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I've felt like explaining why Jersey Shore is awesome for a while. Why? Because so many people I notice and I have found themselves enchanted by it and it seems mysterious, like it's casting a spell to get people hooked. So I want to dig in to what it's doing. It’s rather more complex than what many people might imagine to be a “hipster ironic” sort of thing. I label myself as an existentialist which to me partly means that whatever I just feel, what seems harmonious, my whimsies, are all genuinely relevant and meaningful. I have an attachment to the show so I might as well try to determine why, instead of trying to convince myself I shouldn’t like it or believe arguments of that point of view. There are always counter-arguments anyway.
I initially heard of Jersey Shore from my favorite sports/pop culture columnist Bill Simmons (The Sports Guy), who attached to the show right off the bat, he was super excited about it. And then there was the hilarious Cracked article by Daniel O’Brien. Both of them have continued to follow it. So I had to check it out (or else I would not understand like half of The Sports Guy’s references at the very least—MTV should really be paying him or something for all the advertising he does for them). Of course it lived up to my expectations in being hilarious to watch/make fun of/come up with jokes about. The slang they continually come up with is fantastic for a start. That got me to keep watching and paying attention. It’s why I’m sure most people started watching and still why I recommend it, or at least the attitude I recommend starting with, because it won’t let you down (whereas expecting it to go somewhere for you/be the amazing show that it is to me is probably hit or miss, just know that it’s possible).
So what happens, as Simmons or his guest Dave Jacoby, who he calls his Reality TV Czar, (I forget who said it) put it in one podcast, is that you start out watching thinking they are going to be clowns, that you are just going to laugh at them, but then you don’t even notice that after the first season, if Mike “The Situation” said he needed a place to stay for the weekend cause he was dropping by your town, you would totally offer your couch (or even give him the bed). They became people who could be your friends, or at least real people, to you. But how does this happen?
The way I came to view it is that the cast operates and has chosen to live in basically a society or world that has totally different social norms to what most of us are used to and some different (and some similar values). So judging them through the lens of customs I follow is rather pointless. Pauly D may have suitcases of hair gel and a tanning bed in his house, but do any of those really say anything about him as a person? In the world he chooses to operate in, they are valued or at least might convey status or provide favorable social opportunities or enhance the prospects of social opportunities in that society. Sure they seem frivolous but I consider much of what I and many other people do frivolous as well. What is really different in that than having progaming swag/autographs, sports jerseys or collecting achievements in games, or having stylish clothes, high heels, or anything. There is no substantive/functional content in any of it other than feeling better about yourself or having other people feel better (or sometimes worse) about you. It all just depends on what world you want to be accepted in. So watching this totally alien world is actually fascinating (and not necessarily in a “it’s a horrific spectacle” way).
What makes me believe this particular show and world have struck gold? Well the most basic thing is that the people here for the most part just love fun. How can you not have a fun show with such a fun-loving crowd. It’s also very accessible, yet there’s so much there to think about, about each of their individual personalities, about what their society is about, about how it interacts with “real life”, about their relationships with each other, and especially how stuff like that is both governed by the unfamiliar social norms of their world, and the familiar norms of human interaction we generally think of. Situation, for example, displays some distinctly aggressive style for picking up girls at clubs, both in the sense of being forward, but also in a lack of regard for the boundaries other men would expect him to respect. He introduces us to “The Robbery” and will explain himself by saying that’s just how it goes at the Shore. It’s fascinating to see in what ways their behavior reflects that familiar norms/unfamiliar norms dynamic, and then to think about what it says of whatever our normal “non-Shore” construct for a situation is.
Similar things could be said of any documentary about another culture, but beyond the humorous twist on that style of documentary created by the play between our preconceptions of the Shore type people and them being Americans or basically belonging to our western society and their behavior seeming so odd that we have to study them like a totally foreign culture, there is even another level. They are not, in general, following traditions set by elders or anyone else. I forget where I heard this, but I heard that the main directive given to the cast recruiters initially was to find people who were the most unapologetically themselves in that scene. They basically paved their own way, created their own Jersey Shore house culture from the start. And now they are without a doubt the most famous and influential of the self-proclaimed Guidos and Guidettes ever, so it’s all following their lead. With not very many limits placed on them, we are just sitting back, seeing what gets built, how the norms of their own creation operate, and possibly shift and grow and interact occasionally with reality.
The capacity for this sort of growth is really what has elevated this show above almost all of its reality peers though. There is really a sense with Jersey Shore that no one involved—the creators, MTV, the cast, etc.—none of them had any idea where the idea was going when it first started. It was like, “well we have this outrageous idea for a show with these outrageous people, lets put it together and see what happens.” This gives it a purer, more unstructured feel that has really stuck with it. There’s not a plethora of rules governing the characters’ interactions, there isn’t drama manufactured by having them compete with one another, there’s no elimination other than someone choosing to leave the show, it doesn’t feel like there’s some overriding structure that gives a feeling of being controlled. Here’s the playground, go play, that’s what it feels like the directions given were (of course no one really knows the extent of directorial manipulation). This has let the charisma and watchability of the cast be the driving force, rather than other gimmicks. When the show initially hit the public eye, there was a sizable outpouring of disbelief, derision and outrage, yet the unflappable good humor and even playful self-mocking of the cast really endeared them to us and allowed the show to take off. And following them has been a great reward thus far.
This is another factor that separates it from most reality show, the fact that the show has really stuck with this cast that built what the show is, their own world and allowed them to grow. We get to see them live in the world they created. After season one, Simmons and Jacoby speculated on whether that season was a one hit wonder type of deal that galvanized us for a bit but could never be recreated. The show answered them by demonstrating that it wasn’t just a phenomenon, but that following these people was continually rewarding, even after the novelty and propulsion given to it by media controversy/mass exposure were over. You got their most obvious and most made-for-display personality aspects in season one, but by continuing, you get a window into the driving forces underneath, which is something that hasn’t been done much by reality shows. Sammi, for example, is a totally different person to me now than at the end of season one (when I saw no value in her really, I honestly thought she was scum). But she’s a complex person, so issues and things that were going on in season one took until just now in season three to come to some sort of head and now possibly spur growth.
Snooki makes a bad first impression to both viewers and her housemates, but is now among the most loved. She seems genuinely cool to me. Vinny gets a chance to show himself as he grows into the show (he is not very prominent in season one). I’m not sure if I like him, but that might be insecurity about him having a bigger penis than me (apparently it’s huge, lol). Pauly D’s steady coolness takes a while to really impress you because the really impressive thing is how consistent it is, he’s literally cool in every situation (maybe that one punch early in s1 excluded). And he also delivers entertainment almost constantly. We see the long term toll of Angelina’s constant posturing and dramatics, and how hers differs from Situation’s based on what’s behind it. Mike is really one of the most intriguing and fun people to follow. His personality is to big to be contained. Jenni/JWOWW’s is also big (along with some other things ^^) and fantastic and displays many sides and even something like sophistication at times while being the most wholly indecorous at others or at the same time. She’s actually the most real to me, like she’s often a great friend but she has a lot to learn too. In truth I would be incredibly attracted to her if not for the awful fake boobs. And Ron, we’ve watched him transform into basically a different person because of a relationship, and wonder along with him who he really is, as it’s something that obviously perturbs him to a growing extent as it goes on.
Honestly they feel like my friends now, and the amazing part is that they aren’t written constructs like in a drama, made for that purpose. I’m concerned about the effect that the Ron and Sam saga has had on both of them. I’m inspired by how they’ve all made this family construction work and come together so genuinely at times despite drama at every turn. I want Sam to stop sabotaging herself, I want Snooki to find something or someone lasting and satisfying, I want Jenni to be part of my life. And I’m going to keep trying to get to know them more, keep letting their depths unfold until they stop letting me in. All of this from people I took to be clowns. That’s the magic of Jersey Shore.
It's probably a doomed relationship because eventually the cast's fame is going to add too many obstacles, but it's amazing right now.
Comments: thoughtless hating not appreciated, if you don't have a new criticism that's interesting/uncommon or a good response to something I brought up, don't bother.
Any other discussion of the show is cool though. Or Simmons/Jacoby reality TV podcasts (bottom of this page) which are like my new favorite thing next to State of the Game.
 
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I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them.
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On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them.
I agree. The characters on the show are not quality human beings. I can't stand watching it.
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I fucking love that show. The best kind of degrading that TV could find, it's truly one of the gems of television today.
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Show is so degrading lol, I'm from New Jersey and when i recently moved to Texas. People ask me where I'm from and i say New Jersey. THEN THEY START FIST PUMPING T.T thats what New Jersey is known for now lol
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On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them.
Ya i saw the first episode and around the time of the fire works i got the impression that they weren't actually having fun but just pretending to enjoy themselves. At rarely seems like anything they say is genuinely backed with feeling but rather instead is just said becuase its part of their social game. These people are really fake and i guess this might be attractive to those who want to learn how to fake there way into friendships.
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On February 03 2011 23:06 r33k wrote:
I fucking love that show. The best kind of degrading that TV could find, it's truly one of the gems of television today.
So are you prepared for Italy next season (I notice your location tag)? I don't know what's going to happen, Europe is really going to clash with their style and ideas I feel like.
On February 03 2011 23:24 puppykiller wrote:Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them. Ya i saw the first episode and around the time of the fire works i got the impression that they weren't actually having fun but just pretending to enjoy themselves. At rarely seems like anything they say is genuinely backed with feeling but rather instead is just said becuase its part of their social game. These people are really fake and i guess this might be attractive to those who want to learn how to fake there way into friendships.
What exactly is fake about them? The thing is, if you judge on the first episode, people always put on some sort of front when they are just meeting new people/put in a new situation. I do, and so does everyone I know/notice. That's why it feels natural, because it feels like that sort of growing friendship, it's tentative, but then becomes more relaxed and more of each person shows through as it progresses. And I don't see how any of it looks like fake fun, they are so into it, and so into this world.
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http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=120339#1
From Task #1:
There is a popular American Television Show called "Jersey Shore." Your task will be to take several screenshots of a character on this show named "Pauly D". All screenshots must be from actual episodes of the show -- they cannot be from promotional images. I removed this requirement. Image hunt away.
To add to the difficulty, I will not tell you where to find full episodes of this show.
Screenshot Pauly D:
1. At the beach
2. At the gym
3. Talking on the duck phone
4. Dancing with a girl
5. DJing at a club
6. In the hot tub
7. Tanning OR doing laundry
8. At work (selling shirts)
9. Eating
10. Kissing a girl
Once you have obtained all ten screenshots, write your username somewhere on each image, and post all of them in this thread. The first user who successfully posts these ten screenshots will receive a beta key.
Good luck!
Never forget.
EDIT: looking back on that thread it's such a goldmine what staff made everybody do for beta keys (Pokebunny's parents asking for a beta key for him LOL)
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On February 03 2011 23:28 ZapRoffo wrote:Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:06 r33k wrote:
I fucking love that show. The best kind of degrading that TV could find, it's truly one of the gems of television today. So are you prepared for Italy next season (I notice your location tag)? I don't know what's going to happen, Europe is really going to clash with their style and ideas I feel like. Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:24 puppykiller wrote:On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them. Ya i saw the first episode and around the time of the fire works i got the impression that they weren't actually having fun but just pretending to enjoy themselves. At rarely seems like anything they say is genuinely backed with feeling but rather instead is just said becuase its part of their social game. These people are really fake and i guess this might be attractive to those who want to learn how to fake there way into friendships. What exactly is fake about them? The thing is, if you judge on the first episode, people always put on some sort of front when they are just meeting new people/put in a new situation. I do, and so does everyone I know/notice. That's why it feels natural, because it feels like that sort of growing friendship, it's tentative, but then becomes more relaxed and more of each person shows through as it progresses. And I don't see how any of it looks like fake fun, they are so into it, and so into this world.
Fine I havent seen any other episodes but for that one atleast, it was all clearly an act. I think it isn't that hard to tell when people are genuinely into what they are doing and it certanly isnt hard to recognize the signs that somone is faking how important the petty sitautions they find themselves in are to them. Im not questioning that they are guidos, or that they have their onw culture, I'm just saying that these sorts of shows, shows about nothing (drama), have to work really hard to make an audience care, and have to work even harder to make sure there is always some material (drama) that can be filmed, even if the drama is pointless and has to be completely exagerated.
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On February 03 2011 23:04 cava wrote:Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them. I agree. The characters on the show are not quality human beings. I can't stand watching it.
What does that even mean? What's led you to judge them as "not quality"? If you are going to post attacks on the show, don't be lazy, that doesn't fly in my blog. Give some support to your judgments.
Scaramanga, read my post. I laid out how I went from laughing at them to loving it. Is there some part of my initial blog (did you read it?) that seems unbelievable? I see for many people the reaction to them is very visceral. What different values are really making them unacceptable? Everyone is so general in their criticisms. I see gaudy, so the display of wealth along with lack of taste is a point.
But why does everything and everywhere have to be tasteful? Seems boring to me.
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On February 03 2011 23:28 ZapRoffo wrote:Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:06 r33k wrote:
I fucking love that show. The best kind of degrading that TV could find, it's truly one of the gems of television today. So are you prepared for Italy next season (I notice your location tag)? I don't know what's going to happen, Europe is really going to clash with their style and ideas I feel like. Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:24 puppykiller wrote:On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them. Ya i saw the first episode and around the time of the fire works i got the impression that they weren't actually having fun but just pretending to enjoy themselves. At rarely seems like anything they say is genuinely backed with feeling but rather instead is just said becuase its part of their social game. These people are really fake and i guess this might be attractive to those who want to learn how to fake there way into friendships. What exactly is fake about them? The thing is, if you judge on the first episode, people always put on some sort of front when they are just meeting new people/put in a new situation. I do, and so does everyone I know/notice. That's why it feels natural, because it feels like that sort of growing friendship, it's tentative, but then becomes more relaxed and more of each person shows through as it progresses. And I don't see how any of it looks like fake fun, they are so into it, and so into this world.
Well the thing is, like all Italian Americans they have no relation whatsoever in looks or personality with the Italians of today. And it's been so for 60+ years, while they still consider themselves fully Italian like they could come and live here any day they would be ridiculized in an instant.
Going to the gym and tanning isn't as popular over here as you'd make it, mostly because gyms are sparce and have retarded timetables, we are a third world country after all.
The most fun thing about Jersey Shore as a show is that Italian douchebags genuinely hate it. They feel insulted and mocked, while we have a comedian who has been portraying a douchebag for the last 4 years or so things are different. Our douchebags even don't look anything like them. You might feel a reminiscence of the JS crew but that's it, JS as a show basically compares them to giant clowns.
As for the show being fake, the first season had a full script. They changed some stuff on the fly, and the 2nd season only had guidelines, but originally most of the stuff was scripted.
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it's the type of show that lonely people like I think.
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Orange douchebags with hair gel, what's not to like?
In all seriousness, this show is just as stupid as any other reality bullshit. It's popularity is proof that 80% of the population is either brain damaged or straight up retarded.
User was banned for this post.
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Well yeah I realize, and I think everyone realizes that they really have very little connection to Italy/Italians, that's the one part that's definitely fake about their identity (although I believe they have bought into it) so I consider that an odd peculiarity of their world (their idolizing of Italian stuff) rather than any reflection on them as people. It even seems to me like that happens some on TL with adopting Korean attitudes/imitating Korean expressions, although not as outright of a making it part of one's identity (maybe slightly though).
What's your source for saying they had a full script in season 1? I know the scenes where they will be have to be prepared and stuff, especially now since they are now really famous and would be mobbed by people going anywhere naturally.
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I "love" this show too, it's fucking hilarious; definitely in the range of "It's so bad it's actually good".
Snooki is ugly, she has nothing going on except her boobs =.=
What is it?
It's called a Snooki, It's very famous.
That thing is famous, why?
I don't know!
Awesome!
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I have seen the show, and basically its so bad that its good.
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My gf loves this show, and it's funny so w/e.
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i like it for the girls...
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On February 04 2011 00:21 ghermination wrote:
Orange douchebags with hair gel, what's not to like?
In all seriousness, this show is just as stupid as any other reality bullshit. It's popularity is proof that 80% of the population is either brain damaged or straight up retarded.
Compelling argument...
But really, got any justification for essentially calling me brain damaged or retarded? I presented a good chunk of detail for my side, so at least give it a little thought or it just seems meaningless.
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On February 04 2011 00:47 ZapRoffo wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 00:21 ghermination wrote:
Orange douchebags with hair gel, what's not to like?
In all seriousness, this show is just as stupid as any other reality bullshit. It's popularity is proof that 80% of the population is either brain damaged or straight up retarded. Compelling argument... But really, got any justification for essentially calling me brain damaged or retarded? I presented a good chunk of detail for my side, so at least give it a little thought or it just seems meaningless.
This show is the same kind of mindless, scripted "salute to drama" that's been popular for the past decade. Only teenage girls can truly appreciate the power of "drama", and to me it's just bad t.v. I don't want to see some guy who thinks he's badass because he slathers on more hair gel than the entire population of the state of Washington put together and sprays on some sort of extracted pumpkin pigment go out and annoy random people and get into scripted fights with equally plastic and uninteresting characters.
When i watch T.V. I'm looking for plot and character development, intellectual depth, and legitimate actors. Not "D.J. Pauly D" (D for Douchebag) strutting around like some varsity football player on his ninth year of highschool.
Edit: And furthermore, this show is almost a salute to ignorance! The characters are all (and this is the only phrase i can use) fucking stupid. This isn't an opinion. Americas constantly falling test scores and youth motivation isn't helped when they watch these idiots strut around and think "i don't need to work hard in school, i can just do a bunch of purely aesthetic upper body lifts and turn my hair into some sort of carnival attraction and millions of people will love me."
Remember in high school those guys who strutted around constantly filled with arrogance while treating everyone else like absolute shit? Or their female counterparts, your stereotypical cheerleaders who seemed to be unable to see anything other than a pair of bulging biceps and a "bro" complex? And then as soon as you got into college, these guys and girls got new names: Douchebags, and shallow bitches. The other vast majority of people matured up. Well these jersey shore retards are stuck in that senior year mentality and it's a terrible role model.
I know a lot of people watch this T.V. show, and that it's popularity seems to counter many of the things i've said. "The bad girls club" (pay a bunch of attractive women to scream and fight eachother) is also wildly popular and in the same genre and mold as this show. Do you care to tell me the entertainment value in that?
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I really can't imagine living as (or being around) people so shallow, fake and unintelligent.
What will they have left when their precious look disappear?
I understand the guilty pleasure of seeing such retards, but as a matter of personal dignity i prefer to avoid looking at such a pathetic side of humanity.
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But it's not only a salute to drama. I wrote a bunch of other things I see in it. The entire contents of the characters of these people I find extremely interesting. How they relate to each other, how they sometimes converge to "normal" behavior and sometimes don't, how they've changed, etc.. I wanted to dig into what makes someone believe they are really cool because of the hair gel and bronzer, so I did, and found that he actually seems like a cool person after stripping away the things that to me just seem like products of being differently-minded and having a somewhat different value system, that he seems to think quite reasonably. Those things like orangeness and hair gel are just aspects of the world he operates in, they happen to be valued by like minded people.
An outsider might look at us on TL and say, wow those people think they are really cool because they spend hours and hours moving little video game dudes around, noticing how much everything top players do is clung to. But for us what is it? Something for fun and a world where we can find many like-minded people, and these people also value coming through in SC games, and thus spending good portions of time practicing. I don't see how it's really that different. They are just different value systems to me.
If you look for different things that doesn't automatically invalidate things that don't line up with it. It just means they are not for you. I look for those things in shows sometimes, so I watch The Wire, for example when I feel like that. But I look for fun and happiness in TV sometimes too, and this show is satisfying in that regard.
I'm not understanding really this belief that everything needs to be intellectual, tasteful, high-minded, lofty, etc.. I don't know many people who don't sometimes like to go to parties/dance/occasionally get stupid, so why is it so awful to have that basically in TV show form too? But Jersey Shore is one of the most interesting things to get stupid to I've found.
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I'm pretty sure that the cast of the Jersey Shore isn't even from New Jersey >.>
And yet we (I'm from New Jersey) now get associated with that show's cast. Sure, there are some guidos down the shore, and all over the world you'll find fake and shallow idiots who like to party, but that's not a proper stereotype for New Jerseyans 
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On February 04 2011 01:37 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:I'm pretty sure that the cast of the Jersey Shore isn't even from New Jersey >.> And yet we (I'm from New Jersey) now get associated with that show's cast. Sure, there are some guidos down the shore, and all over the world you'll find fake and shallow idiots who like to party, but that's not a proper stereotype for New Jerseyans
If people do the fist-pump reaction as the other post on the first page said, that's either just messing for fun, or otherwise isn't it a useful signal that that's not really someone who's company you really will enjoy.
New Jersey's reputation is way more firmly entrenched than just from Jersey Shore, it's like if dumb people are seriously going to stereotype based on it, who cares? I don't really expect New Jersey or anyone significant's perception of New Jersey to substantively change.
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This could be the greatest work of satire I have ever read.
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I always assumed people watched the show because they hated it.
sidenote and not really that related, I love to watch unboxing and video game reviews on youtube, not because I'm interested in the games or the product, but because the people who make them are usually really bad at it and I just don't understand why they thought they needed to make the video. It's even better if it's something really old, like i've seen a bunch of snes unboxing videos before.
A pretty popular one is the irate gamer (basically a ripoff of AVGN), his videos are super bad, but he puts all this work into it and writes a script and does some cg stuff...
edit: that's just what I think of when I think of jersey shore.
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Its an awful show, but its entertaining as fuck, although I didn't watch any of the second, or current season because I'm busy playing sc, the first season was pretty good yo :p.
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+ Show Spoiler +On February 04 2011 00:58 ghermination wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 00:47 ZapRoffo wrote:On February 04 2011 00:21 ghermination wrote:
Orange douchebags with hair gel, what's not to like?
In all seriousness, this show is just as stupid as any other reality bullshit. It's popularity is proof that 80% of the population is either brain damaged or straight up retarded. Compelling argument... But really, got any justification for essentially calling me brain damaged or retarded? I presented a good chunk of detail for my side, so at least give it a little thought or it just seems meaningless. This show is the same kind of mindless, scripted "salute to drama" that's been popular for the past decade. Only teenage girls can truly appreciate the power of "drama", and to me it's just bad t.v. I don't want to see some guy who thinks he's badass because he slathers on more hair gel than the entire population of the state of Washington put together and sprays on some sort of extracted pumpkin pigment go out and annoy random people and get into scripted fights with equally plastic and uninteresting characters. When i watch T.V. I'm looking for plot and character development, intellectual depth, and legitimate actors. Not "D.J. Pauly D" (D for Douchebag) strutting around like some varsity football player on his ninth year of highschool. Edit: And furthermore, this show is almost a salute to ignorance! The characters are all (and this is the only phrase i can use) fucking stupid. This isn't an opinion. Americas constantly falling test scores and youth motivation isn't helped when they watch these idiots strut around and think "i don't need to work hard in school, i can just do a bunch of purely aesthetic upper body lifts and turn my hair into some sort of carnival attraction and millions of people will love me." Remember in high school those guys who strutted around constantly filled with arrogance while treating everyone else like absolute shit? Or their female counterparts, your stereotypical cheerleaders who seemed to be unable to see anything other than a pair of bulging biceps and a "bro" complex? And then as soon as you got into college, these guys and girls got new names: Douchebags, and shallow bitches. The other vast majority of people matured up. Well these jersey shore retards are stuck in that senior year mentality and it's a terrible role model. I know a lot of people watch this T.V. show, and that it's popularity seems to counter many of the things i've said. "The bad girls club" (pay a bunch of attractive women to scream and fight eachother) is also wildly popular and in the same genre and mold as this show. Do you care to tell me the entertainment value in that?
This is pretty much all I think about the show as well. I haven't watched the second season (I didn't even know there was one, but not surprised I guess, Tila Tequila's show had what, 2? Plus other seasons with other people), but the first one was unbearable to me. I did watch it from beginning to end because I really, really wanted to know what the fuss was all about, but I just couldn't see it. Tila's show was sort of entertaining, because you get to see (scripted or not) how far people can go for a relationship that will most likely not survive the 2 month period between the end of the show and the reunion, where the couple can barely communicate.
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Braavos36375 Posts
I think this show is really entertaining and hilarious. It's captivating television. And to people that dismiss it as stupid or ignorant or whatever, sure the characters might be all those things. But that doesn't mean it's not entertaining. I'm not watching it to learn life lessons or better myself, I'm laughing at what happens and how ridiculous it is. It's great TV.
I think Jersey Shore is way better than most of the crappy reality TV and dating contest shows. Sure it's "low brow" but that's what makes it so great. The people are pretty engaging, have distinct personalities, and the social dynamics on the show are amazing and hilarious. A lot of people can appreciate the entertainment this show brings. My roommates and I would watch this show every week, and I lived with all law students.
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On February 04 2011 01:49 ZapRoffo wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 01:37 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:I'm pretty sure that the cast of the Jersey Shore isn't even from New Jersey >.> And yet we (I'm from New Jersey) now get associated with that show's cast. Sure, there are some guidos down the shore, and all over the world you'll find fake and shallow idiots who like to party, but that's not a proper stereotype for New Jerseyans If people do the fist-pump reaction as the other post on the first page said, that's either just messing for fun, or otherwise isn't it a useful symbol that that's not really someone who's company you really will enjoy. New Jersey's reputation is way more firmly entrenched than just from Jersey Shore, it's like if dumb people are seriously going to stereotype based on it, who cares? I don't really expect New Jersey or anyone significant's perception of New Jersey to substantively change.
please tell me what that reputation would be
all mobsters from the sopranos? everyone acts like that vid my new hair cut?? now it's all jersey shore stuff, beat the beat
whenever i leave new jersey, the second someone picks up on my accent, i will hear one of those three jokes. that's very much jersey's rep hahah
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Austin10831 Posts
That or a toxic air/smell joke.
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On February 04 2011 05:38 Hawk wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 01:49 ZapRoffo wrote:On February 04 2011 01:37 DarkPlasmaBall wrote:I'm pretty sure that the cast of the Jersey Shore isn't even from New Jersey >.> And yet we (I'm from New Jersey) now get associated with that show's cast. Sure, there are some guidos down the shore, and all over the world you'll find fake and shallow idiots who like to party, but that's not a proper stereotype for New Jerseyans If people do the fist-pump reaction as the other post on the first page said, that's either just messing for fun, or otherwise isn't it a useful symbol that that's not really someone who's company you really will enjoy. New Jersey's reputation is way more firmly entrenched than just from Jersey Shore, it's like if dumb people are seriously going to stereotype based on it, who cares? I don't really expect New Jersey or anyone significant's perception of New Jersey to substantively change. please tell me what that reputation would be all mobsters from the sopranos? everyone acts like that vid my new hair cut?? now it's all jersey shore stuff, beat the beat whenever i leave new jersey, the second someone picks up on my accent, i will hear one of those three jokes. that's very much jersey's rep hahah
I always thought people thought New Jersey is basically the garbage dump of America/that was the rag on it or joke. Not that I think that, my mom grew up in Jersey, so I have some of it in me and know it's pretty normal for the most part.
Also yay hot_bid can see where I'm coming from, so I don't feel like I'm by myself taking crazy pills.
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yeah that too but i hear the others more because people have actually seen that. most people who talk about the smell or all the garbage dumps have seen neither (or actually passed threw Newark Airport, where it does smell that bad)
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On February 03 2011 23:04 cava wrote:Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them. I agree. The characters on the show are not quality human beings. I can't stand watching it.
It's not your decision on who is a quality human being and who isn't. You can think that they might be, but it doesn't mean they aren't.
When the show first came out, I avoided it with all costs because I couldn't believe how ridiculous the idea of it was.
I ended up caving about 2 months ago, and watched all of the first season, the second season, and all the extras. Now i'm currently keeping up with the 3rd season.
The more you watch the show, as ridiculous as they, the silly fights they get into, the how much they drink, they are real, quality human beings. |: You start finding that out when you take the time to watch it.
In any case, I love this show. ;__; and I love Jwoww. ;_____; ♥
On February 04 2011 01:22 CrimsonLotus wrote:
I really can't imagine living as (or being around) people so shallow, fake and unintelligent.
What will they have left when their precious look disappear?
I understand the guilty pleasure of seeing such retards, but as a matter of personal dignity i prefer to avoid looking at such a pathetic side of humanity.
You know that quite a few of them on the show HAVE gone to school? Vinny has gone to school, graduated, and is planning to go to LAW SCHOOL is acting doesn't work out. A few others have been to university, and have a head on their shoulders. (I'm not saying all of them because honestly, not all of them do)
You're joining that "pathetic side of humanity" when you act like you know everyone already, and act like you're better than them. :/
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quality people??? they're shallow, depraved and dont give a shit. its funny to watch but what the hell, there's nothing 'quality' about that are you kidding me hahahahaha
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On February 04 2011 07:34 Hawk wrote:
quality people??? they're shallow, depraved and dont give a shit. its funny to watch but what the hell, there's nothing 'quality' about that are you kidding me hahahahaha
And you've met them? You've had an in-depth conversation about different matters at life that can tell you they're shallow, depraved, and don't give a shit?
Yeah, it's a TV show, and TV show will only show one side of them.
You clearly cannot see past people's exteriors and who they appear to be if you're getting just that from the TV show.
You don't have the right to say that they're not quality people if you can't even be one yourself.
Feels bad when someone else is judging you right away just by your posts, doesn't it? |:
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FINE i Love jersey shore..
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That's honestly, really disgusting.
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Sorry Raeleigh, but Jwoww is my future wife. Although she probably won't agree to get more reasonable boobs in the near future so my physical attraction won't be full capacity. But it's still ok.
Oh wait if your twitter is ashley you are probably a chick, so it's cool unless you were hoping for lesbian life partner. Now I just have to get her to like non-buff pale-ish dudes and get Roger out of the way.
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Personally, I would much rather be watching a nature, science, or history documentary on Discover or PBS. Why be only entertained when you can be educated AND entertained at the same time?
As much as I respect people's decision to watch Jersey Shore, I personally feel that the quality and value of it's entertainment pales in value to many other programs which no longer grace the airwaves. It pains me to see more people watch this show as opposed to Firefly or Arrested Development or any other brilliant show that was cancelled before its prime.
Then again, I might as well sit on top of an ivory tower with a top hat and monocle and mustache, smoking a pipe in front of a library fireplace while reading War and Peace.
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HAHA, no, I adore her as a person. =P
No interest in girls, whatsoever. XD
Honestly, if I could be friends with anyone in the world, she'd be one of the top picks. She's so awesome. *_*
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ZapRoffo, I completely fucking agree with you 100%. People who fail to enjoy this show are too conceited up to their eyeballs. These are just people having fun and having drama, heightened by the fact they know they are being judged and watched. It's a fascinating show, really enjoyable to live their simple party lives vicariously. GTL is a hilarious way to live. T SHIRT TIME!!!!
I am as intellectual as they come, I love classical music, high art, complex film, complex books...but I have NO problem with watching less intellectual people's activities and sharing in their emotions. We are all human and understand the thought processes.
And you only have to look at a post like Ghermination's to see the classic conceited nerd in full bloom.
EDIT: I'm not even sure Vinny is less intellectual, I just think he enjoys the simple life so chills...
Also I gota say I really don't dislike any of the people. They all have their pros and cons. But I like 'The Situation' the most...he's a funny guy, a straight up guy but also quite a pathetic guy sometimes but that makes him a very real person and I like that about him. I also think Jwoww is the most awesomely trollish name of all time.
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On February 03 2011 23:58 ZapRoffo wrote:Show nested quote +On February 03 2011 23:04 cava wrote:On February 03 2011 23:01 Scaramanga wrote:
I hate the show. I've seen 2 episodes and that's all I could stand, they're a bunch of gaudy arseholes and I don't understand how anyone can watch the show apart from to laugh at them. I agree. The characters on the show are not quality human beings. I can't stand watching it. What does that even mean? What's led you to judge them as "not quality"? If you are going to post attacks on the show, don't be lazy, that doesn't fly in my blog. Give some support to your judgments. Scaramanga, read my post. I laid out how I went from laughing at them to loving it. Is there some part of my initial blog (did you read it?) that seems unbelievable? I see for many people the reaction to them is very visceral. What different values are really making them unacceptable? Everyone is so general in their criticisms. I see gaudy, so the display of wealth along with lack of taste is a point. But why does everything and everywhere have to be tasteful? Seems boring to me.
I'm not saying that your story is unbelievable, its just my opinion on the show . I said they're gaudy arseholes, as in people that are genuinely self centered and rude to others if what they do or bring doesn't benefit them selves, that's my criticism of the show, you say its a point, but I can't stand it. Its sorta weird that you can't take criticism of the show or other peoples opinions differing from yours, do you take it as some sort of personal attack on you because you like it?
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On February 04 2011 07:39 Raeleigh wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 07:34 Hawk wrote:
quality people??? they're shallow, depraved and dont give a shit. its funny to watch but what the hell, there's nothing 'quality' about that are you kidding me hahahahaha And you've met them? You've had an in-depth conversation about different matters at life that can tell you they're shallow, depraved, and don't give a shit? Yeah, it's a TV show, and TV show will only show one side of them. You clearly cannot see past people's exteriors and who they appear to be if you're getting just that from the TV show. You don't have the right to say that they're not quality people if you can't even be one yourself.Feels bad when someone else is judging you right away just by your posts, doesn't it? |:
Wat, you're being a tad hypocritical there
edit: sorry double post
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On February 04 2011 10:40 Scaramanga wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 07:39 Raeleigh wrote:On February 04 2011 07:34 Hawk wrote:
quality people??? they're shallow, depraved and dont give a shit. its funny to watch but what the hell, there's nothing 'quality' about that are you kidding me hahahahaha And you've met them? You've had an in-depth conversation about different matters at life that can tell you they're shallow, depraved, and don't give a shit? Yeah, it's a TV show, and TV show will only show one side of them. You clearly cannot see past people's exteriors and who they appear to be if you're getting just that from the TV show. You don't have the right to say that they're not quality people if you can't even be one yourself.Feels bad when someone else is judging you right away just by your posts, doesn't it? |: Wat, you're being a tad hypocritical there edit: sorry double post
It was on purpose. 
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LOL i think the episode of south park got it right on the mark.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/QD4Vr.jpg)
These people are fucking useless. As with most of television shows these days, its just how much mainstream trendy shit can we pile on to suck stupid kids into thinking this is how to act and think? Well being what education/parenting is what it is. Not much, don't be shocked with this show or people. Just change the channel! Or better yet turn the TV off and turn GOM on lol
EDIT: Make no mistake ALL REALITY TV IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN GARBAGE
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I'm from New Jersey...if someone does a fist pump I get the inexplicable urge to punch them in the face.
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On February 04 2011 07:39 Raeleigh wrote:Show nested quote +On February 04 2011 07:34 Hawk wrote:
quality people??? they're shallow, depraved and dont give a shit. its funny to watch but what the hell, there's nothing 'quality' about that are you kidding me hahahahaha And you've met them? You've had an in-depth conversation about different matters at life that can tell you they're shallow, depraved, and don't give a shit? Yeah, it's a TV show, and TV show will only show one side of them. You clearly cannot see past people's exteriors and who they appear to be if you're getting just that from the TV show. You don't have the right to say that they're not quality people if you can't even be one yourself.Feels bad when someone else is judging you right away just by your posts, doesn't it? |:
Not really, judging people by their actions is kind of how you determine how you feel about that person... See, I feel as if you're attention whore who clings to the fact that she's a girl on a video game site to feel popular, evidenced by your penchant for bringing up your lack of a dong in a majority of your posts in some manner, whether there's merit or not. But hey, what do I know, it's not as if half of all your blog posts mention this in some way...
As for the characters of a reality tv show, yes, their actions on said show are a pretty damn good glimpse into who they are. And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the way that those people treat and view girls, the larger than life egos, the culture built around fake tans and medically assisted muscles.... yeah, you're really gonna argue that?
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I like the show a lot. It's something to laugh at and follow on a weekly basis that my girlfriend and I can do together. I think the reason why I've come to enjoy it so much is because I make a point into not putting forth the energy to go on some deep analysis of each character. Scripted or not, I don't care, it's a glimpse into a lifestyle that I cannot fully relate to, and I find that fascinating. Other than that, its great for laughter and a stress reducer. I neither idolize or degrade them. Also, I'm not a fan of real-life drama, so this show provides me with my fair dosage. I don't see why the haters have to hate so much, just watch something else.
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On February 05 2011 00:52 Horrde wrote:
I like the show a lot. It's something to laugh at and follow on a weekly basis that my girlfriend and I can do together. I think the reason why I've come to enjoy it so much is because I make a point into not putting forth the energy to go on some deep analysis of each character. Scripted or not, I don't care, it's a glimpse into a lifestyle that I cannot fully relate to, and I find that fascinating. Other than that, its great for laughter and a stress reducer. I neither idolize or degrade them. Also, I'm not a fan of real-life drama, so this show provides me with my fair dosage. I don't see why the haters have to hate so much, just watch something else.
People often do that way too much in books, games, tv that really dont deserve it like this. (I simply touched on it because I think it's absolutely insane that you'd say these are quality people from anything they've done in public)
i think the show is hilarious, mostly because of how twisted and shallow these people are, and how they totally dont give a fuck
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I don't understand this notion of quality people. Who can make these judgments?
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On February 05 2011 04:02 ZapRoffo wrote:
I don't understand this notion of quality people. Who can make these judgments?
No one but yourself. >: [
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I disagree with the notion of Jersey Shore (or any reality TV, for that matter) being quality entertainment. However, I also know that the very basis this is founded in is foolish.
People crave absurdity and stupidity -- it appeals to the lowest common denominator and is thus entertaining for just about everyone. Look at the success of Larry the Cable Guy as an entertainer. Look at how much we all love The Three Stooges. People doing dumb things is entertaining to us as human beings and we will pay to watch people do things we would do for free after a few beers.
The Stooges were the absurdity of their time. Just imagine people talking about how this crappy filmmaking (of three guys hitting each other with poor sound effects, no less!) would have seemed to someone who it was contemporary for. Reality TV is most definitely the popular absurdity of the current generation of television programming, but here's the problem. The face that these reality shows put on is dumb. Even the OP acknowledges that you don't watch Jersey Shore to be tickled by the interesting personalities of the characters, but by the way in which they interact -- in their base humanity.
It could be said that this kind of exaggerated stupidity is the new cutting edge of art -- entertainment for the sophisticated "who know better" to look down upon or even to acknowledge within themselves and learn from. But... that's overthinking it. When an art form derives all of its value from portraying stupidity and absurdity it only has value as long as people value that absurdity. For instance, earlier today I was sitting on the couch with my girlfriend watching Tosh.O. Daniel Tosh made a reference to Charlie the Unicorn which she didn't understand, so during the commercial break we went upstairs and fired up Ye Olde YouTube and I showed her the original video. She thought it was the dumbest thing she'd ever seen. I remember laughing my ass off at that video years ago while severely under the influence of alcohol with my stepbrother. It's pretty stupid stuff and the value of said stuff has slipped away completely.
My issue with reality TV is that I never found it funny. It's hard to appreciate anything that has tits as the main selling point (porn excluded, of course) as legitimate and this is reinforced by the constant ridiculous scripting of the many reality TV shows that have come and gone. I see Jersey Shore as being no different (from the episodes that I've seen) except that it has a kind of stupidity that is more resonating with many people (and thus more entertaining). The characters being portrayed, even though they are not the real people (the actors) are low-brow. Having met some of these types of people in real life, I can state that they are a bit of a waste of oxygen (and beer pong cups). Elaborating from that, watching a show dedicated to these mentally handicapped marmots on paid television doesn't seem to have any real merit to me.
Sure, you can take the hipster approach of something being "ahead of its time", but reality TV shows -- especially Jersey Shore -- don't live up to slapstick comedy or other forms of absurdist humor from the past that has proven itself timeless. You can see stupid people by finding drunk young adults or looking on YouTube. It's free (mostly). The entertainment value in following the relationships of those same people just isn't there for me. There is no complex social dynamic behind it -- it's just people living their lives who happen to have their mugs on a show.
Where, then, do you see the humor in this?
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Wow. I never knew there was so much to Jersey Shore.
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If someone of them made a well written blog post about their typical night out, half of the whiners here would love it.
At least if the writer would exclude the fact they get girls mostly because they have cameras around
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I love this show i have never enjoyed a reality show or what ever this genre is, its pretty awesome too watch it and i love how they allways say iewww we met grenades, landmines and all that stuff.
JWOW lives up to her name the first time i saw her jaw dropped to the floor.
Snooki is funny
Sammie i cant stand her for experiance.
the rest of the crew are awesome and expect that other drama girl that left.
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EPT
