Stop staring at my scholarship!
In 2005, when MTV first aired “True Life: Jersey Shore” I knew things would never be the same. But never would have I imagined then that MTV would find an angel of the arts to act as a patron saint and fund a complete documentary series. Well, I guess I was just being cynical. Because they have:
Watching this new documentary series, part of me was mesmerized. Another part of me wanted to stab my eyes out with needles left over from the 87′ Syringe Tide. And yet there was another part of me (my clavicle?) that was darn proud. Proud, that they are dispelling stereotypes that New Jersey is just a bunch affluent suburbs, tomato farms and the 4th poorest city in America.
I am sick and tired of people always talking about New Jersey’s mineral museums in Franklin and Ogdensburg. If I hear one more mention of the scientific community, or “The Wizard of Menlo Park” and his fancy light bulbs and motion picture cameras—I’m gonna lose it. Also, enough with the duel jokes! So the founder of the National bank got shot and killed by the sitting Vice President at the heights of Weehawken, so what?
When will the world figure out that New Jersey isn’t all compelling historical events, significant inventions and great contributions to the country? New Jersey is also malls and 600 diners and yelling and saltwater taffy. MTV’s newest 12-part documentary takes us deep inside that New Jersey−a New Jersey few people have ever even heard of−and it celebrates its obscure customs, like fist-pumping and tanning. This isn’t the dignified and subtle New Jersey we see on the nightly news, splashed on cover of every newspaper and in NYC dance clubs near the Lincoln tunnel.
I, for one, want to thank MTV’s Jersey Shore educational documentary series for exposing us to something different; it is truly inspiring programming. MTV bravely sheds light on the too-often overlooked fact that the Garden State has a large Italian-American population, some of whom enjoy vacationing along the state’s Atlantic coast. It’s nice to see underrepresented images of these New Jerseyans and their esoteric ways of life. It keeps me grounded… while it simultaneously blows and hairsprays my hair straight back.
