What is this world coming to? I went online searching for Halloween costume ideas and the first things that popped up were ""Jersey Shore"" characters. Seriously? I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to dress up as an Italian oompa-loompa. Okay, maybe I see the comedic value, but perhaps this epidemic should be taken a little more seriously.
According to TMZ, associatedcontent.com and several other blogs, the cast members of the show earned $10,000 per episode plus a $10,000 signing bonus for season two. At 12 episodes per season they're making at least $130,000 to go around New Jersey partying, fake-baking, getting drunk and hooking up with who-knows-what kind of people.
Meanwhile, thousands of UW-Madison students are paying about that much to do the same things, though students get a complimentary degree as well. But I digress.
My curiosity got the better of me as I rummaged through Halloween costume websites and decided to explore just how much it would cost to be one of the two most popular characters on ""Jersey Shore"": Nicole ""Snooki"" Polizzi and Mike ""The Situation"" Sorentino. For Snooki, you can buy a $28 tight, tacky cheetah print dress, a $20 black wig that looks like it's housing several bump-its underneath and some cake foundation for $13 to get that burnt-to-a-crisp look. Add in a can of hairspray, your best pair of black pumps and a lot of mascara and it will cost you at least $60. Or if you want to be The Situation, you can pay $17 dollars for a ""Jersey Shore"" Guido Kit that appears to be composed of merely a black, spiky hair wig and a wife beater. I didn't realize that was the going rate for being a tool these days.
What I'm trying to get across here is that even though people deciding to dress as ""guidos"" and ""guidettes"" for Halloween are doing so in jest, by purchasing these outfits and watching the television show they are supporting and assimilating the behavior of these trashy stereotypes into our everyday culture. It's funny to do a fist pump to mock the ridiculous dance move created by characters on the show, but how long until it becomes a normality on dance floors across the country?
People throw ""Jersey Shore""-themed parties where girls dress skimpy and load on bronzer all in the name of mockery, but although it's done as a joke, they're still doing it. They're still wearing distasteful outfits and perpetuating the behaviors of drunken drama queens. The mimicking of members of ""Jersey Shore"" is satire gone awry.
Yet, the cast of ""Jersey Shore"" should not be held responsible for the public's fall to shame. Who wouldn't want to make an easy $130,000? The true guilty party in this situation could be you. Anybody who watches this show is accountable—watching this mind-numbing material is what writes the cast members' checks. And purchasing novelty merchandise and costumes only adds to their payment.
The Wall Street Journal reports that since the ""Jersey Shore"" costumes are licensed by MTV, all revenue will go to the network and the characters the costumes imitate. So by purchasing a Snooki wig or foamy abs that create a Situation on your stomach, you are endorsing, supporting and furthering the pollution of our television airwaves with the cast that has given New Jersey a bad name for years to come.
Don't be that person. It sets a bad example for those who can't distinguish a difference between mockery and imitation. Even Snooki herself is being more creative with her costume. Instead of a mere short dress and heels, the Wall Street Journal reports that she will be going as a sexy pickle.
If saving your integrity, pride and brain cells isn't enough to deter you from dressing up as a walking orange controversy, at least stay away for originality's sake. Madison can only handle so many Snookis.
Jaime Brackeen is a sophomore majoring in journalism. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
