Community Corner

Snooki & JWoww Coming to Town: 'Not the End of the World'

Business owners react to Reality TV stars expected in Morristown next month.

With a pair of the cast members of the popular reality program "Jersey Shore" expected to be to film the second season of "Snooki & JWoww," people are expressing their opinions.

Many readers have voiced displeasure at the idea of Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWoww" Farley filming their spinoff series here, both and on the Morristown Patch Facebook page. Some have criticized public officials, although there presently is no permitting process that can restrict a production crew–such as the 495 Productions company that has said they planned to come here Aug. 9–from filming in Morristown.

Ed Kirchdoerffer, general manager for the , offered some food for thought.

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"The sun's coming out the next day," he said. "It's not the end of the world."

While not personally a fan of either of the MTV-aired programs featuring a number of self-proclaimed "guidos" and "guidettes–"most of which aren't even from New Jersey, Kirchdoerffer said, "anything that brings attention to Morristown is always good.

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"People will be able to see all the wonderful things here in town," he said. "Maybe someone will discover Morristown."

Jon McGloin, owner of , was a little more on the fence. 

"It's good to have publicity," he said. "At the same time, is it going to be a positive thing for residents and businesses? I'm not sure, it could go either way."

Premiering in 2009, "Jersey Shore" has been criticized by some for its glorification of a hard-partying lifestyle. McGloin noted, however, the pending birth of Polizzi's first child in September. For a person that has historically been known on the show as one of the hardest partiers coming to a town with a lot of places to party, "her being pregnant might be a good thing," he said.

The two cast members also are not expected to actually live in Morristown, as noted on the letter sent from 495 Productions. Polizzi recently moved to East Hanover to live with Jionni LaValle, her fiance and father of her child, which they are naming Lorenzo.

Michael Fabrizio, executive director for the , is a little less on the fence about the matter. "Personally, I don't like the idea at all. I'd rather they vacation elsewhere, to be honest.

"But, it is what it is, and hopefully it's not going to be disruptive," he said. "Maybe I'm an old fuddy duddy."

Council President Michelle Dupree-Harris noted it was not her place to say what people such as Polizzi and Farley can and cannot do.

"They have a right like anyone else to come and visit the town," she said. "It could be good for the town, in terms of additional revenue from them visiting the town, and from others coming to town just to meet them."

Fabrizio said he didn't think such a concept as what "Jersey Shore" and its brand have presented historically "fits who or what we are. But, I'm sure there a lot of people that like it.

"My understanding is, it's not 'Jersey Shore,'" he said. "Maybe it won't be that bad."

Still, "is that the kind of crowd Morristown wants, the Snookis and JWowws," McGloin asked. "I'm still 50/50 on it. We'll have to wait and see." 


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