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With MTV video trailer for the show

Hey, MTV!

A national Italian-American organization wants to ban the cable channel's upcoming "Jersey Shore," a reality show promising to turn the spotlight on the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos" found on the state's beaches and boardwalks.

Some southern New Jersey residents of Italian descent are more offended by the insult to the shore.

The show, which chronicles the antics of eight people sharing a beach house in Seaside Heights, Ocean County, is scheduled to debut Dec. 3.

"MTV is resorting to trash television that panders for ratings at the expense of the Italian-American community," said Andre' DiMino, president of UNICO National in a prepared release. The Fairfield-based group, which has chapters in about 18 states, bills itself as "The Largest Italian American Service Organization in the USA."

"Jersey Shore" relies on crude stereotypes and highlights cursing, bad behavior and violence in depicting renters at a beach house, the organization said. An MTV promo says the show's cast "keep their hair high, their muscles juiced and their fists pumping all summer long."

Antonio Esposito, the owner of Tony's Pizza Gallery in Egg Harbor Township, is outside of the MTV demographic at age 50, but he does take offense at use of the term "Guido."

"I'm concerned about it," Esposito said. "(Christopher) Columbus discovered America. ... It was the Indians, then Columbus, my guy."

Younger local Italian-Americans who watch MTV aren't worried about the show. They're more bothered that the house occupants are probably from northern New Jersey and New York City, and the title "Jersey Shore" will paint all shore communities with a broad brush and lump the towns - and their residents - together in most viewers' minds.

"It's derogatory to South Jersey. We have to deal with this crap," said Frank Caltabellotta, 21, of Northfield.

Catabellotta thinks the folks at UNICO should lighten up.

No one complained about the A&E cable channel's reality show "Growing Up Gotti," which also focused on a particular type of young Italian-Americans, he said. Caltabellotta asked whether the Bravo reality TV show "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" should be canceled because it makes fun of Atlanta housewives.

"It's been a while since Italian Americas have had something to complain about. People are too sensitive," Caltabellotta said.

The stereotype being depicted in "Jersey Shore" is inaccurate for southern New Jersey, but accurate for northern New Jersey, according to Suzanne Kolmetsky, the Italian owner of Christine's Italian Pastry Shoppe in Northfield.

Kolmetsky said she would consider watching the show.

"It's a TV show. A TV show is pretend," said Kolmetsky, who added even though she had not seen the promo, she is not a sensitive person and the wording didn't offend her. "It's the reality of that person's life and not everyone's life."

In the promo for the show, the beachgoers are shown to be hot heads, said Nick Albertson, 21, of Galloway Township, who is half Italian.

"I don't hate on people. If they want to make a show about it, make a show about it," said Albertson, who added he will tune into the show to see what it's about. "I think it will get good ratings.

Republican 2nd District Assemblyman Vince Polistina hasn't seen the promo, but he doesn't think saying "Guido" brands an entire ethnic group.

"First of all, it doesn't offend me, and I think people should focus on priorities and be thankful for their health and their families and don't sweat the small stuff," Polistina said. "They are doing a show and trying to get people to watch it."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Vincent Jackson:

609-272-7202

VJackson@pressofac.com

15 comments:

• AmericanMirror (9) posts 10:46 pm

  Where were you when the "Godfather" Sagas and "Sopranos" came out.The 2 most degrading sagas in the history of any intelligent and sophisticated minority group in the History of America?

• TurboDan (16) posts 9:03 pm

  Eh, the politicians don't have anything to do with it. MTV rents a house and films people as they wish. Local government really has no control over anything. As an Ocean County resident who considers himself a citizen of the great state of SOUTH JERSEY, all I want is for the BENNIES to go home! The shoebies are harmless by comparison.

• snbdr63 (15) posts 11:12 am

  Wow MTV can't give up being in Seaside, I had to put up with the crap when they were there in 98 and 03. The politicians of Seaside would sell their souls for a buck. As for Guidos they have been doing the shore thing for many decades.The first MTV beach house in 98 was owned by an Italian who could not understand the mentality of the MTV people lol

• UncleFrank (232) posts 10:34 am

  Only one word is needed - TRASH!

• VoiceOfReason (1) posts 9:08 am

  I grew up on the "Jersey Shore" ... in Monmouth County where Belmar, NJ is located and the same events happen there every summer that is depicted in this MTV episode shot in Seaside Heights..., which is located in Ocean County. It's been going on for years and is factual. I've seen a lot worse offensive progamming on MTV. Don't tune in if you are Italian and offended by this summer ritual in CENTRAL JERSEY ... not Northern Jersey. There are no beaches in 'North Jersey'.

• JerseyDevil (544) posts 3:49 am

  I watched MTV last night at 10 pm about the North Jersey studs coming to the Seaside Heights Jersey Shore and renting the bought a house and invited all their friends down anytime. These were not Italians and the hour show was about one 27 year old guy who was looking for a partner to get married but he couldent find one.The reason is he was a complete jerk.I watched the show for an hour and I don't know why.He was nothing but a drunking bore and he acted tough but he could't fight his way out of a paper bag. I am part Italian and very proud of it. After the Soprano's what more can I say. I have all the tapes of all the shows and still watch the repeats. About this show tonight I think it will be just like the show last night.Nothing but a bunch of fun loving close knitted friends out to have a good time.Italians are very proud people and everyone should watch and be prepared to laugh and don't take it seriously.

• Seymore (2) posts 6:08 pm

  Wow, people are simply pathetic. If you are offended and don't want to watch it. TURN IT OFF. No one is forcing you to watch it.

• sjrocks1 (2) posts 3:03 pm

  I think this show will be hilarious! Having gone to college in North Jersey and living in South Jersey,this show is dead on! But, the name should be changed, it should be North Jersey and Staten Island invade the shore!

• sjrocks1 (2) posts 3:00 pm

  I think this show will be hilarious! Having gone to college in North Jersey and living in South Jersey,this show is dead on! But, the name should be changed, it should be North Jersey and Staten Island invade the shore!

• gjc4343 (19) posts 1:15 pm

  I'm not italian, but I am offended as an intelligent american and south jersey resident. Watching that trailer, I can only think about how many brain dead kids will watch this show and aspire to be like those people. You think things are bad now, wait until these kids are in charge, yikes.

• vwsteve (99) posts 12:49 pm

  After watching a few clips of this show MTV should change the name of the show to Douchebags. I'd be OK with that I guess. Sorry in advance to all the doucebags reading this though. The difference between North & South Jersey, especially with regard to the beach towns is quite different. I mean, sure....we've got plenty of douchebags down here in S. Jersey but I don't think they would make for as good of a train wreck in line with MTV's low standards of entertainment. The meathead New Yorkers portrayed on this show tend not to travel lower than exit 98 on the GSP.

• joisey (237) posts 10:59 am

  I think they should change the name of the show to "North Jersey Shore". We down here in Southern Jersey do not want to be represented by those that live up there. New Jersey is like 2 different states...the north.....and the south. BIG BIG difference in the attitudes and brain activity. I wouldn't mind watching it, but they really need to stress that they are Northern guido's!!!!

• southjerzeer (4) posts 10:37 am

  There is a facebook group dedicated to the banning of this show. The group has more than 25,000 members. As a South Jersey Italian, I am offended by this show because it portrays non-Jersey shore residents creating drama and havoc in Southern NJ. It is not the true South Jersey.....bad enough MTV aired a couple episodes of "True Life: I'm from the Jersey Shore" and created a mockery of our beloved Jersey beach area. Hey, MTV, if you want to create a show about the REAL Jersey Shore, how about having REAL residents of the Jersey Shore and not Staten Islanders or New Yorkers?!

• smedlee (132) posts 10:29 am

  I GOT RID OF CABLE TV 6 YRS. AGO AND DON'T REGRET IT. MTV IS TRASH THAT KIDS FIND FUNNY AND EMULATE I HEAR YOUNG GIRLS CURSING LIKE LOW-LIFES. THATS AMERICA TV AND MOVIES RUINED THIS COUNTRY. JOSEPH GOEBBELS(GERMAN PROPAGANDA EXPERT FOR NAZI'S) WOULD BE PROUD OF OUR DEMISE AND PROBABLY SAY THAT THIS PROVES THE MASSES ARE THE A--ES. THIS COUNTRY IS DISGUSTING KIDS GO TO STORES IN PAJAMAS OR WITH THEIR PANTS DOWN TO THEIR KNEES. YEA ITS A FASHION STATEMENT. "I'M HAVE NO RESPECT FOR MYSELF" OR " I TRIED TO DRESS MYSELF TODAY". I TRAVEL TO OTHER COUNTRIES PEOPLE CALL THIRD WORLD WELL LET ME TELL YOU THE TEENAGERS HAVE RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR ELDERS. THEY ARE POLITE AND HAVE SOMETHING AMERICA HAS LOST "FAMILY VALUES". TRASH SELLS, GET RID OF CABLE AND YOU'LL NEVER REGRET IT. YOU CANNOT STOP SO CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH BUT YOU DO HAVE FREEDOM OF CHOICE. AS FAR AS THE SHOW JUST STARE AT YOUR CABLE BILL THATS WHAT YOUR PAYING FOR. AND THE NEWS IS THE SAME CRAP GET IT STRAIGHT WHETHER ITS LOCAL, CNN OR FOX ITS A GROUP OF PEOPLE DECIDING WHAT THEY WILL TELL YOU IS NEWS AND WHAT WILL GET THEM THE BEST RATING PERIOD. WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!

• OldEdd (1) posts 8:05 am

  I'm not sure "reality" shows are real. You are looking at a particular group of individuals and their actions. And, from what I hear, if they make fools out of themselves, all the better. I feel they are more like situation comedies.

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