MTV & The City of Jersey City: Stop the filming of a 'Jersey Shore' spin off in Jersey City

Stop the filming of a 'Jersey Shore' spin off in Jersey City

Dear Mayor Healy:

This letter is a petition to voice our unhappiness with your recent decision to grant filming permits to MTV for their new 'Jersey Shore' spin-off show featuring Nicole Polizzi (“Snooki”) and Jenni Farley (“JWoww”). As citizens of Jersey City and members of the downtown neighborhood, we do not share your sentiment that MTV and the cast of the show will highlight, preserve, and improve any of the wonderful thing we love about Jersey City. MTV and the cast are motivated by money, ratings and sensationalism. They have no interest or intentions of promoting Jersey City in an honest and accurate light. It is fair to say that Jersey City could benefit from media exposure, but this is not the type of exposure we'd like to see. We have a great deal of pride in our city and allowing them to film sends a message to everyone that we're desperate for attention and not confident enough to say “NO”. We want to see Jersey City grow, but not like this.

Snooki and JWoww have a track record of disorderly behavior. Five seasons of the 'Jersey Shore' television show and the lingering bad image they brought to New Jersey and the New Jersey coast is testament to that. Hoboken has declined filming. Our own Governor Chris Christie has spoken out against the show and even vetoed a tax incentive that would have gone to help produce the show stating: "As chief executive, I am duty-bound to ensure that taxpayers are not footing a $420,000 bill for a project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state and its citizens." Mayor Healy, why can't we be smart and follow suit?

The citizens of Jersey City have worked hard in recent years to make our neighborhood a prosperous place to live, work, and play. A place to start a business. A place to raise children. A place to own a home. A place to enjoy great food and spend time with friends. A place to create art and be expressive.

Jersey City is not a party town. Grove Street is not a party district. We feel that MTV's new show will make a mockery of us, whether it be intentional or not. The cast of this show are not the kinds of people that would bring hope and prosperity to our neighborhood, but rather would jeopardize our city's image, disrupt our day-to-day life, and potentially damage our livelihood.

As Mayor, you know best that our city struggles everyday with growing crime and financial distress. Let's focus our energy on what we can do to make this a greater city, not defame it.

[Your name]