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Here we go again. In December 2009, MTV’s launch of Jersey Shore, about a group of party-loving young Italian Americans, drew the ire of Italian American organizations and legislators who mounted a campaign 
against the show. Sen. Joseph F. Vitale, chairman of the New Jersey Italian American Legislative Caucus, and Richard Bilotti, chairman of the New Jersey Italian and Italian American Heritage Commission, sent a letter to MTV parent company Viacom asking them to cancel the show for its “offensive, inaccurate” portrayal of Italian-Americans. “Jersey Shore is a fabrication created by MTV Networks and marketed to represent reality,” the letter says. “This is a far cry from a documentary of a naturally occurring subculture existing in New Jersey.”
Now history seems to be repeating itself with MTV’s upcoming reality series Buckwild, about a group of thrill-seeking twentysomethings in a small West Virginia town, which has been dubbed “The Jersey Shore Of Appalachia” and “Hillbillies Gone Wild” (watch trailer below). MTV has already anointed it a successor to departing hit Jersey Shore by scheduling it in Jersey Shore‘s Thursday 10 PM slot and has been using the same type of provocative promo campaign that it used for Jersey Shore three years ago, perhaps hoping to spark controversy again for extra publicity. As a result, the network is getting a similar reaction from legislators. Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) today sent a letter to MTV President Stephen Friedman asking that the network “put a stop to the travesty called Buckwild.... Instead of showcasing the beauty of our people and our state, you preyed on young people, coaxed them into displaying shameful behavior — and now you are profiting from it. That is just wrong.”
Just as it did three years ago with Jersey Shore, MTV is keeping mum, not commenting on the controversy surrounding Buckwild, anticipating that lightning will strike twice and a pre-launch backlash will turn into ratings gold.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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I’ll give this to Jersey Shore. At least I can understand what those kids say. I have no idea what anybody in this new show is saying and I’m from Tennessee.
And how is this show going to damage West Virginia’s reputation? Hasn’t that been damaged by the dozens of movies over the years depicting it as a place where nothing goes on but backwoods mongoloid axe wielding maniacs killing sluts and city boys being raped by rednecks? Who thinks of West Virginia as a cool place who isn’t from West Virginia?
What no one wants to say or own up to is that Jersey Shore did not take off until the clip of Snooki getting punched from the “Next on…” segment went viral online. People tuned in to the show to see it (despite it being edited to be blacked out) and the rest is history. The controversy for “Jersey Shore” wasn’t really a thing until after it became a hit, not before.
Very true. Very true.
you’re exactly right. that’s the only reason i even heard of jersey shore, much less actually watch it. and i still watch it, although at this point i fast forward through the parts where they aren’t drunk because self aware morons who aren’t getting punched in the face aren’t really very fun to watch.
The only place I’ve seen this acknowledge is Spencer Pratt’s accusation that a producer on the Hills wanted him to punch his sister to give the show “the Snooki effect”.
MTV Exec, if you’re still at MTV: Do not cast Frank on any more seasons of the Challenge. He is bad TV. Not a good TV villian, just bad tv: annoying with an annoying voice. Bring back Road Rules in its original format like Road Rules: Latin America’s format
Dear Senator Manchin,
These are your constituents in their natural habitat. They voted for you. They personify West Virginia. You should be happy it’s going to be on MTV it shows lots of beautiful scenery and beautiful people. By sending such a stupid letter you have now guaranteed a much larger audiencefor Buckwild. Thanks. Sincerely,
These politicians and interest groups never learn. THe more they complain publicly, the more free publicity the shows get. The networks only care about ratings – not your ethnicity or state. Is the GA governor complaining about Honey BOO BOO. Youre just feeding into the publicity machine and encouraging more folks to fit in.
If the show succeeds, more money is brought into your state. And employment probably with crews…and if it really hits, youll start getting tourists visiting your town which can also boost your economy and create new jobs.
So may be youre not that stupid and you are trying to boost tune in so that you get the advantage.
No, politicians arent that smart
Dear MTV,
When you’re building houses in our beautiful communities and disrupting peaceful towns and bringing some kids FROM OUT OF STATE, don’t expect our thanks.
This is why they hate us.
I want to hate on this. I really do. But MTV totally knows what it’s doing. This will be at least as big as Jersey Shore.
I won’t watch it, but I’m not their target demo.
Was going to post the same thing. JS launched to small numbers compared to the Hills or Real World. Only picked up after Snooki got punched in the face.
We have Honey Boo Boo to thank for this show. Jersey Shore has nothing to do with this. People are now fascinated with rednecks and their culture. You all better redneck-ognize!
Just turn the dial, all you see are some reality programmers idea of “rednecks” – shows about duck hunters, people who keep a still in the back yard and one that was supposed to be the US version of Big Gypsy Wedding but was basically a bunch of young uneducated West Virginians who called themselves “gypsy”. The stereotype has been promoted by TV long before this show. The only difference is Jersey shore had to import most of the cast because they were not from NJ.
Manchin will get as far as Christie got in protesting this show. If you dont think this has potential for a Jersey shore punched in the face moment go check out a doc called “The Wild Whites of West Virginia.”
I’m happy about the show. We have a beautiful state and I am sure MTV will show that. There are morons in every state. I’m all for exploiting ours to get some tourism dollars.
Buck Wild look and sound like it will be a winner despite what I think. People will turn on the first episode to see a group of people make themself look like a fool and some other thing that I can’t used in a letter without getting into trouble. It will be interested to see if Buck Wild will be a hit like Jersey Shore.
No one cares about stupid hicks out in the woods, and Jersey Shore has nothing to do with being Italian. Those people make the JS people look like college professors. Good luck MTV, in lowering the bar even farther. When does the show with a house full of Downe’s Syndrome people come on?
I’m from Appalachia (East Tennessee) and I have to say this isn’t that crazy a portrayal of the region. Of course most people aren’t at all like this, but there certainly are enough that it’s not a total fabrication. It’s certainly no more offensive than the Real Housewives are to whatever region they claim to be representing.
The real scandal is just that this format exists at all – but that’s an argument for another day.
How much did MTV pay the Italian organization to lobby that complaint letter and do you think they paid more or less to get some controversy for this new show?
Trash sells and is recyclable ! Therefore this show is green.
No one will watch this. Mark my words.
Do you really think the politicians really care if the shows ratings get higher because of their actions? Their #1 goal is to get reflected or elected to another office. They just need people to believe they are speaking for them. If anything, they benefit if the show gets more exposure because they in turn get more exposure.
Redneck is the new Guido. With shows like Honey Boo Boo..Duck Dynasty and now this show on MTV reality TV series have every right to make fun of whoever they want. Vh1 loves to show black people fighting and throwing drinks..every show with NJ in the title shows over the top Italians all blinged out. People need to stop being so sensitive.
This reminds me of the beginning of Idiocracy.
im from wv and this may be how some of the people in wv act, but this is not how everyone in wv acts. we are fun loving, compassionate educated people and if people choose to act like idiots and make our state look bad that is their perogative. but i can bet that mtv will make millions of this espcially since its about people making themselves looking like idiots.
i think it will be good for a few episodes,but it depends on how ridiculous the show gets, but jersey shore was the bottom of the barrel, maybe this will be about the same, and viewers may want to watch it if people are interested in the charachters.
i mean, if people will watch ‘toddlers and tiaras’ and ‘honey boo boo’, then they will watch anything.