http://ekhoy.blogspot.com/
I really like your idea of using Jersey Shore (JS) as an example for Dustin Kidd’s arguments. When a fellow classmate mentioned that people claim to watch reality TV ironically, but not actually ‘like’ it and continue to watch it, this is the first program that I thought of. I know a lot of people who also watch reality TV, specifically Jersey Shore (including my little brother as well), and say that they only watch it because the characters are ‘so ridiculous’. However, each week they continue to watch it. In response to your breakdown of Kidd’s steps and their relation to JS, I have a few comments particularly on creating norms, rituals and social change.
In looking at a cultural artifact such as Jersey Shore, the characters, as you outline, develop a set of norms that we see reflected in the lives of the viewers. Terms such as ‘GTL’ (gym, tanning, laundry) and calling yourself ‘The Situation’ have become mantras for young men who watch the show, while female viewers see the female characters acting and dressing promiscuously with skin tones that come close to the colour orange.
In speaking of rituals and social change, the rituals of the cast on Jersey Shore have formed rituals for the viewers and inspired a change of societal views. As mentioned previously, the development of what can be considered normal on the show is emphasized in the rituals of the individuals and directly influences the viewers perception of how one should act, dress, etc. You mention particular rituals of the housemates, however I think of the group of young people who collect on the couch every Thursday night (I think it is on Thursdays?) to watch the program and follow their every move.
Coming from an Italian background that I am very proud of, I feel that these individuals are making a bad name for the rest of us and do not reflect what it is to be a young person of Italian descent. Although this reflection is only about Jersey Shore, many other programs on television promote a similar type of life style. For example, Sex and the City sparked a revolution in the 1990s with elements of the series falling under all of Kidd’s steps. However, I will save that analysis for my own blog posting.
Thanks for the post!
- K
