new jersey - Jezebel

posts about #newjersey more →
Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
Hearts And Minds
Real Housewives Star Denies Mafia Connection
Mother Beats Molester
Real Housewives Of New Jersey Premiere: Spying, Fighting, And Gold Digging
Real Housewives Of New Jersey: As Fake As The "Buh-Bies"
Brazilian Bikini Waxing To Continue In Garden State
With Friends Like These...
In America, We Value Most Lives
Gay Harmony

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

BetteD
12/05/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
This show is a hot mess, and obviously rife with stereotypes and exploitation, the two genre's in which MTV now specializes.

But two other elements are at play here--one is scripting, which is rampant in MTV and VH1 "reality" shows, and which I noticed obvious examples of many times during the first two episodes, and the other is the fact that people like this (although not necessarily this exagerrated) DO exist.

I know this because I grew up in a primarily Italian-American East Coast community, and at least a third of the people I went to High School with self-identified as Guidos/Guidettes/Stellas.

Maybe it's the bias of having gone to a school where fitting in meant being either WASP-y or Guido, but I don't have that much sympathy for these kids. They are looking for fame and are willing to exagerrate their most foolish and sometimes detestable personality traits in order to obtain it.

Additionally, most of them have horrible attitudes towards members of both the opposite and their own sex, treat each other callously, and bathe in self-satisfaction.

I have to admit, I have no shame in laughing at them. I probably should, since I realize on a intellectual level that MTV should be ashamed for promoting this type of attitude in one respect while simulataneously holding it up for ridicule.

I do hate that these are the images that we choose to spotlight without any accompanying social context. But then I remember that it's fucking MTV.
Reply

BetteD was starred BetteD was unstarred

jenalicious
12/05/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
i have to say, ive never met a "guido" that was offended by the term. and ive met many a guido.
Reply

jenalicious was starred jenalicious was unstarred

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
Guidos are, sadly, not exclusive to the East Coast. I swear to god, half of these kids went to Indiana University with me and the other half hang out in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
Reply

you've got red on you
12/04/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: You went to IU, eh? I grew up in Btown and went to IU too. I agree, there were TONS of these people around there. Lots of Juicy sweats and streaked black hair and overly tanned hot messes. But for some reason I think IU has a huge influx of East Coast kids, too.
Reply

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini promoted this comment

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini
12/04/09

@you've got red on you: i think a lot of those types come down from Chicago, though I know that half of NYC sends their kids to IU for a quaint, small-town experience.

I grew up just down the road in Columbus, IN and spent my weekends in Bloomington as a teenager. I loved IU and wish I could go back for more.
Reply

morninggloria
12/04/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: Seriously. I'm pretty sure that I work with a guy who is Chicago's answer to the guido. He and his friends had a housewarming party the other week, and it was sort of like this, but in a high rise.
Reply

morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred

k_wood
12/04/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: I went to IU too! These guys were everywhere, most lived in Smallwood and would be seen driving to class and constantly smoking.
Reply

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini promoted this comment k_wood was starred k_wood was unstarred

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini
12/05/09

@k_wood: ah, Smallwood, that's not a name I expected to ever read on Jezebel. Strategically placed directly across the street from the giant Big Red Liquors, so you could never pick up seven handles of vodka or a keg in peace. I had a few friends who worked there and the stories from the Smallwood Guidos are legendary.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves
12/05/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: Hold the phone, they come from the Chicago 'burbs, not Chicago proper. Chicago would get an influx of these types, though, but they aren't from Chicago proper, they are from Shamburg.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves was starred

mariamariamaria
12/05/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: You've seen guidos and stellas in North Beach? Really? I've seen tourists and actual from Italy Italians but never guidos. That said, in the Bay Area, the local guidos are not necessarily Italian. I swear my cousins are the Latino versions (nowhere near that tacky though!)
Reply

mariamariamaria was starred mariamariamaria was unstarred

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini
12/05/09

@Jenloveshercurves: sorry, i should have said "The Region." The whole conversation about what's considered really Chicago is confusing.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves
12/05/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: Chicago is Chicago, not the suburbs.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves was starred

Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini
12/05/09

@Jenloveshercurves: Yeah, and people from the suburbs will argue with you on that one and I really don't care enough to make the distinction. I apologized already for my confusion, so I don't know why you are continuing on my case about it. I went to college with thousands of people from the Region and all of the claimed to be from Chicago and fought with each other about who was really a Chicagoan and I honestly do not care. Like I said, I should have referred to it as the Region, but I find it hard to believe that there is not a single enclave of Guido-types in Chicago proper and every one of them comes from the suburbs.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves
12/05/09

@Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini: I'm sorry for my nastiness. It's not you. It's sort of like the distinction of people all over the tri-state area trying to say where they are from. Or people from the greater bay area claiming San Francisco. It's one of those things that people get all up in arms about. It has alot to do with people in the burbs not voting for things to help the city and the city being crazy blue and the burbs being red and also people who actually live in the city getting upset when suburban folk come in and treat their home like a tourist destination and act all rude and throw up everywhere and drive drunk and park illegally during Cubs games and don't know how to use public transportation or get all in front of them and muck up sidewalk traffic when they are trying to go to work or home during the holiday season. The only time I've experienced someone who was actually openly hostile and rude to me in the city was a suburban father who cussed me out because I politely told him that in the city, we don't yell at people trying to get around them to go to work, especially when they say, "excuse me." Suburban people also think of Chicago as downtown Chicago and maybe Wrigley, maybe. They have no knowledge of the other neighborhoods in the city and are afraid of anything south of the museum campus. I've experienced this with SF natives too, alot. I've seen them go off on people who don't know what the Sunset is.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves was starred

Tchotchke
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
My freshman year in college, my roommate had a bunch of her friends from home come to visit. One of these friends was of the guido persuasion. So, my roommate and her friends go out that night, and the guido got completely drunk by about 8 pm, so they dropped him off in our room to sleep. I was in the room at the time because I had a paper due that week and while I was sitting at my desk I heard a voice coming from the bed:

"Psssst! Hey baby, you Italian?"
-"Uh, no, I'm not."
"Oh. That's too bad."

And then he passed out again.
Reply

Tchotchke was starred Tchotchke was unstarred

lafleur
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
Call me sweetheart again. I dare you.
Reply

lafleur was starred lafleur was unstarred

Alohamaid
12/04/09

@lafleur: a woman after my own heart. Thus, hearted.
Reply

lafleur promoted this comment Alohamaid was starred Alohamaid was unstarred

PorkStore
12/04/09

@lafleur: What I hate about being called "sweetheart" by men who don't know me: You don't know me! You don't know that I'm a sweetheart! Maybe I'm an asshole? Sweetheart is lame because it's a generic female petname that does nothing for me except clearly illustrate that you think all women can be easily won over by the smallest sign of attention from a man.

That is all.
Reply

lafleur promoted this comment PorkStore was starred PorkStore was unstarred

lafleur
12/04/09

@PorkStore: I'm only cool with patronizing names when older British gentlemen non-creepily call me "darling" or "love".
Reply

lafleur was starred lafleur was unstarred

Jenloveshercurves
12/05/09

@lafleur: I told my friend not to call me sweetheart unless he was fucking me the other day. He laughed.
Reply

Jenloveshercurves was starred

gold_gato
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
"cool" chick = girl who will do whatever I want
Reply

gold_gato was starred gold_gato was unstarred

OneTwoPunch
12/04/09

@gold_gato: Sadly, as some men age, their attitude remains the same.
Reply

OneTwoPunch was starred OneTwoPunch was unstarred

Conchie Birdie
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
What I was surprised about was that it was actually a Real World-esque show... like a cheaper version, where all the housemates have to drive themselves to the house, they sleep on cots, their rooftop deck is just a bunch of astroturf and secondhand couches, etc. It's like just when I thought they couldn't get any lower, they did.
Reply

Conchie Birdie was starred Conchie Birdie was unstarred

rhymeswithfeather
12/04/09

@Conchie Birdie: I know. For some reason, I was expecsting Hills-esque 'reality,' which would at least profile these people in plausible, potentially 'real' situations. I had no idea they'd just be in some house obviously decorated to play off more stereotypes.
Reply

rhymeswithfeather was starred

Conchie Birdie
12/04/09

@rhymeswithfeather: Well, personally, I thought it was way more entertaining than anything Hills-esque could ever be. But yes, it is Real World-esque in playing off of stereotypes as well.
Reply

Conchie Birdie was starred Conchie Birdie was unstarred

rhymeswithfeather
12/04/09

@Conchie Birdie: Hah! I agree; it was entertaining. I just somehow expected it to be entirely different.
Reply

rhymeswithfeather was starred

Zulkey
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
I honestly didn't think guidos existed until I spent a night in Manasquan. Then again I don't think the ones I met had ever heard of "Chicago."

To be fair though the "Guido Room" at the Osprey had way better music, IMO than the 'regular' room.
Reply

Zulkey was starred Zulkey was unstarred

Tchotchke
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
I'm trying very hard to understand the mechanics of this pink-eye infection. So, basically, when women dance (especially "fatties"), poop particles fly out of their tushes. If you are so bold as to tunnel under them at a club, you may be hit with one of those particles and if one of them lands in your eye, you will contract conjuctivitis. Also, this disease is airborne, so you should wear knock-off Versace wrap-around sunglasses to properly shield yourself from the dreaded infection.
Reply

Tchotchke was starred Tchotchke was unstarred

Dave J.
12/04/09

@Tchotchke: That replay was kind of like the Zapruder tape of pink-eye epidemiology.
Reply

Dave J. was starred Dave J. was unstarred

Tchotchke
12/04/09

@Dave J.: I can't wait until Oliver Stone makes a film about it.
Reply

Tchotchke was starred Tchotchke was unstarred

BabyJane
12/04/09

@Tchotchke: What an excellent job you did with that! I'm laughing so hard at your comment that I have tears in my eyes.
Reply

Edited by BabyJane at 12/04/09 2:17 PM BabyJane was starred BabyJane was unstarred

BeSarcastic
12/04/09

@Tchotchke: One wonders why we call it "pink eye" when "poop eye" will do just fine.
Reply

BeSarcastic was starred BeSarcastic was unstarred

GirlFailer
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
I am failing to see any difference between these men and women, and the usual cast of "real world". Except maybe the fact that these roommates all have dark hair and similar accents. They're all a bunch of morons that can't hold their booze... sounds pretty standard for MTV.
Reply

GirlFailer was starred GirlFailer was unstarred

cirocco
12/04/09

@GirlFailer: At first I wondered why they didn't run this under the Real World brand, too. I think it's a combination of:

a) RW has been on for what, twenty years? Its target market may consider the title to be played out, as it's been on since they were in utero.

b) RW is about bringing together eight people who are selected to be as diverse as possible (ethnicity, upbringing, sexuality). This show was cast to be as homogeneous as possible. And yet they still hate one another after mere days!
Reply

cirocco was starred cirocco was unstarred

Tchotchke
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
I object to the fact that these people are being referred to as examples of "Jersey." Only one of these clowns is from New Jersey and it's worth noting that she is by far the less vile of the bunch.
Reply

Tchotchke was starred Tchotchke was unstarred

winner
12/04/09

@Tchotchke: Where are the rest from? Long Island, Staten Island and certain parts of Queens certainly share the blame in my mind.
Reply

winner was starred winner was unstarred

Tchotchke
12/04/09

@winner: Yeah, a bunch (maybe 4-5) were from Staten Island. One is from Rhode Island (????).
Reply

Tchotchke was starred Tchotchke was unstarred

winner
12/04/09

@Tchotchke: Oh weird! Wikipedia just told me this: "States known for their high concentrations of Italian Americans include Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York,Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Among major cities across the country, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and Providence have America's six largest Italian communities."
Reply

winner was starred winner was unstarred

veronykah
12/04/09

@winner: Why does everyone forget about BROOKLYN?
There are plenty of guidos in Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge too...
Its not just hipsters, guidos were actually there first.
Reply

Edited by veronykah at 12/04/09 3:03 PM veronykah was starred veronykah was unstarred

winner
12/04/09

@veronykah: Because I live in Brooklyn, damnit!

But you're right; Brooklyn is probably the birthplace of the guido.
Reply

winner was starred winner was unstarred

girlfriend 6.0
12/04/09

@winner: The "Tri-Guido" Area of Rhode Island

Johnston, Cranston, & North Providence
Reply

winner promoted this comment girlfriend 6.0 was starred girlfriend 6.0 was unstarred

winner
12/04/09

@girlfriend 6.0: Who knew?!
Reply

winner was starred winner was unstarred

dropdeadpoet
12/05/09

@winner: When you go to google image search and type in guido, the first image is a frightening trio from my boyfriend's high school (in prom gear). My boyfriend went to high school in Rhode Island and is Italian American. He has informed me that while RI is tiny, its high concentration of Italians has made it a breeding ground for scarily overtanned people in love with hair gel.
Reply

winner promoted this comment dropdeadpoet was starred dropdeadpoet was unstarred

winner
12/05/09

@dropdeadpoet: Wait. This???? This is fucking HORRIFYING!!! I thought it was a joke for sure!!!
Reply

winner was starred winner was unstarred

belltolls
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
Painful? Horrible? Last night was The Reality Television Rapture!
Reply

belltolls was starred belltolls was unstarred

Perhaps Not
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
"I didn't think they were going to be those typical Jersey Shore guys."

Really? Did no one tell you the name of the show?
Reply

Perhaps Not was starred Perhaps Not was unstarred

DutchessOfDork
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
My friends and I have always ascribed that Cock blockers should be punished with death. Unless of course the girl is too drunk to consent to anything.
Reply

DutchessOfDork was starred DutchessOfDork was unstarred

morninggloria
12/04/09

In reply to Jersey Shore: "Like a Horror Movie"
Mike's pants are worn so low that I bet that you could get crabs from standing in front of him in line.
Reply

morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred

thePrototype
12/04/09

@BuffySummers: I'm guessing that was probably just an ingrown hair, not an STD.

@morninggloria: Doesn't one have to have body hair in order to have crabs ;)
Reply

LaFemme promoted this comment thePrototype was starred thePrototype was unstarred

LaFemme
12/04/09

@thePrototype: They only do the chest. You don't wax or shave the pubes.

That's gay.
Reply

LaFemme was starred LaFemme was unstarred

thePrototype
12/04/09

@LaFemme: LOL, good to know!!
Reply

thePrototype was starred thePrototype was unstarred

morninggloria
12/04/09

@LaFemme: Nothing the ladies like more than a guy with a giant, robust pube forest who expects women to be bare as they day they were born.
Reply

morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred

CurtCole
12/04/09

@morninggloria:
Reply

CurtCole was starred CurtCole was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

SUBSCRIBE TO Jezebel

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment