Document Type
Article
Abstract
MTV’s Jersey Shore, launched in 2009, reached nearly 9 million viewers at the peak of its popularity. Inspired by the language used by the show’s male cast members to criticize a woman’s weight and appearance, such as “grenade” and “atomic bomb,” this study applies social congitive theory and reality television framework to analyze instances of shaming on Jersey Shore. Through a mixed-methods analysis, this study identifies the various forms of shaming depicted and explores how gender dynamics and character relationships affect these interactions. Findings reveal the most frequent forms of shaming, shame targets, and shame initiators as well as the potential influence of character dyads on the reality television show’s shaming patterns and instances.
Recommended Citation
Mickavicz, Mackenzie K. Ms. and Herman, Aubree A.
(2025)
"Guidos and Grenades: Shaming Discourses in MTV’s Jersey Shore,"
Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy: Vol. 12:
Iss.
3, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dialogue/vol12/iss3/2
Included in
American Popular Culture Commons, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Film and Media Studies Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Television Commons