The Sexist: Sex and Gender in the District
Beyond DC
The Sexist Outcry Over Snookie Getting Punched In the Face
Posted by Amanda Hess on Dec. 11, 2009, at 11:08 am
Picture 6
MTV reality sensation Jersey Shore (the Real Word, but with guidos), is only two episodes in, but it’s already infamous for a moment that hasn’t yet aired. Next week, Snookie, one of the show’s self-described “guidettes,” will get punched in the face by a man in a bar. Judging by the show’s trailer, Jersey Shore is positively built upon its cast members getting into drunken bar fights. So why do we only care about one woman’s hit to the face?
The punch, which MTV previewed in a trailer for the upcoming season, has inspired both excitement and disdain from commentators. One Web site delighted over an image of Snookie getting punched over and over again, calling it “the most gratifying animated gif you will ever see”; Jezebel, which framed Snookie’s punch as an incident of violence against women, called the “the clip and commentary chilling.”
This week, MTV responded to the concern. According to NY Daily News, next week’s Snookie-punching episode will be a Very Special Episode of Jersey Shore:
MTV will air a public service announcement after next week’s episode of the controversial series “Jersey Shore” because it includes an incident of violence against a woman.
. . . The PSA, set to air following the Dec. 17 episode, reads: “Violence against women in any form is a crime. If you or someone you know is being abused by a boyfriend, family member or total stranger, please call 911 or log on to www.loveisrespect.org for information and help. You can also call The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474 for
Sunday, December 20, 2009
'Snookie' punched in the face by a school teacher
