‘Jersey Shore’ earns fist-pump fame

By Holly Prendergast
February 11, 2010

Shannon Keough

From the “Real World” to “Real Chance of Love,” no other reality show has seemed to compare to that of MTV’s newest and most successful reality triumph, “Jersey Shore.”

“Jersey Shore” takes place in Seaside Heights, N.J. with eight self-proclaimed guidos and guidettes (Italian-Americans who spend all hours of the day working out at the gym, tanning, doing laundry and spending entirely too much money on hair gel and Ed Hardy clothing).

The first season cast included four guidos, DJ Pauly D, Mike (also known as The Situation), Ronnie and Vinnie, and four guidettes, Nicole (also known as Snooki), Jenni (also known as J-Woww), Sami Sweetheart and Angelina. Fortunately for all of the viewers, Angelina got kicked off of the show early for not wanting to work at an easy job selling t-shirts and sweat pants to your everyday Jersey shore summer tourists.

There have been many different opinions from the public regarding “Jersey Shore.” This show has seemed to be the biggest hit since the Beatles among twenty-somethings and teenie-boppers all over the United States.

However, there have been many Italian-American organizations that have been outraged by the portrayal of these eight instant overnight celebrities.

Groups such as UNICO, the largest Italian-American organization in the United States, have even gone so far as to repeatedly ask MTV to remove the new sensation from television, because they feel that the show portrays Italian-Americans in a negative light.

In all honesty, I think that there is absolutely nothing wrong with “Jersey Shore,” and it being on air. I think that it is one of the most entertaining shows that I have ever watched. These eight overnight celebrities have become the newest household names throughout the nation. All of the fist-pumping, tanning salon in the summer, drinking excessively every single night action is what makes this show so great.

These eight people, who probably should have some type of career in the works, are just purely entertaining.

Also, to all of these organizations who are so infuriated with MTV, all that I have to say is how can you be so mad with MTV for just portraying what the truth is? I am not saying that every Italian-American acts in the manner of the cast members; however, with this generation of teens and 20-somethings, being a guido or guidette has become very customary among young Italian-Americans of this generation.

Also, I do not think that guidos or guidettes reflect Italian-Americans in a bad light because these eight people are acting just like many other people in the country who are the same age as they are.Being an Italian-American has nothing to do with the amount of tanning, drinking and hairstyling that these people do. I know plenty of other people who would love to live a similar summer lifestyle as those on “Jersey Shore,” and they are not even close to being Italian.

If someone could explain to me what the big deal about this show is, I would love to listen and understand what they have to say. I think that this show is probably the only true “reality” show on television today. It follows these people day in and day out as they live their lives in the way that any young person would love to spend their days and nights, having fun and partying night after night.

Besides the fact that these people have provided us with pure entertainment, they also have invented, intentionally or not, their own vocabulary and catch phrases that have taken us all by storm. From stage five clinger to grenade launcher, there have been so many other catch phrases and “Jersey Shore” terminology that we all will never forget. Some of the other guido/guidette terminology that has taken us all by storm includes fist pumping, juice heads/

gorillas an all new meaning for “the situation” and Snooki’s famous “wwwwwaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh.”

“The Jersey Shore” is quite possibly one of the best reality shows that has ever had the pleasure of gracing our television sets. Even though they won’t be in Seaside Heights for season two, I’m looking forward to watching the group take part in a little more fist-pumping, hair-gelling and indoor tanning.

And maybe, just maybe if we are all lucky, Snooki will get her wish of having her own “Snookin for Love” reality show.

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Holly Prendergast

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