NJ’s image was never the same after ‘Jersey Shore’ premiered — This day in Jersey history

It was on December 3rd, 2009, that New Jersey suffered one of the most serious blows to its image as MTV aired the first episode of a show called Jersey Shore.

They rented a house in Seaside Heights and filled it with reprobates, most of whom were from New York. It was a reality show that showed the reality of the boorish behavior of out-of-towners who pollute the pristine shores of New Jersey every summer. Cast members with names like Snooki, the Situation, Pauly D, and J-Woww brought a lot of attention to New Jersey, but it was not without criticism.

The show came under fire for perpetuating Italian-American stereotypes, including the use of the terms “Guido” and “Guidette.” Former Governor Christie was not a fan. In 2011, he vetoed a $420,000 tax credit from the state’s Economic Development Authority citing the negative attention it brought to New Jersey. The show was a success, though, attracting as many as 8.7 million viewers for an episode in August of 2011. And it may not have been as detrimental as had been believed; as quoted in Wikipedia, a Fairleigh Dickinson poll showed people who were familiar with the show had a more positive view of New Jersey than those who didn’t. The success of the show spawned spinoffs and sequels.

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