Why I Love MTV's Jersey Shore

We all have guilty pleasures.

Maybe it’s Kelly Clarkson on your iPod or Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey on a lazy night on the couch.

For me I think it’s a MTV’s newest reality show disaster, Jersey Shore.

When I heard that MTV was making a reality show based in the popular New Jersey destination I was intrigued but not interested in watching it. Trashy reality shows have become MTV’s staple for filling up the hours, and my interest in watching Jersey Shore hovered above Parental Control yet below Real World DC (I’m still kinda excited for that to come out.) Bottom line: I had no interest in watching it.

However listening to Bill Simmon’s ESPN podcast on the show coupled with some positive buzz around the show, I was convinced to check it out. After watching the trailer I had to see more.

Last Wednesday I was talking about the show to Caroline and next thing we knew we were on the couch watching the first two episodes. We were hooked as soon as we saw Pauly D’s hair-gel stash and his tanning booth at home. What we were watching was far from quality, intellectual, programming. It was a step above trashy daytime shows and even below the petty drama that you’d see on The Hills. In fact you can say that trash of Jersey Shore counteracts the glitz and plastic of The Hills. The drama of young, rich, fake west coasters is the complete opposite of what the Jersey Shore cast stands for. Even though they enjoy blowing out their hair, fist pumping, and going into hot tubs with just underwear they do it with an odd sense of pride that is both hilarious yet fascinating.

We laugh at the drama they get into yet wonder how these people actually live their lives.

I mean take a look at the cast.

Mike "The Situation"

Mike aka: “The Situation” probably has the best nickname ever in reality TV. Even though his nickname is really what he calls his abs, he also refers to himself as The Situation, probably because his insecurities has grown into this overconfidence that gets him in.. well… situations. His best line ever: “The Situation is under control.”

Jenni "J-Woww"

There’s something about reality shows where your name needs to be spelled weird. Maybe it’s Jenn with 2 Ns. Maybe it’s crazy name like Ayiiia. Jenni fulfills that quota with her crazy nickname, “J-Woww.” Personally she’s more like “J-those blond steaks in your hair look terrible.” Like most reality stars she struggles with right and wrong, like the time she made out with a boy and saw his penis. Cut to confessional: “I may have just cheated on my boyfriend.” May is a strong word.

Ronnie

I’m not going to say a whole lot of mean things about Ronnie. Mostly because as the most juiced up person on the show- I’m afraid he’ll kill me or worse, pound me out. Ronnie taught America a new slang for sexing up a lady, “Dude I want to totally pound Sammy out.” I don’t know if that’s an endearing term or not.

Nicole "Snookie"

I don’t know why she’s called Snookie, the rest of the cast certainly doesn’t- they mis-pronounce her nickname all the time. This short “queen of the guidettes” is a force to be reckon with. When she gets drunk she’ll make out with anyone and do basically anything. She enjoys drinking, running around in her underwear and doing this weird dance move you see in the intro.

Sammy "Sweetheart"

She describes herself as, “the sweetest bitch you’ll ever meet.” What is it about that statement that tells me it’s not really true? I have to say out of the group of ladies here I think she’s the hottest but it’s not like there was tough competition.

Vinny

A clean-cut 21 year old looking to enjoy his first summer of legal drinking age, Vinny’s been pretty quiet so far. However I’ll never forget the scene where he demonstrates his fist pumping abilities which then reveals his enormous pit stains. Oh ya he also got pinkeye from dancing with some old lady.

Angelina

As a bartender she says she does, “great things.” I wonder what she meant by that. She was quick to call female visitors to the house whores. I think those that live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

Pauly D

He owns a tanning bed at home. He brought an entire bag of full of hair gel to the Jersey Shore. He spends 25 minutes blowing out his hair. If anybody has a problem with the image of Italian Americans portrayed in this show should talk to this guy.

Basically a cast like this is the formula for great television right?

Maricha came home and we convinced her to join us, who knew that a show like this would bring the house together.

After we watched the two hour season premiere I was hooked. I talked about it at work and at the blogger holiday happy hour where LiLu and I developed the Jersey Shore drinking game.

I’ve been known to embrace terrible reality shows like Armed & Famous. I thought perhaps Steven Seagal Lawman might take it’s place but I think Jersey Shore just became a new must-watch show.

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