Community Corner

Petition Started to 'Keep Snooki Out of Morristown'

Resident: Filming of 'Snooki & JWoww' is bad for Morristown.

Thanks, but, no thanks.

That is the message resident Sean Ryan wants to send to the production crew that has informed Morristown the "Snooki & JWoww" Reality television series .

He has not only drafted a letter calling on Mayor Tim Dougherty to do whatever he can to refuse 495 Productions from filming, but has created a petition for disatisfied residents to voice their opposition, as well.

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"The inevitable problem I see with allowing for 495 Productions' 'Jersey Shore' spinoff to film within Morristown can be attributed to what many other New Jersey towns have gone through," said Ryan, 24, who moved to Morristown a few months ago from Ringwood. "Cities such as Hoboken and Jersey City have either flat-out denied filming or local businesses have gone as far as to ban the cast from frequenting their establishments. I am sure fewer families visit the town of Seaside [Heights, the location of the original 'Jersey Shore' series] because of the negative publicity caused by the show."

In Jersey Shore, a cast of self-proclaimed "Guidos" and "Guidettes–"including Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWoww" Farley, the stars of the "Snooki & JWoww" spinoff–live a hard-partying lifestyle. Polizzi, one of the show's most recognizable characters, is now pregnant, however, and residing in East Hanover with the baby's father, Jionni LaValle. 

Find out what's happening in Morristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Still, Ryan notes it's not just the negative aspect of the people being filmed, but who they can attract that has him and others worried. "The controversial show draws crowds of people hoping to get a glimpse of the 'celebrities,'" he said. "Our town’s already-overworked police force would have to focus more attention on crowd control caused by their visits. Our town has more pressing issues like the rising poverty levels and an influx of undocumented workers than having to police and stress about the taping of a television show. I do not see the benefit of allowing for the unnecessary publicity."

Dougherty there is presently no ordinance or regulation on the books in Morristown that gives them the right to deny any production crew from filming in Morristown. It was such an ordinance in Hoboken–prohibiting filming in residential neighborhoods after 11 p.m.–that allowed that city's mayor Dawn Zimmer to deny the show from filming there.

"I can respect the mayor's recent comments regarding refusing to allow production," Ryan said. "I understand that while his hands may be tied, he can still get the point across that the majority of citizens do not want filming to occur here. The reason I started the petition was so that others who felt the same as me could simply sign their name and repost the link quickly and effectively."

As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 50 people had signed Ryan's petition.

"Instead of having to find a law or ordinance that would refuse them, it might be better to just say, 'thanks, but, no thanks,'" Ryan said. 


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