My Strong Feelings About Jersey Shore and Domestic Abuse January 28, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in Equality, MTV TJ, Music, Personally John, Political, Social Media, technology, Television, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: domestic abuse, Jersey Shore, MTV, MTV TJ
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First of all, if you haven’t watched last night’s Jersey Shore episode, go watch it now before reading this post.
I watched last night’s Jersey Shore and was reminded as to why I should never have started watching it in the first place.
Yes, I know that this show has been blatantly offensive from day 1…but for some reason, last night’s episode really made me stop and think, “Why am I watching this?”
Whether it was Sammi sucker punching Ronnie in the face, or the misogynistic humiliation of the girls in the house, using “grenade whistles,” I found myself waiting for the redeeming quality of the show at the end. I was hoping at some point a producer steps in and says, “You can’t be here, you’re a danger to your roommates” a la the Real World days (though Real World is produced by a different production company than Jersey Shore). Though some of this has happened before, it was never under simple circumstances. Ronnie is sitting there minding his own business, trying to ignore this girl who clearly needs professional mental help, and he gets punched in the face! That’s quite different than getting punched in the face at a crowded bar full of belligerent drunks. And speaking of…
The shot where Snooki gets punched in the face at a bar during last season’s Jersey Shore NEVER made it to air. They ran the clip in a promo, there was outrage, and it was cut from the show before it aired.
NOT TO MENTION…MTV’s Teen Mom cast member Amber Portwood was charged for 3 counts of domestic abuse for her televised rage towards her baby’s father and was sent to jail!!
So hey MTV, why then is it okay to air Sammi’s domestic abuse incident and not Snooki’s punch? After the Amber Portwood incident, shouldn’t MTV be a little more socially and ethically aware of the ramifications of airing non-scripted domestic abuse on-air!? If anything to protect their shows’ credibilities?
The misogynistic undertones of this show I can at least not get too confused about – this shit is happening in A LOT more television than Jersey Shore. However, domestic abuse in any situation, even Jersey Shore, should not be taken lightly. If MTV is going to air the Real World, Road Rules, and the Challenges – where if people are abusive they are sent home, why then are they not doing it for the Jersey Shore? Which is the standard ethical protocol, MTV?
Though maybe this is what MTV wants…people like me to ask questions and blog about the issues I find offensive on television!
I asked my friend Gabi, who is the MTV TJ, about why she thought last night’s episode was her favorite. I implied that the domestic abuse and heightened misogynistic undertones (even for Jersey Shore) seemed to be very against the type of message she so courageously and admirably speaks about – not only in her Young, Fat, and Fabulous blog but on her MTV TJ blog as well. This post and this post are two great examples of why I am a champion for her. Gabi and I have also talked about similar issues because I think she is a fantastic representation of a young, confident, intelligent woman who is sure of herself and what she stands for. Gabi’s response was basically that this has all happened before on the Jersey Shore, and that the abuse and misogyny is nothing new. It even yielded a You-Go-And-Get-Him! response from one of mine and Gabi’s mutual friends!
I totally get that it’s nothing new, but that doesn’t make it okay. Racism and discrimination is nothing new, but that doesn’t make it okay either (I also know those are larger issues, but you get the point). What does it say that some of us find the domestic abuse on this show to be entertaining?? And what makes Sammi’s punch any less of a serious offense than Amber Portwood’s?
In the end Gabi, someone whose opinion I admire and trust, suggested that I could stop watching the show. But, if anything I am going to continue watching the show so that I know exactly what other sorts of unethical things are going on with the show that all of America seems to have fallen in love with! And to try to wrap my brain around why Amber Portwood gets charged with 3 counts of domestic abuse but Sammi doesn’t…and why people seem to think that I’m insane for asking these questions. It’s a modern marvel if you ask me!
I also feel a responsibility to post the national domestic abuse hotline number, because if you or anyone you know (EXCEPT REALITY TV STARS APPARENTLY) is being abused, you can call 1−800−799−SAFE(7233). Check out www.thehotline.org for more information on domestic abuse and educate yourself on a serious offense that plagues families across the world.
I’ve often wondered the same thing about the violence on these shows vs Real World/Road Rules. I guess because it is a different production company or because these people aren’t ‘contestants’? Maybe because Jersey Shore and Teen Mom are framed more as documentary storytelling (atleast they were before their subjects became celebrities…), and so the idea is to sit back and let it happen, capture them in their real lives without interference.
MTV didn’t tell Amber to hit Gary. She made that choice herself. I don’t blame MTV for her arrest/jailtime. And it isn’t up to MTV whether or not Sammi faces repercussions, t is up to the authorities.
I disagree that MTV shouldn’t air these events. Isn’t that worse? Sweeping it under the rug like it never happened? I think the BEST way to approach this would be to run a warning of some sort before episodes that contain violence and/or to run a PSA afterwards (with the ‘stars’ of the show!) about how the episode dealt with domestic abuse and that it is a serious matter, to log on to X website (sponsored by MTV!) to learn more or to report crimes of domestic abuse call x phone number.
I’m not sure that solution would work for the grenade whistles though…. We are just a culture that idolizes douchebags (and this coming from a Jersey Shore lover and Kanye disciple…. oops).
quite watching Jersey Shore and study what is going on in Africa.
Egypt is part of Africa would be a first good lesson
Mark, you go by Sue now!? LOLOLOL
Just thought I’d share that the PSA from Suchin Pak in last week’s Jersey Shore increased call volume to “Love is Respect” up to 20x that of the previous week.
while i don’t think domestic abuse should be taken lightly i think the reason amber portwood was charged was probably bc her state laws are similar to that of WV where you don’t actually have to press charges if you are a victim of domestic abuse, the state will do it for it. Not all states are like that and I am not sure about NJ but that could be something to do with why no charges were brought against that crazy Sammi. Another thing is what Amber did was a little more serious, she was sober, she was trying to hurt him, he almost fell down the stairs and there is a child in that house. Ronnie didn’t even budge when Sammi hit him, not that the fact she cant really hurt him makes it ok but it was just sort of funny that his face didn’t even move.
Now as for things like the grenade horn, WOMEN STOP DOING THIS TO YOURSELVES!! If women continue to act like whores men will continue to treat them that way. As a whole I am sort of disappointed in the turn women have taken from coming into our own sexually to going a little too far with it. A good example would be I think the difference between say S&TC season 1, which was provocative and smart and made woman more equal sexually, it brought to light that women like sex too! Then there was the last movie, it just went way too far in the slutty direction. Just because we can have sex with whoever we want, whenever we want, doesn’t mean we should exercise that right every time we step foot in a club. That’s all.
Actually you can call the abuse hot line for reality TV shows/stars if you feel that they are in danger and/or that they need help. A viewer called in on Amber and that’s how she was charged, and no one couldn’t say she didn’t abuse Gary due to the fact it was on tape.I complete agree with the fact that you said what makes it better with the Sammi punch to air it then the Snooki punch that they didn’t air. MTV is basically saying its not okay for a guy to punch a girl but its perfectly fine for the girl to punch a guy on Jersey shore. I mean they obviously got it wrong. Amber is female and she constantly abused Gary that maybe why she got so many charges but Ronnie and Sammi had an unhealthy relationship all together they abused each other. They both did mental abuse to each and and verbal abuse but Sammi took it to heart and went physical. They both were wrong. Media glamorizes domestic abuse anymore and I don’t think its right at all.
I have often wondered why (especially after the past two weeks of episodes) they do not add the information you gave at the bottom of your post about seeking help if you are a victim of domestic violence. I appreciate you putting it out there. If anything, this show normalizes the occurrence of abuse – both physical and verbal. The show is a mess of simultaneously sweet and dysfunctional relationships. But I find MTV to be extremely irresponsible in not (at least!) putting up this information to contrast the message they are sending by glamorizing this violent, hateful, immature behavior (these are NOT 20 year olds after all). I get that real life is messy and we are watching how this unfolds, and even that these peoples’ decisions are likely influenced by the promise of wealth and fame. However, it bothers me deeply that young peoples’ perceptions of acceptable behavior may be formed from this type of behavior.
Misandry. A word kept in the dark yet its everywhere we look. And we’ll never do anything about it because, well, men are cowards. Unlike the brave women of the past who stood up against misogyny, when feminist we’re actually noble in their views, today’s men can only sit behind their computer screen and type about it. They are too scared to say the truth out loud to women they know or date. Instead they put on a false bravado and hide themselves in the fake cloak of chivalry. America is a leader in OPEN sexism toward men and that’s just the way its gonna be for a while. Misandry: spellcheck doesn’t even acknowlegde it the words existence. Try to type it.
[...] he is but never the less she struck him. I read about this on a blog called JohnTrasher.net http://johnthrasher.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/my-strong-feelings-about-jersey-shore-and-domestic-abus…. John Trasher made a good point that no legal action was taken in this instance. On another MTV [...]