Jersey Shore

A few weeks ago, I stayed the night at my friend's house with another kid from my youth group. The three of us returned home at about 11, and were deciding how to spend our Saturday evening. After Skyping with some friends, it was decided that they wanted to watch a new show on television, Jersey Shore. We were told that it was the new, great show and that it was hysterical.

So to On-Demand we went. We began with the pilot episode, and before the night was done, we had watched the first three episodes of the season. To sum up this interesting piece of pop culture, it is easiest to say Italian kids, working a little, drinking a lot, and letting loose in every way imaginable.

After those first three hours I was not impressed. In fact, the best way to describe my opinion of the show was with disgust. How could anyone find this type of behavior interesting or entertaining.

To begin with, the drinking was ridiculous. From morning to night, there was always alcohol, and it disgusted me to think that this type of alcohol abuse was deemed socially acceptable.

Another piece of the Jersey culture that sickened me was the sex. As a hormonal teenager, sex is not a new idea to me. But these people were heinous. From the second the guys entered a room they were scoping out the place, looking for girls to hook up with. Taking girls into the hot tub and getting naked, as well as making out with girls they just met at the club. This wasn't only the guys either. The girls had the same view.

What amazed me most about the show, though, was the publicity it received. Thousands of people watch this show. The media is eating this stuff up. Why? Why are TV show hosts like Kelly Ripa publicizing this kind of pop culture crap?

I don't really have an answer for this question. What bothers me most about the publicity the show is receiving is the message that it is sending to the youth of the world. When this kind of inappropriate activity is put on TV, with media attention and fanfare, the message that is being conveyed is that this behavior is healthy, and ok. And although teenagers are supposed to be social and to have fun, why are we telling the youth of this country that casual sexual activity and social drinking is one of the exciting parts of growing up, and that that is what there is to look forward to when we get older.

This post is not meant to insult anyone who finds this show entertaining. Watching "Snooki" get punched was a highlight of that Saturday evening at my friends house (excuse my possible cruelty). My point, however, is that, when watching this show, it is important to keep things in perspective. Remember that these people are not normal individuals. They are not, by any means, role models. They are characters, most likely played up for the camera, and are social nightmares, meant only to get their 15 minutes of fame. And by no means should anyone look up to them and say "Wow, I want to be just like them"

BSVA

AZ