By Tue Tran, Co-editor-in-chief -

Stereotyping by region runs rampant on college campuses. Wherever people from different states and countries cross paths, there is the propensity to use a person’s land of origin to help mold one’s understanding of that person — and reality shows certainly don’t help.

New Jersey, infamous for being the target of negative comments and jokes, has recently been the hotspot for reality shows. The lives of wealthy women have been highlighted in The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and then there was the emphatic and loud cake decorator on Cake Boss.

Now, MTV is taking its turn at telling the story of New Jersey through the tales of whom they describe as the “hottest, tannest, craziest guidos.” After the success of True Life: I’m a Jersey Shore Girl, MTV decided to cash in on the popularity of this localized culture in a new series called Jersey Shore.

The series premiered on Dec. 3, and even before that, many people were against it, after only seeing the promotional clip. It follows a group of rambunctious “guidos” who share a beach house for the summer. Hair gel, designer clothes, muscles, and tans are all vital to the storyline.

Michael May, CSOM ’11, thought Jersey Shore, like other reality shows, would cause more people to stereotype his home state.

“These shows focus on a very small minority of people who live in New Jersey, and people who watch them assume these people represent everyone from New Jersey,” May said.

But even without these shows perpetuating the stereotypes, New Jersey has often been the butt of jokes, which has caused tension on the Boston College campus.

Elizabeth Monahan, A&S ’11, who was born and raised in New Jersey, grew up with jests about her state, but since they were told by New Jerseyans, she believed them to all be in fun. But when Monahan came to BC, she became aware of how some people thought the stereotypes were true.

“[I]t actually upset me to realize that people weren’t joking about the ‘dirty Jerz’ — they actually believed the stereotype,” Monahan said. “I remember calling my mom one night freshman year and being genuinely upset about the jokes. I don’t think anyone meant to be legitimately mean, but in the end, it was my home.”

May, however, says that people making negative comments about New Jersey does not bother him because he knows they have a narrow view of the state.

“Most people only know New Jersey in the sense that they have driven through the state on the Turnpike, taken a trip down the Shore, or gone to see a Giants game in the Meadowlands,” he said. “People never veer into the heart of New Jersey, where they would find some really nice towns.”

Monahan shared the same sentiments about people’s unfamiliarity with New Jersey, mainly because of the way it is portrayed through the media.

“Maybe they could make a show about Bridgewater, New Jersey, and show how normal and boring most of New Jersey really is,” Monahan said.

In a statement, MTV defended the new series by emphasizing that the show only highlights a group.

“The show continues MTV’s history of documenting various subcultures, rites of passage of young people, and the ways they self-identify,” an MTV spokesperson said. “We understand that this show… depicts just one aspect of youth culture.”

Some would argue, however, that there is some truth to “reality” and regional stereotyping.

“Regional stereotyping isn’t fair to the people who live in those areas, but I think most people fall into it without even thinking,” May said. “You have to learn to laugh at your own region, and you can’t let the jokes bother you.”

Whether or not stereotypes are accurate based on one’s home area, it is an issue from which no one can totally escape. And the need for reality shows to be extreme — and far from reality — only furthers these narrow images. With the buzz surrounding this series though, Jersey Shore is the big hit MTV has been needing.