Jersey Shore Cast Goes Mainstream On Today Show – Ha, Just Kidding

The millions of soccer moms who may have previously been unaware about the smushing that occurred on MTV Thursdays at 10pm were introduced this morning to the cast of Jersey Shore on NBC’s Today show.

It went pretty much how you’d expect – the cast members were themselves, and Meredith Vieira conducted the anthropological exploration as a curious outsider.

The introduction by correspondent Jeff Rossen summed up the show’s reaction: “The people who like it are obsessed with it, the people who hate it – they really really hate it.”

The report included explanatory details sure to horrify Mommy Minivan. “That’s Nicole Polizzi, nicknamed ‘Snooki,’” said Rossen in the report. “She was even punched in the face this season!”

Then it was time for Vieira (Jersey Shore nickname “M-Scream”) and her interview. “Fistpumps all around for you guys,” she said, and set-up the big reveal – that the cast had re-signed for season two. This of course was not breaking news, except maybe to the majority of Today‘s audience. “The situation is, I believe, all of us have, all in agreement, that we’re all going to be coming back for a second season and we’re all pretty excited about that,” said The Situation.

Then it was time to get to know the cast. “When you say you want to meet a tan, juiced up guido, is that you talking, or is that just a ‘we made up these characters,’” Vieira asked Snooki, who earnestly shook her head no. Are you kidding? Snooki is real!

At the end of the segment, Vieira tried to break some actual news, asking if Sweetheart and Ronnie were together. “We’re both happy, so…” said Sweetheart. The whole exchange was made more interesting by the fact that Ronnie was not present for the segment. Rossen (nickname – “J-Muscle”) tweeted about his absence:

Many of you asking where Ronnie was this morning. Word is, he has the flu. He was basically unreachable this morning…

The flu…sure. Sounds like too much Ron-Ron Juice.

The cast also hung out with Demi Moore in the green room, whose husband’s Punk’d could never claim to be “the highest rated show in MTV history” (which is what Jersey Shore achieved for the finale last month).

Well folks, this is no longer reality TV – this is reality. Get used to it.

Here’s the segment from Today:

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• Asylum covered the recent Jersey Shore lookalike contest.

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