There's probably already a topic about this but I haven't been on in a while and I was just skimming the site and saw some very negative posts about this TV show and wanted to point some things out to you all. I originally heard about the show through an email from NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) stating that there were some things on TV portraying Italians badly. One of them was an episode of Desperate Housewives, one was a skit on SNL, and the other was Jersey Shore. At first I was pissed like any other Italian would be.

However when I clicked on the link and watched a few episodes I realized something that I guess some of you fail to realize. It's just entertainment, nothing more, it's actually quite an entertaining TV show. I admit their use of the word Guido gave us a bad rap and now some of the younger generations are familiar with the word but nonetheless it's just a TV show. People need to lighten up.

One of the things I saw was people judging some of the castmates when no one on here knows them outside the show (that I'm aware of). Last summer I actually took a trip to Seaside Heights, New Jersey where the show is filmed. I actually met some of the cast members and they're actually pretty nice people especially The Situation. Many of you say he has no talent but if that were true how come he is making $10 million per year? That's not from Jersey Shore, that's actually from many business deals and endorsements which takes a smart person to know how to do business. He has his own company, book, workout DVD, clothing line, cologne, vodka, jewelry, iPhone app, workout supplement, rap song, environmentally friendly gym bag, and much more. And no people just didn't offer these endorsements to him, many of the things he put together by himself. Donald Trump, who is one of the richest entrepreneurs ever, stated in an interview that The Situation was actually a very smart person and knew what he was doing business-wise. And actually Donald Trump has been trying to do business with The Situation way before the Trump Roast. So if The Situation had no talent how come he's making a shitload of money by himself? He's making more money not from a reality TV show, but through his own business, which is more than any people will ever make in their entire lives. Not to mention if someone as rich as Donald Trump is trying to do business with him, you know he has to know what he's doing.

Just wanted to share my thoughts and show everyone things from a different perspective.

It wasn't MTV.

MTV paid Situation $60,000 an episode for doing Season 2 of Jersey Shore, and between $15,000 and $50,000 per event for appearances. That's pretty well documented. All in all that comes out to about $5 million for the year.

Then, you add in endorsement deals which were obviouly part of his MTV package, and it comes to about $10 million per.

Getting endorsements are part of being in the entertainment industry, bud. The guy may have great abs but a business tycoon he ain't.

The Situation wouldn't be anything without Jersey Shore. None of them would be, probably.

I live just a few miles from Seaside, and the "entertainment" on Jersey Shore makes me cringe. Though I think only one cast member is actually from NJ, it gives Jersey and the shore a bad (worse) name. When I'm out of the area and people ask where I'm from, I now cringe telling them. (It was better to be associated with The Sopranos than Jersey Shore lol)

I read they were filming this season in Italy. I also read that Italy is not thrilled at all.




TIS

They weren't part of the MTV package because if that were true all of the cast members would be getting endorsements which they certainly are not. The Situation is making more than any of them because of his own intelligence.

That may be true but he's branching out from the show and doing his own thing which none of the other cast members are doing. You also have to take into account that they film this show 24/7 for a period of 3 months straight and there's 100 times as much footage that is not shown on the show, so you don't get the whole picture and MTV edits it to make it seem like a certain way.

Actually ironically I don't think there was an actual official source claiming this, the people who said this were from Italian-American foundations, not from Italy.

Actually just found an excerpt from the Italian Vanity Fair, looks like Italy might actually be welcoming the Jersey Shore cast.

From the Huffington Post:

'Jersey Shore' Italy Broadcast Causing Outrage

The self-styled guidos and guidettes of "Jersey Shore" are headed to Italy, but they may not receive much of a warm welcome.

The hit MTV reality show, which features larger than life characters such as The Situation and Snooki, hard-partying twenty somethings proud of their mostly Italian genealogical and cultural heritage, has finally hit airwaves in Italy. And it's being met with outrage.

Roberto Del Bove, a columnist for a newspaper Rome, wrote that the show's stars "embody the worst stereotypes of Italians, multiplied by thousands and Americanized," according to the NY Post. A number of other columnists and editorials have slammed the show, as have viewers speaking out over the internet.

The show received heavy criticism when it first came out in the United States in 2009; a national Italian-American organization, UNICO, called it "trash television."

The show's cast will head to Italy to film the fourth season, which reignited UNICO's anger. In January, they said, "People used to go to the circus to see the freak show – that is what this will be... It will not only hurt Italians but all Americans … their outrageous, reprehensible behavior will make us look like buffoons and bimbos."

Well your deductive logic fails you here yet again because the other members of the show have indeed received all sorts of endorsement deals. I see Ron on TV promoting some sort of vitamin supplement, Snookie has a frickin' book coming out, Vinnie has made appearances on other MTV shows, and Pauly D now gets $50,000 when he DJ's an event. Those are just the public endorsements I'm mentioning. They get paid in free merchandise or royalties for marketing a whole variety of products and services that we never hear of.

You obviously don't understand that MTV is part of the Viacom corporation and has paid entertainers just like any Hollywood studio would. When MTV recruits potential pop idols to appear on the REal World or other MTV broadcasts, they give them endorsement deals and promotions after making the respective shows which then binds them to the MTV Viacom 'System'. This prevents them from taking their popularity and appeal to other entertainment companies.

The fact that Situation has gotten so many deals is due to his extreme (albeit fleeting) popularity and because he carried this very popular show, which was a HUGE money maker for Viacom. Not because of any business savvy he might have. That's a joke.

Okay, MTV edits it a certain way to make it even more ridiculous than it is already is! That changes absolutely nothing of what I wrote above.

The Jersey Shore is most certainly amusing and I really don't know why people are so offended. I am not Italian American and this show has absolutely NO AFFECT on how I view the Italian American community. I'd be surprised if there are many people out there who watch The Jersey Shore and think this is how all Italian Americans are like. Jersey Shore wouldn't be Jersey Shore if it wasn't for this colorful cast. No sane tv producer picks regular people to star in a reality show. I think people need to take it for what it is, entertainment. The Situation is an exceptionally dumb person and when you're this dumb, chances are you're gonna make money of off it. Anyway, I am looking forward to the new season and will have toilet paper ready when J Woww gets her freak on.

I partially agree with you Vinny but I disagree on saying that The Situation is dumb. We can't make judgments about people based on how they're portrayed on television.

I'm actually not sure why this show has received such criticism in that it's not much different than most other reality shows. It's laden with sex and debauchery as that's what sells. Young guys and gals trying to hook up and have a good time, which is what most young people do these days and thus its wide-spread popularity.

(Although granted, most of the guys are in the late 20's or early 30's (Pauly D) and should probably be moving onto something else at this point in their lives, but what are you gonna do.)

Agreed.

Haha Mike looks so sad in the picture too. I think he's been punched in every season.

Need some opinoins to help settle a dispute. Who do u guys think is hotter sammi or jenni ??? Thanks

Jenni by far . This shouldn't even be a discussion. In a perfect world, that woman would be my damn wife.

The "situation" is a nuanced and sophisticaed young man who likes to discuss neoclassical literature, politics and economic nuances while he shows off his impressive six pack.

I agree, Jenni .

Ya I have to agree with you and go with jenni also. I prefer that hot stripper look over a natural beauty. And with that being said I am off to the jersey shore for the long wkend. Have a good holiday eveyrbody

JWoww is the type of chick that will help you out in a fight. One time she actually stuck a knife through a guy's hand. Well, that's the rumor mill anyway. I don't know, I just see her destroying some of my ex gfs. For me it's not just the hot stripper body. It's the whole package. You look in her eyes and you just know. That girl is gonna ride you with a vengeance.

In a turn of "creative genius" MTV UK decided to do its own UK version of JERSEY SHORE and came up with...wait for it....GEORDIE SHORE.......

They set it in Newcastle,where i come from and although it has been very popular amongst some people i find it the most cringeworthy thing i have ever seen. There are clips on Youtube but i cant even bring myself to link it cos its awful.....

I think these kids are getting more retarded every year. I can't stand any of them anymore

Haha Yogi it is so bad! It's actually for worse!
Poor Geordies... They are shocking on that show.

I've actually grown from hating Jersey Shore to quite liking it. As long as you take it on the basis that it's a bit of a laugh. I quite like Paulie and Vinny, they seem to be good guys.

I am getting sick of hearing dina and snooki call girls grenedes. They are 2 of the biggest greneds in the world. How 2 short, chubby , ugly broads like them can think they are hot blows my mind

I was shocked to hear that the big red domed building in Florence was actually the Vatican. Next time I won't have to go all the way to Rome to see it!

True, these guys are laughing all the way to the bank....but they're still morons!

does anybody think that snooki is going to get knocked up one of these days.

Does any1 know if sammi got fake boobs ?? Looks like she has a hell of a rack on her this season