(Make sure you read my three new show pitches at the end, even IF you can't get through my whole commentary...)
So it seems these days it is open season on Italian Stereotypical shows on TV. There are 2 that are hugely popular, Jersey Shore and Mob Wives. Both depicting the most ugly side of Italian stereotypical culture with no positive role models or culture shown. And now there are at least 2 more spin off shows coming.
Carl's Jr. recently ran an ad for a Chicken Parm sandwich by showing an Italian eating it in the car and passing out with sauce all over him as two other Italian Murderers approach to "Whack" him. Seeing the blood red sauce they thought he was already dead and moved on. (But yet the taco bell dog is prohibited now as is THE LIME which aired for only three weeks before getting yanked)
Now Italians are not as prevalent as many other cultures in many parts of the country. Particularly in the mid west and West Coast, where many people don't know any real Italians. So they are basing what they know on Italians from Mob movies and these shows.
It's already gotten to the point that almost every time someone new meets me in LA and they find out im Italian from New York, the ridiculous follow up question is "Have you ever been to the Jersey Shore?" Which means they are already thinking of those assholes when they think of me.
I have been to the Jersey Shore. I grew up there in summers with my family and it was nice. But now....fahgetttabout it...
There is a huge difference too between shows like the Sopranos and the Godfather and this other trash. Shows like the Sopranos and the Godfather depict Historical Crime sagas that still exist in REAL Italian Culture today, particularly back in Naples and Sicily. There is nothing Historic to Italians on Mob Wives nor Jersey Shore. Furthermore, the Sopranos and the Godfather also depict other honorable aspects of the culture as well as positive role models like lawyers, doctor's, Ivy League Students, Family values, etc. Again none of this is depicted on these other TV Shows.
What's worse is on Mob Wives for instance, the real mobsters are far less honorable or civilized than their theatrical counterparts, in fact most of New York Italian Mobsters such as John Gotti were less redeemable people, murderers and not a proud part of Italian Culture all the same. Tony Soprano is somewhat more honorable, and lets not forget, FICTIONAL. Mob Wives does not depict any real honor or redemption, instead it feeds on desperate Italian Woman and exploits the tough times they have been through.
That all being said there are NO REALITY shows that focus on one particular culture like the Italians on TV. Back in the day Seinfeld ran an episode featuring the Puerto Rican Parade, where they stereotyped the parade and Puerto Ricans as doing EXACTLY what the jersey shore and mob wives shows. That episode of Seinfeld aired one time and was yanked altogether. But for some reason Italians are fair game??? And now they are actually going to film season four in a historical part of Italy??? well here's 3 OTHER SHOWS i'm pitching, I hope VH1 or MTV picks these up too...
THE QUEENS-
A house on Fire Island where 4 flamboyantly gay Men live together and they do drugs, party, sleep with anyone and everyone, they have slap fights and hissy fits and then for season 4 we are going to film in Massachusetts where they will all get married as they offend anyone and everyone they come in contact with by acting like Andy Dick in Old School...
HARELM STEPS-
The show will depict the summertime lives of 5 black kids that hang out on the steps of their Harlem Brownstones drinking beer, smoking blunts, and beating women, and then season 4 we are going to film in Africa.
CHINESE KITCHENS-
The show will depict the after hours lives of 5 NYC Chinatown teens after they get off work from their parents restaurants jobs where they will smoke cigarettes, get tattoos, shoot dice and commit crime. And then we will film season 4 in Shanghai...(As if the Chinese gov would ever allow us to film there...)
IF any of those shows I pitch get picked up, do you think they will ever be allowed to air?
Neither do I, nor should they. And Mob Wives and Jersey Shore should not be allowed to air either. It's a double standard...
But hey, I AM actually going to pitch my treatments for these shows, so ya never know...
Stay Tuned...
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