No shame, we love Jersey Shore, but we're getting the feeling that New Jersey residents probably don't. Anymore, anyway.
Under a recent state film tax credit that was approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), New Jersey's resident taxpayers will now be picking up the bill for the MTV series, beginning with $420,000 for season one. Apparently, the argument is that since the show generates so much revenue for the state in terms of tourism, the higher taxes are justified as it balances things out.
It doesn't look like Governor Chris Christie is too thrilled about this. "The Governor’s opinions about Jersey Shore and its New Yorker cast are well-known: They are phonies and the show is a false portrayal of New Jersey and our shore communities," said Christie's spokesperson, Michael Drewniak. Nor are people like Assembleyman Declan O'Scanlon, who's quoted as saying, "I can’t believe we are paying for fake tanning for ‘Snooki’ and ‘The Situation,' and I am not even sure $420,000 covers that."
The NJEDA, meanwhile, summarized the show as follows: "The film is about eight roommates. There is no screenplay. The roommates live in a house and are asked to work in a local establishment on the New Jersey Coast. The cameras capture the interaction among the roommates and how the roommates interact at work and at play in Seaside Heights."
We prefer a much simpler description: GTL, all day.
[Via New Jersey Star-Ledger]
