Let’s be honest with ourselves. Since the early 2000s, reality television has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment and we should be ashamed. Really ashamed. But what is the driving force behind the popularity of programming that’s simply based on people in everyday life? I have determined there are two answers to this question: either the show is exactly like our lives, or it’s NOTHING like our lives. In fact, we perceive reality television as an escape to another realm. And what makes them different than other TV shows is the fact that these programs contain actual people, and whether they are reaching for their dreams or trying to stop their addiction, it’s compelling to watch. Essentially, reality TV has become a way for people with real issues to feel like maybe, MAYBE their lives don’t suck quite so much.
Shows like “American Idol,” “The Amazing Race,” “The Real World” and “Project Runway,” have swept the nation by storm in under a decade. But where is reality TV leading us now? We’ve stepped into a new realm of TV shows that no longer allow us to find comparison with socially twisted individuals, or help us live a dream through dancing with celebrities. We’ve reached a new era of reality TV, and it’s called “Jersey Shore.”
What’s it about? Why do they look like that? Who heard the pitch for that show and thought this will be a hit? I’m unable to answer these questions for you, and if you do find somebody who can please contact The Argus immediately. All I can tell you is that this show has become ridiculously popular, and for no apparent reason. “Jersey Shore” breaks many of the standard rules of reality television and broadcasts walking stereotypes as a way to push social boundaries.
Similar to “The Real World,” “Jersey Shore” follows eight individuals from different areas in the US as they work, party, and live together in a single house for an entire summer. The twist, they are all “Guidos/Guidettes,” and the house is located in Seaside Heights on the New Jersey Shore (aka Guido Central). For those unfamiliar with a Guido (and I know that many of you were before this show), just think of stereotypical Italian-Americans with buff bodies, orange tans, and, the piece-de-résistance, the blow-out haircut. At first glance you would assume that with all the fake tans, wife-beaters, and the over-kill clown-like makeup in a single house this would be a show about a dysfunctional family. False. These people are housemates who just get along way too well. It just goes to show, no matter where you live, a stereotype is a stereotype.
So what’s to love about Guidos? Well for one thing, we now know what they are. One of the most outstanding characters thus far is a girl whose name has probably appeared more than once on your Facebook News Feed, Nicole “Snookie” Polizzi. There is no better way to describe Snookie other than a hot mess. Standing in at only 4’9,” this girl tends to become a central problem in every episode. Her most notable performance is taking a fist to the face from a man who found her to be quite an annoying, for lack of a better word, bitch. This act not only brought the house closer together, but also seemed to give the program higher ratings.
I know it’s all very hard to swallow. If you don’t believe that a show like this exists, then you are the one with problems because everyone is talking about it. Whether they love it or hate it, EVERYONE has something to say about it. Beyond the crazy Snooki we still have characters that love to pump iron, tan, and, the Italian essential, eat. And what would the show be without the occasional brawl on the boardwalk and verbal argument with the local Guidos who find these characters to be “posers.” As opposed to a real Guido? I’m not really sure…
But this is the new reality television. It’s what viewers are asking to see. We should have known this is where we were heading after we experienced “Flavor of Love.” Then again, “Jersey Shore” doesn’t fully break the laws of reality. It still upholds the rule giving the viewer something to compare their lives with. Haven’t seen “Jersey Shore?” I suggest you watch just one episode. It will make you feel a lot better. Because, when you’re down and depressed, you can say to yourself, at least I’m not unnaturally orange.
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