinking its something to capitalize on.