Shore Shutdown: 'Jersey Shore' Production on Ice After Italians Pull Permits (Or Not)

Guess Italy wasn't such a "Shore Thing" after all.

The N.Y. Post is reporting today that the city of Florence, Italy pulled the plug at the last minute on permits for shooting inside the city, forcing the cast and crew (who were already at the airport, suitcases in hand) to turn around and go back home from the airport. The paper reported that production on the show has been postponed "indefinitely."

Of course, TMZ thinks the Post is full of poppycock.

The gossip site reported today that the delay was, in fact, linked to the arrival of Italy's President in the city and increased security around the event.

"So they're waiting till the Prez leaves, but shooting will begin late this week," said the celeb site.

We're not sure who to believe on this one, but Florence's mayor Matteo Renzi is clearly no "Jersey Shore" fan. He has already made things challenging for the production, laying down a lengthy list of rules for the cast and crew to follow while filiming within the city.

As we reported several weeks ago, the guidelines go as follows:

• The cast will not be filmed in bars and clubs that serve alcohol. (Where's the fun in that?)
• The cast will not be filmed drinking in public. (Borderline impossible, Snooki will end up in the slammer.)
• The show will not be filmed to promote Florence as a drinking town. (I've been there, it is a drinking town.)
• The show should be filmed in a manner to promote Italy (not Americans visiting Italy) and feature its culture and good food. (Fair)

Given the challenging guidelines coming from Renzi, we wouldn't be shocked if the delay was linked to trouble from city authorities.

Are you upset by the delays? Do you think "Jersey Shore" is getting a raw deal from the city of Florence, or is this just all a bunch of manufactured hub-bub designed to create drama (and press) for the show?

Would "Jersey Shore" be better off just hanging out in...you know...Jersey?