To respond to a discussion board prompt

1. Read the prompt carefully.
2. Complete any required reading or viewing.
3. Review the rubric for the assignment and ensure you understand the length and content expectations.
4. Draft your response in a Word document and double check grammar and spelling.
5. Include citations and references if necessary.
6. Ensure that your response demonstrates your understanding of the topic and that it employs elements of critical thinking:
   • thoughtful reflection
   • analysis or evaluation of what you’ve learned
   • connections between class content and your previous knowledge or experiences
7. Revise your response before copying and pasting it into the forum.

Your response should be as thoughtful as your original post.

Writing Prompt

Discuss your thoughts on the current national preoccupation with reality TV shows. In what ways are they used to represent or reinforce gender, racial, or economic stereotypes?

Student Post

Reality shows are certainly an ever-expanding phenomenon, yet—in my opinion—they often convey many harmful stereotypes that undermine whatever entertainment value they possess. The genre exploded in the new millennium with shows like Survivor and Big Brother, which chronicled the relationships and personalities of “real” people within a competitive context. In recent years, however, reality shows have increasingly focused on the day-to-day lives of “authentic” individuals. There is one show that I think particularly epitomizes the current dilemmas inherent in this latter type of reality programming: Jersey Shore.

Jersey Shore was initially developed by the MTV network in 2009. The most recent season features the exploits of eight so-called “guidos” and “guidettes”: Paul (“DJ Pauly D”), Ronnie, Nicole (“Snooki”), Mike (“The Situation”), Vinny, Jenny (“J-Wow”), Deena, and Sammi (“Sweetheart”). I initially began watching the show at the insistence of my roommate, and occasionally follow the exploits of the cast due to their constant presence in both gossip magazines and mainstream media sites. I—along with many critics of the show—find it problematic due to three main criteria: their representation of Italian-Americans from New Jersey, their portrayal of the lifestyle of young Americans, and the show’s depiction of gender stereotypes.

Adam K. Raymond of The New York Times Magazine notes that the show has particularly infuriated Italian-Americans; Richmond states that the president of UNICO, an Italian-American service organization, has asked MTV to cease production of Jersey Shore because “it perpetuates the stereotype of young Italian men as mindless drunk oafs with more hair gel than brain cells” (Raymond, 2009, para. 1).

Indeed, Jersey Shore frequently shows male cast members who engage in alcohol-induced debauchery, avoid “grenades” (unattractive females), and whose only other occupations are “GTL” (gym, tan, laundry). The show’s females are also subject to equally negative representation, in that they are all heavily tanned, wear provocative clothing, and are constantly on the prowl for the perfect “juice-head gorilla” (read: a young man who likely takes steroids to increase his bulk.) For the show’s fourth season, the cast relocated to Italy, where they spent several months partying, fighting, and generally perpetuating negative stereotypes of American youth. Although this show supposedly chronicles the experiences of “real” Italian- Americans from New Jersey, only two of the cast members (Sammi and Deena) are actually from New Jersey, and not all of the individuals are ethnically Italian. The show thus, in my opinion, is deliberately designed to accentuate these stereotypes.

My question is this: is there anything redeeming about Jersey Shore? Do you think that these types of reality shows (that follow the lives of “real” people in day-to-day settings) are more detrimental than competition realty shows like Survivor?

Student Response

I agree that Jersey Shore, by and large, demonstrates many negative stereotypes. And yet, you cannot ignore its current cultural relevance. According to Rebecca Brown, an MTV blogger, several universities are using Jersey Shore as a platform for discussion.

For instance, a student at the University of Chicago intends to sponsor a conference on the show which will include topics such as “The construction, localization and performance of ethnicity, or I’m not white, I’m tan‟ “. Jersey Shore has the potential to be detrimental, if these stereotypes are perceived as fact. But, in my opinion, it is very obvious that the Jersey Shore cast members are characters, not “real” people.

Also—just to play the devil’s advocate—I think that several reality shows (even those of the “day to day” variety) have positive repercussions. Consider a show that airs on the TLC channel—What Not to Wear. This program is hosted by two individuals who provide makeovers to primarily women. Unlike Jersey Shore, these women are portrayed as real people, not as “one-dimensional” stereotypes. Although some of the individuals on the show are more receptive to makeovers than others, they are not relegated to simple labels of “hero” and “villain.” This show has both positive intentions and consequences. Again, I certainly admit that many programs do reinforce negative stereotypes, but it is difficult to classify all “reality shows” as representing these stereotypes universally.