Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
My own disgust with MTV's bigoted show "Jersey Shore" has been documented in writings like here, where I make the case that the show mirrors the "black face" worn by Al Jolson. Only now it's "Italian face."
The show hid the last names of the actors for a whole season, because half of them are not Italian (like the bulbous Snooki, who is Chilean). They pretended to be Italian, then acted like one of two pop culture stereotypes of Italians: The half-wit (see "Joey" from the show Friends) or the violently lawless (see the fictitious Corleone and Soprano). MTV has actors playing a stereotype. Stepin Fetchit laughs in his grave.
This past week Rutgers University, New Jersey's state university, hosted Snooki and her $32,000 appearance fee. The money came from a MANDATORY tuition account paid for by parents.
I wrote about it in an open letter to Governor Christie and the legislature asking if they will do something about it.
Senator Joe Kyrillos, (R-Monmouth) has done something about it. He's introduced an opt-in on tuition forms, so parents can now decide whether they wish to have their money wasted or not.
Thank you Senator. Move me from Kyrillos fan to super-fan.
Here is the Senator's press release:
Middletown— Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R- Monmouth/Middlesex) today said he will submit legislation requiring public universities to "opt in" to student activities or events that carry fees.
His legislation comes in response to mandatory student activities fees at Rutgers University being used to fund a $32, 000 speaking fee for Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi.
"Students ought not be forced to fund entertainment or events that they find objectionable," said Kyrillos. "There were a great deal of Rutgers students who I am certain were uninterested or flat out outraged by Ms. Polizzi's appearance on campus."
"Mandatory fees tacked on student tuition bills were used to pay a $32,000 speaking fee to a degenerate reality television star who offers neither useful advice nor any appreciable talents. Higher education is already a substantial burden to students without being forced to pay for entertainment they find offensive or uninteresting. If students can make a case for continued fees then let's find a methodology for appropriate checks and balances so that money is not wasted."Kyrillos's bill would require that state universities in New Jersey provide for an active election on tuition forms to contribute to any student activities fund.
Adam R. Bauer
Director of Communications
Senate Republican Office
609.292.5199
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Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
Awesome! Add me to the "super fan" list, too.
Feb '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I have a friend who's a VP at Rutgers and she told me that it was the students who chose to invite Snooki, the idea being that students are adult enough to use wisely the money they pay for activities fees.
It's certainly possible to have a discussion about the advisability of mandatory fees, but to offer the choice to opt in or out of payment based on prejudging particular speakers as being "offensive or uninteresting" seems to invite chaos and the inevitable "not in our name" preening that students are already so susceptible to. What if they'd invited Ann Coulter?
The Snooki episode was kind of stupid, sure, but the focus of the reaction should be on the student idiots who invited her, not on offering the government another avenue to get involved. State Universities already have the government(s) all up in their business too much already (for reasons good or ill). Just let the kids take the rap and move on.
Jun '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
Snookie is only half Italian. And she is not from New Jersey. I believe only one cast member is from Jersey.
I am fortunate enough to have never seen the show. No need to, as it is covered relentlessly by the press. The Rutgers decision to bring her to campus is insane. That same week they brought Bill Ayers to Montclair State.....way to go NJ.....stay classy.
Dec '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I applaud your efforts Tommy and empathize with your reaction to the show's characterization of Italian people. It's unfortunate, to be sure. But I also see the merits of what Jeff said above. This lack of intellectual and academic seriousness on college campuses is a real problem. It runs deep. We need vigilant citizens like yourself to keep an eye out for how ANY of our tax dollars are being spent. But we also need stronger families, better education, more kids to stop watching TV and start reading and cultivating a deeper thought-life, etc. etc.
This incident seems to me to be more a result, not a cause of our current cultural problems. There mere fact that administrators at a prominent university are using the feckless "but the kids really wanted her to come speak" excuse should tell us all we need to know about the state of American higher education (and those who run it).
Very interesting post, Tommy. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Jun '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
Jeff, the VP didn't tell you that it is a TINY group of students who decide on which group gets funding & which speakers are invited. What a disingenuous way to escape blame! Administrators are in charge. We pay taxes to our state government & expect the adults to be monitoring how our $$ is spent. Seriously. Who is your VP friend kidding?
About 30 years ago my brother started Rutgers Right to Life. Not only was the group denied funding, the University demanded that the group remove Rutgers from its name. The University attornies got involved. Administrators are VERY eager to jump in when certain people are offended, or if money is in danger of being sent to a non-PC club or speaker.
Giving $32K to a pig like Snooki certainly qualifies as a horrific decision where the adults needed to step in and shut it down.
Edited on Apr 8, 2011 at 11:22amFeb '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
R. J. wrote:
There mere fact that administrators at a prominent university are using the feckless "but the kids really wanted her to come speak" excuse should tell us all we need to know about the state of American higher education (and those who run it).
Far be it from me to defend the cultural gravitas of the people who run universities, but there may have been a set policy that the students identify and contract with the speakers who will come as part of their activities program, without any administration involvement. And it's a defensible policy if the alternative is for the administration to protect the students from their mistakes. As Jonah Goldberg has said (on today's Round Table, in fact), university campuses are already an unreal and infantilizing environment; letting the students who invited Snooki take the heat might be mildly salubrious.
Feb '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I think you guys are just picking on Porky Polizzi. I like the shape she is in. Round is a shape after all and and she gives me an idea of what a bowling ball would look like with legs.
I have only seen Porky on news blurbs so I do not claim to be an informed authority on the rise of her persona from nowhere to a state of notoriety. From my limited perspective, however, I predict she will fall as quickly as she has arisen from her well deserved obscurity.
If I were Italian, I, too, would be cringing every time I heard her utter anything on the news. If I were Chilean, I wouldn't be too thrilled either.
Jun '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
"Far be it from me to defend the cultural gravitas of the people who run universities, but there may have been a set policy that the students identify and contract with the speakers who will come as part of their activities program, without any administration involvement."
Sorry Jeff, but besides my brother's experience there are countless examples of college administrators stepping in and changing policy, shutting down student activities, and stripping free speech rights when they don't agree with the message or messenger.
Apr '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I never thought my first Ricochet post would be about the Joisey shore, but here goes:
I'm proud my parents are Italian. I speak it fluently. Soccer is my fav sport, I think Dante's Divine Comedy is greatest literary work ever written, etc. etc..
But this kind of uproar from the Italian community over TV stereotypes bores me.
For one thing, I hate to admit it, people like this actually exist. I gotta' tell you, I grew up with people just like those kids on the Shore. Are they a minority? Of course, as are the Italians in The Godfather and the Sopranos. But guess what? Italian Mobsters exist and, frankly, provide damn entertaining TV.
What is TV other than selected stereotypes? Another MTV show, 'The Hills, from what I've seen of it, didn't exactly do much to dispel the rich, dumb blond valley girl stereotype; So be it as long as there's airheads willing to go on TV.
For every Godfather, there's a Boys 'n the Hood. For every Sopranos, there's 'The Wire.' Just look at how southern whites are depicted on TV.
Italians are way to sensitive to this silly show.
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
Dear Cannoli,
You didn't know anyone like they have on The Sopranos, unless you knew someone who killed weekly including his family members. It's fiction.
And I'm not really buying your argument that others suffer stereotypes in pop culture, therefore this one is OK.
But we digress. The bigger story here is that Rutgers would pay this actress to come to their campus to impart the message to students that they aren't partying hard enough.
Welcome to Ricochet, by the way. I'm betting this issue aside, we will have lots in common.
Dec '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I have thoughts that are similar to those of Jeff Karr, but from a different perspective.
When I was in college, I got conned into running for the student council and found that most of our time was spent dispersing Activity Fees, to various plaintiffs. What we wound up doing was trying to achieve some balance. We also ignored the more extreme and repeat palintiffs. As my school had 36,000 students, we are talking substantial numbers that were disbursed in any given year.
And, though I attempted to be frugal, as a naturally conservative person, the one thing that never occurred to me was advocating for returning the money to the students.
Based upon my experience, these student councils should be considering, instead, the smaller budgets to make campus venues available to speakers, for electricity, security, and janitorial services. Cut the student activity fees by 90 percent and let the individual interest groups raise the money for speakers and entertainment.
The required activity fees make every group feel entitled to their entertainment choices. Give the various groups bread and water rations and they would not be able to scrape together the money for their more outlandish requests.
Oct '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
bbbbbbbbbbb
take_the_cannoli:
What is TV other than selected stereotypes? Another MTV show, 'The Hills, from what I've seen of it, didn't exactly do much to dispel the rich, dumb blond valley girl stereotype; So be it as long as there's airheads willing to go on TV.
That may be true, but these things do real damage. Gay stereotypes are horribly damaging in society, especially to young people. These stereotypes are pushed mostly by the gay left, but Hollywood loves to write about exotic, eccentric, freakish gay characters.
There's a reason I've vowed to never, ever work for Hollywood, my own career in the digital arts notwithstanding. I'd rather earn significantly less then be a part of that sick, sick culture.
Um. No offense to Rob Long. He's different.
Jun '10
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
"You didn't know anyone like they have on The Sopranos, unless you knew someone who killed weekly including his family members. It's fiction."
I went to high school with the children of mobsters. Once of my classmates went to prison for murder. Several classmates had family businesses in the waste disposal or scrap metal industries. (A great way to hide bodies.) The mob is real. I have no idea about the frequency of thier hits, though. I have never seen the Sopranoes, but it was filmed in my town until the local politicians, all of Italian ancestry and pround members of UNICO, refused to issue future filming permits after seeing the show's depiction of Italian-Americans.
I know plenty of people here in NJ who exactly fit the Italian stereotypes depicted on TV. They weren't invented out of whole cloth. Maybe it's a Jersey thing? But I agree that TV never showcases amazing Italian contributions to Western civilization and always reverts back to the Vinnie Goomba type.
Jan '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
Better Snooki than Mz. Maddow. These funds can be used for entertainment purposes. I am sure all your delicate Italian sensibilities were hurt. Suck it up. Before you complain about the way the student groups spend money why not take a look at all the BS Cultural Sensitivity classes required college. I have never watched the show, but I know it is popular and this Snooki lady is popular. If the students want to see her it is better than hours of the asinine deluded ramblings of Maya Angelou.
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Maya is tenacious, just like "dust" is. Absolute drivel. She will not accept your racism in a house, she will not accept it with a mouse, she does not like green persecution and ham, She does not like them Uncle Sam!
As an American of Irish Catholic Decent I cringe whenever you Italians complain about you're public Stereotype. You get "The Godfather", we get "The Matchmaker". Our only redemption is that Tom Hagan wasn't in Godfather III. One Love!
Jan '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
"Irish Descent", sorry. and I think I am missing an " in' before "college". At least the greatest American Poet Laureate, Maya Angelou, can spell. Smarter than me apparently.
Apr '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
Having six...count 'em, six children, I feel slightly qualified to say that I would have loved to have an option to "opt in" to the funding for these events. CJRun...hear, here!! If the groups, students, parents want to spend the money, then more power to them. But, as in many Fed. escapades, I don't appreciate the "opportunity" to contribute to trash someone else deems necessary.
Jan '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I love the "You don't know any real Italians Defense" and the corresponding "My best friend is Italian" response., and "Oh I know the Mafia! A kid I went high School with had a barber whose uncle was in the Mafia, so Screw you!"
Any place we send our kids to College are going to have stupid assemblies that we are going to end up paying for. This Snooki one was at least harmless. It wasn't some Islamic terrorist who denigrates Israel, it wasn't the wealthy American scion who preaches communism because he hates his former 40th President of the United States father and just wishes everyone would take him seriously as a tough guy yet failed "ballet dancer", It wasn't Micheal Moore, who rants for workers rights but pays his workers like shit, and for THE LOVE OF GOD, it was not MAYA ANGELOU! You guys are fighting the wrong battle, at least the Snooki character DID NO HARM.
Jan '11
Re: Anti-Snooki Bill Introduced By NJ Senator Kyrillos
I love the "You don't know any real Italians Defense" and the corresponding "My best friend is Italian" response., and "Oh I know the Mafia! A kid I went high School with had a barber whose uncle was in the Mafia, so Screw you!"
Any place we send our kids to College is going to have stupid assemblies that we are going to end up paying for. This Snooki one was at least harmless. It wasn't some Islamic terrorist who denigrates Israel, it wasn't the wealthy American scion who preaches communism because he hates his former 40th President of the United States father and just wishes everyone would take him seriously as a tough guy yet failed "ballet dancer", It wasn't Micheal Moore, who rants for workers rights but pays his workers like shit, and for THE LOVE OF GOD, it was not MAYA ANGELOU! You guys are fighting the wrong battle, at least the Snooki character DID NO HARM.