I grew up in North Jersey and used to hitch hike down the shore in highschool, crashing on the Seaside Heights beach.
The guidos were everywhere. And they were predominantly, but by no means, exclusively Italian. I knew plenty of Greek, Jewish, hispanic, Irish and mid-eastern guidos. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how many mid-eastern guidos there are. I remember the Haboush brothers with their matching IROCs!
It's all about the hair gel, the cheesy cars, the dumb accent and the stupid clothes. Oh, and you have to be an idiot in every way, or you're out of the club.
I agree. I know several people like the folks on Jersey Shore. They’re perfectly real. There’s nothing uniquely or essentially ‘Italian’ about it, though.
These Jersey Shore folks are being exploited, sure, but it’s because they are idiots.
I’ve said for years that these ‘reality shows’ (that aren’t very real at all) are the modern evolution of Carnival sideshows. Modern sensibilities prevent promoters from exploiting deformed people as ‘freaks,’ but these types of shows have the same basic sense of spectacle and promotion that old time freak shows.