BOARDWALK MEMORIES
The End Of A Cultural Phenomenon: The Jersey Shore Wraps
IT’S THE END OF AN ERA,THE CLOSING OF AN EPIC CHAPTER IN America’s pop culture history: Jersey Shore is ending. The upcoming season will be the reality show’s sixth and final season.
Let’s all bow our heads in silence.
It was a mere three years ago that the eight guidos and guidettes descended upon the spray-tanned haven known as Seaside Heights, New Jersey. When the show premiered in the fall of 2009, it became an overnight sensation — as well as the subject to controversy. Many people complained that the group perpetuated negative stereotypes, but that didn’t stop millions from stopping by weekly to hang out with the Italian-Americans. Soon, castmembers showing up on magazine covers, cashing in on endorsement deals, and morphing their personal styles from gaudy to…, well, less gaudy.
But the gang may be have become too famous — or too old — to continue their party on the Jersey shore. Snooki and J-Woww and Pauly D are now starring in the respective spin-offs; Vinny is now trying his hand at comedy; Mike is working on staying sober anda new workout DVD. As for Ronnie, Sammi, and Deena… Well, Deena has an iPhone app.
Television won’t ever be the same without the homies, but there’s still some real estate on TV where you can inhale the Garden State. Real Housewives of New Jersey still rules Bravo, Boardwalk Empire is still trying to convince us that Atlantic City was once classy, and the Style Network is staying in the game with Jerseylicious.
But for one last hurrah with the guidos, tune in for MTV’s one-hour “farewell” retrospective airing September 6, and catch the regular season which begins October 4.
Karen Malmquist is a senior at La Salle University, and the head writer and star of In Other News, a comedy series airing in Philadelphia.
