Winnipeg Free Press - December 10/09
Jersey Shore: A Field Study
WHILE fans of MTV’s The Hills and The City may be disappointed they won’t be seeing Spencer, Kristin, Whitney or little Enzo any time soon, the network debuted a new reality show last Thursday called Jersey Shore. Set against the wild, anything-goes atmosphere of Seaside Heights, N.J., the show features eight 20-somethings who are going to live together, work together and party together.
Although this probably sounds a lot like The Real World, there is a slight twist. MTV normally focuses on casting certain types of people for that long-running reality TV show. You can usually expect an explosive mix of the following types of characters: “the annoying drunk girl, the slut, angry black man, the violent guy, the flamboyant gay, the sassy black lady, the country bumpkin and the religious zealot,” writes Brian Moylan in his recent article for Gawker.com. Instead of relying on this time-tested formula, the network is throwing a curve ball and shining a light on a whole new type of reality star.
“The amazing thing about Jersey Shore is that it is comprised of only one very distinctive type — the guido — and it is a type all of the participants not only willingly identify with, but glorify. They are not afraid of being seen as a stereotype because they want to be the big-haired, muscled-out, tanned freak in a too-tight Armani Exchange top. While the rest of society may deride the guido, these specimens see nothing wrong with it, because they live in a universe where it is the norm,” suggests Moyal.
“Based on the other inmates in the Sleazeside Heights zoo, there is nothing manufactured about these people. They do not possess the fame-seeking guile of the Speidis of the world, because their only aspiration is to be revered as the ultimate guido. Because of this, no coaxing into conformity with reality-show norms is needed. All the cameras have to do is sit back and observe.”
Judging from the opening two-hour episode and previews of the upcoming season, Jersey Shore is going down the same booze, fight and drama fuelled path that The Real World is known for. It also looks as if it’s going to make tumultuous seasons of the popular reality show look tame in comparison.
Tweets End Avary’s Jail Furlough Program (2nd article)
MOST people thought director/screenwriter Roger Avary (Pulp Fiction) got off easy with a year-long prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges stemming from a January 2008 accident that killed passenger Andreas Zini, 34, of Modena, Italy. (Avary’s wife was also injured in the accident.) Because of his lack of criminal record, the Oscar-winning screenwriter was able to qualify for Ventura County’s work furlough program.
It looks as if Avary was not only working on new material for movies when he was in the program (where he was allowed to work on his screenplays from an off-site location), he was documenting his experiences behind bars on his Twitter account.
After Los Angeles Times’ writer Mark Milian wrote about Avary’s 140-character observations about lockdowns, strip searches and gangbangers, Avary lost his privileges and was sent back to county jail.
“The court gave him a break by sentencing him to 365 days in county jail and five years’ probation. Work furlough gave him an additional break,” said Michael Lief, a senior deputy district attorney. “It’s interesting that Mr. Avary could not do what was required of him to stay out of trouble and stay out of county jail.”
It will be interesting to see if Avary’s next movie is about prison and his experiences during his incarceration.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 10, 2009 E3
