The small shore community of Seaside Heights, New Jersey is fist-pumping all the way to the bank — thanks to the drunken twentysomethings who star on MTV’s controversial hit Jersey Shore!
Alhough Italian-American interest groups continue to decry the show for its perceived stereotypical portrayal of Italian-Americans, Seaside Heights is bracing for one of its busiest seasons in memory due to the success of the unscripted smash.
The town’s Executive Director of Business Improvement, Maria Maruca, told MTV News Monday that the shenanigans of cast members such as Snooki, Vinny, and The Situation have brought an impressive “economic benefit” to the tiny town alongside the Atlantic.
In fact, Maria says the boardwalk that was home to some of the gang’s wildest nights at The Shore saw a substantial increase in traffic during the winter months, mostly from out of towners hoping for a glimpse at Karma, Beachcomber Bar & Grill, and some of the other places frequently featured on the show.
“There’s the curiosity factor. Celebrities draw crowds. That’s going to give us an edge that we didn’t have before. The exposure that the show brought to Seaside Heights — when every late-night host is talking about Snooki, when Leonardo DiCaprio is talking about the show — we could never have afforded that type of media. This is more than we could ever have asked for,” she explains.
Maruca isn’t the least bit worried about her hometown being affiliated with the foolery, fist fights, and chronic GTL-ing that clings to the cast like a second skin.
“The show isn’t about Seaside Heights; the show is about eight individuals. It just happened to be filmed in Seaside Heights. And when you look at Seaside Heights as a backdrop, our beaches look spectacular; our boardwalk, our amusements look great.”