An Italian-American organisation based in New Jersey says an MTV reality show that depicts Italian-American beachgoers is offensive and should be scrapped before it airs.
UNICO National said on Tuesday that Jersey Shore relies on crude stereotypes and highlights cursing, bad behavior and violence in depicting renters at a New Jersey beach house.
An MTV promo says the participants "keep their hair high, their muscles juiced and their fists pumping all summer long!" It calls the cast the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos," an ethnic term that some Italian-Americans find offensive.
UNICO President Andre DiMino calls the show "trash television."
It's scheduled to debut December 3.
An MTV spokeswoman said the show continues MTV's history of documenting various subcultures and rites of passage of young people. She said the Italian-American cast "takes pride in their ethnicity".
Front page
RSS Feed