'Jersey Shore' Controversy Already Starting in Italy

The cast of "Jersey Shore" has an indirect love of their Italian roots: the girls are always looking for a guy whose name ends in a vowel, and the guys frequently proclaim "I'm proud to be a guido!"

In anticipation of the filming of season four of "Jersey Shore" (which will take place in Italy), Italian television has begun to air re-runs of previous seasons...possibly to familiarize Italians with the pop culture phenomenon that they are about to be a part of, or possibly to warn them of the impending storm of spray-tanned hooligans.

As it turns out, Italians aren't so proud that the Shore crew is proud to be guidos.

Italian columnist Roberto Del Bove, who writes for a Rome newspaper, wrote in reference to the "Jersey Shore" cast: "They embody the worst stereotypes of Italians, multiplied by thousands and Americanized."

But isn't that why we love "Jersey Shore?" It would be a pretty boring show if they were all quiet, well-behaved young adults.

It's an interesting reaction on the part of Italians, as Del Bove seems to be taking their behavior as a negative reflection on Italian stereotypes. If anything, it seems more like it's a reflection on American culture, and how obnoxious the craziest of us can be...those being the people who end up on reality TV, of course.