Jersey Shore

The season 2 finale of MTV’s Jersey Shore was last night. Now you might think that I would bash the show – maybe because it’s trashy television, makes people stupider, or is the antithesis of culture – but no, I love it. “How is this possible Mosi? We only read your blog because you’re a cynical asshole.” Well my friends, I’m still a cynical asshole, but let me tell you one thing: Jersey Shore is one of the most important TV shows ever made.

From a purely business standpoint, Jersey Shore is genius. The episodes cost almost nothing to make and consistently draw in 6 million viewers or more – a figure most primetime network shows don't even reach. MTV’s ratings are the highest they’ve been in eight years. After MTV canceled it's last real music program (TRL), everyone was on the network’s case. The deterioration of the brand caused people to stop watching. 

But with the introduction of Jersey Shore, viewership has soared. It’s not only a show, it’s a lifestyle. The GTL (gym, tan, laundry….yeah, I don’t get it either) trend has taken a life of it’s own, and viewers can’t get enough. People tune in all the time to see what’s going on with that skankopotamus Snooki, the 'roided-out Ronnie and his girlfriend Sammi (aka "the sweetest bitch you'll ever meet"), or the King of Sleaze: Mike "The Situation" (who is making an un-Godly amount of money for the level of talent he possesses). I don’t know how I was able to live without knowing who Pauly D was “smushing” these days, or how to get skin cancer as quickly as possible.

I find myself mesmerized by this show – I can literally feel myself getting stupider as I watch, but for some reason, can’t look away. It’s like eye crack. Jersey Shore may be the beginning of an irreversible trend of idiocy, but no matter how you slice it, the show’s a hit and will be here until (sadly) an even trashier and stupider show comes along. Jersey Shore has put MTV in a great situation. And as only The Situation could put it, “This situation is gonna be indescribable, you can't even describe The Situation that you're about to get into The Situation.” Eloquently put, sir.