Reaction roundup: what Snooki and the world are saying about Lake Shore

Reaction roundup: what Snooki and the world are saying about Lake Shore

The cast of Lake Shore (Image: lake-shore.ca)

When the “sizzle reel” for Lake Shore, Toronto’s despicable answer to Jersey Shore, went viral this week, American media jumped on the clip, revelling in the opportunity to say Canada is no better than the States. Reactions ranged from bemused to pitying, but the overarching theme was playing on such tired Canadian stereotypes as a love of hockey. Here, our collection of reactions from our neighbours to the south.

Liz Kelley of the Washington Post calls Canadians “so smug with their nationalized health care, bilingual province and Anne of Green Gables.” She goes on to say that Canada is “every bit as capable of converting douchey 20-somethings into profit-making trash TV as we Yanks” and decries the use of F-bombs and racist language in the sizzle reel.

• Anthony Benigno of New York Daily News opts for jokes Americans love to make about Canadians, saying GTL (gym, tanning, laundry, the tag line for Jersey Shore) should be changed to HPM: hockey, poutine and maple syrup. It seems clear Benigno has never been to Canada when he writes, “This crew has a lot more cause to get frisky in the hot tub considering their chilly surroundings.” You do know we moved out of the igloos years ago, right, Anthony?

• L.A. Times’ Leslie Gornstein pities us: “Poor, poor Canada. Being Canada, it has no New Jersey. And without a New Jersey, it cannot participate in groundbreaking sociological juggernauts like Jersey Shore.” She concedes the show won’t feature the stereotypical “beer-drinking, hockey-playing, toque-wearing Canadians.” While we’re certain plenty of booze will be involved, Gornstein is right: the cast is the bottle service—not brew—kind.

Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly revels in Lake Shore’s trashiness because Canada is finally just as terrible as the United States. He begins: “Fellow Americans, if you think our country has problems, I urge you to watch the extended preview for Lake Shore,” then decries the cast’s “caveman-like racial sensitivity” and throws up a bit in his mouth describing the cast. Finally, exercising every bit of hyperbole he can, Franich asks, “Is this the end of western civilization as we know it?” Maybe, Darren, but we can’t help but think the end was spurred on by one too many Real Housewives franchises.

• And the orange Bump-It queen herself, Snooki, tweeted, “OMG, just watched Lake-Shore….. Cricket. Just sayen,” suggesting she thinks Lake Shore can’t hold a candle to Jersey Shore’s craziness. Note to Canadian cast mates: eat more pickles.

‘Lake Shore’: Canada’s regrettable answer to ‘Jersey Shore’ [Washington Post]
‘Lake Shore,’ Canadian ‘Jersey Shore,’ introduces equally offensive multi-ethnic cast [New York Daily News]
PREACH IT! Canada’s ‘Lake Shore’ don’t need no stinkin’ Jersey — every other stereotype will do just fine [LA Times]
Canada’s ‘Jersey Shore’ will either save civilization or destroy it [Entertainment Weekly]