Part of a phenomenon that's rapidly spreading across the United States, folks at USC Law have contracted Jersey Shore fever: Everywhere I go, people are fist-pumpin', rockin' the GTL, and exalting the merits of the TV show that's personified the phrase "so good it's bad." It seems like a paradox: MTV reality TV show that's set in a place commonly known as "the armpit of America." Shouldn't be good at all, actually should bomb. But here's why we love it:
1. Living vicariously: Deep down, I believe there's a Guido/Guidette inside all of us. At some level, like living one day in the life of a Guido, or taking part in "Guido" activities, we want to escape the lives that we have now and go through the whole routine: work out in the morning, do laundry, go to the tanning salon and chill out, get a haircut, put on a fresh shirt right before going out, and then partying the night away with "la familia." Doesn't sound too bad of a lifestyle.
2. Appeals to the young crowd: This show HAS to be absolutely killin the 18-24 viewing market and probably the 24-30 too. Put a group of twenty-somethings together for the summer, allow them to have alcohol, and all bets are off. The energy and vivaciousness of the characters on the show carry it despite what the content.
3. The situation: MTV's situation is so vastly enhanced by the presence of the situation. I'm talking about Mike Sorrentino, or more precisely, Mike Sorrentino's abs, who have gained cult-like popularity and made appearances on all the daily talk shows like Jay Leno, The Jimmy Kimmel Show, and even ESPN's SportsNation. We all get attracted by catchy stuff, and "The Situation" is one of the catchiest characters in all of television. He's like a WWE Wrestler crossed with Tony Soprano. Great television.
4. Snookie: It seems like a tough argument to make that a TV show is carried predominantly by just 2 characters, but it's amazing the amount of influence both Snookie and the Situation have had on the show. Snookie's constantly amazing quotes, antics, backflips, and perky attitude are all balanced out by her loyalty to her family (the fellow houseguests in the house) and we are absolutely drawn to that devotion. The episode where she got punched was the direct cause of me tuning into the show; it was a turning point of the summer for the Jersey Shore housemates and was the turning point of the whole series: from low roar in the TV ratings game to a rippling tsunanmi. With one punch to the face, Snookie got in return the label of nationwide celebrity and more than just 15 seconds of fame. (More like 15 minutes or 15 hours).
5. The lifestyle: Kinda alluded to before, but the attitudes and lifestyles of the Jersey Shore housemates are SO divergent to ours that we can't bear not to watch, we want to know how these other creatures of the world are living their lives and what divergent opinions they have, everything from "He knows not to mess with my sister or else he'd end up in my trunk" to "I will bite a guy's head off like a praying mantis" to Gym, Tan Laundry is so perverse to us, so different. We don't take it seriously, but it's very serious that this is the life the Jersey Shorers are leading, and it's awesome.
Can't wait to catch the next episode of Jersey Shore tonight. If you haven't checked it out, that's not a situation you want to be in that you're missing out on the Situation.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
1. Living vicariously: Deep down, I believe there's a Guido/Guidette inside all of us. At some level, like living one day in the life of a Guido, or taking part in "Guido" activities, we want to escape the lives that we have now and go through the whole routine: work out in the morning, do laundry, go to the tanning salon and chill out, get a haircut, put on a fresh shirt right before going out, and then partying the night away with "la familia." Doesn't sound too bad of a lifestyle.
2. Appeals to the young crowd: This show HAS to be absolutely killin the 18-24 viewing market and probably the 24-30 too. Put a group of twenty-somethings together for the summer, allow them to have alcohol, and all bets are off. The energy and vivaciousness of the characters on the show carry it despite what the content.
3. The situation: MTV's situation is so vastly enhanced by the presence of the situation. I'm talking about Mike Sorrentino, or more precisely, Mike Sorrentino's abs, who have gained cult-like popularity and made appearances on all the daily talk shows like Jay Leno, The Jimmy Kimmel Show, and even ESPN's SportsNation. We all get attracted by catchy stuff, and "The Situation" is one of the catchiest characters in all of television. He's like a WWE Wrestler crossed with Tony Soprano. Great television.
4. Snookie: It seems like a tough argument to make that a TV show is carried predominantly by just 2 characters, but it's amazing the amount of influence both Snookie and the Situation have had on the show. Snookie's constantly amazing quotes, antics, backflips, and perky attitude are all balanced out by her loyalty to her family (the fellow houseguests in the house) and we are absolutely drawn to that devotion. The episode where she got punched was the direct cause of me tuning into the show; it was a turning point of the summer for the Jersey Shore housemates and was the turning point of the whole series: from low roar in the TV ratings game to a rippling tsunanmi. With one punch to the face, Snookie got in return the label of nationwide celebrity and more than just 15 seconds of fame. (More like 15 minutes or 15 hours).
5. The lifestyle: Kinda alluded to before, but the attitudes and lifestyles of the Jersey Shore housemates are SO divergent to ours that we can't bear not to watch, we want to know how these other creatures of the world are living their lives and what divergent opinions they have, everything from "He knows not to mess with my sister or else he'd end up in my trunk" to "I will bite a guy's head off like a praying mantis" to Gym, Tan Laundry is so perverse to us, so different. We don't take it seriously, but it's very serious that this is the life the Jersey Shorers are leading, and it's awesome.
Can't wait to catch the next episode of Jersey Shore tonight. If you haven't checked it out, that's not a situation you want to be in that you're missing out on the Situation.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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