Source: Examiner, April 13, 2010
'Jersey Shore' Boston spin-off in the works; Has stereotypical reality tv gone too far?
Jersey Shore Examiner
Melissa Viscount
Jersey Shore's second season has just gotten underway (at least on the production level) and already there's been casting for nearly half a dozen stereotypical spin-offs. The latest casting call is for a Boston Jersey Shore which seeks "blue collar, hard working, harder partying, tough talking, damn good looking Mass natives from all over the state .... Yea we'll consider preps from Wellesley too if they got what it takes."
Doron Ofir, the owner of Doron Ofir Casting, insists he's not looking for so-called "Massholes." Instead he tells the Boston Herald the wicked reality show will be more of "...a Love letter to the nation about (being from) Massachusetts.” Sure, and Jersey Shore is a prayer thanking God for everything good (namely big hair, fake tans, and nice abs) that has every come out of Jersey...oh, and New York and Rhode Island, too.
In just over the last week Doron Ofir Casting has put out casting calls for three different Jersey Shore-like shows. The casting company is looking for new roommates for the original Jersey Shore and new Jersey Shore-wannabes are wanted for the "Persian Version." A separate casting company also recently launched a casting call for Asian-Americans who want to be part of a Jersey Shore-like show (Note: being Asian isn't actually a requirement to be cast).
But how much stereotypical TV is too much and when will the novelty wear off? Jersey Shore didn't become a phenomenon because there were 10 other shows like it on television. MTV's reality show, Jersey Shore, has been compared to Real World time and time again and for good reason - the shows are almost identical. The only variation is the Real World roomies are just a bunch of random strangers, while the Jersey Shore's roommates are random (and now famous) guidos. The show caught a lot of criticism for its stereotypical portrayl of Italian-Americans. Some would argue it was those stereotypes and the outlandish lifestyle of the cast that practically made Jersey Shore a national passtime during the winter of 2010. It can't be argued the reality show drew in record viewers for MTV and surely that's what the producers of the spinoffs are hoping for. But is putting more stereotypical reality shows on television further dividing the country or simply entertainment for the masses? Leave a comment below.
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