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Since debuting in 2009, MTV’s Jersey Shore has become a touchstone in pop culture. The reality series and the cast of characters has been parodied in shows like Saturday Night Live, but the show is also referenced in scripted shows like New Girl. Discover the cultural impact Jersey Shore has made on television, including the hundreds of times the show has been referenced, like the blink-or-you’ll-miss-it moment in Zooey Deschanel’s New Girl. Moreover, discover all of the spinoff shows Jersey Shore has inspired over the last 13 years. 

The cast of 'Jersey Shore' in 2010: Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, Vinny Guadagnino; Sitting on the chair: Angelina Pivarnick, Jenni 'JWoww' Farley, and Pauly DelVecchio
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi, Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Giancola, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick, Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley, and Pauly DelVecchio | Tiffany Rose/WireImage

‘Jersey Shore’ references in pop culture

According to IMDb, Jersey Shore has been referenced, spoofed, or featured in more than 100 shows including Tosh.0, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Sometimes, these nods to Jersey Shore come up in passing dialogue. Other times, the show or the cast become the butt of a joke a late-night host will make. 

Then there are the parodies of the cast themselves seen in shows like Saturday Night Live. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino are among the most popular references from the reality show, likely because of their big personalities. However, all of the cast has been referenced at some point or another. 

‘Jersey Shore’ Easter Egg in ‘New Girl’ Season 4 

In the season 4 finale episode of New Girl “Clean Break,” Coach (Damon Wayans, Jr.) prepares to move to New York. Meanwhile, Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Deschanel) re-evaluate their friendship, and Schmidt (Max Greenfield) finally proposes to Cece (Hannah Simone).

But eagle-eyed fans on Reddit noticed something more. The New Girl episode contains a hilarious set decoration that connects to Jersey Shore. 

In the scene’s background, you can see refrigerator magnets that spell out Pauly D. “When you’re watching New Girl and see the set decorator clearly is a Jersey Shore fan,” the original post read. Other fans enjoyed the find, calling the Easter Egg a “satisfying” find. 

See the reference for yourself! New Girl is available to stream through Netflix, Prime Video, Vudu, and Apple TV.

‘Jersey Shore’ has inspired several spinoffs, too

After the success Jersey Shore experienced in 2009, 495 Productions sought to create more shows like it. First came the spinoffs involving the cast of the original series, including The Pauly D Project and Snooki & JWoww. 

Then came more reality shows inspired by Jersey Shore. This includes Geordie Shore, the English version of the MTV series, The Valleys, and Gandia Shore. Other reality shows Jersey Shore has inspired include: 

  • Warsaw Shore
  • Acapulco Shore
  • Super Shore
  • Floribama Shore
  • Rio Shore
  • Reality Shore
  • Buckhead Shore
Related

‘Jersey Shore’ Producer Admits ‘Snooki’ and ‘JWoww’s Note to Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Was ‘Their Idea’

In 2022, All Star Shore debuted on Paramount+. The Challenge-style series featured stars from these Jersey Shore spinoffs, including OG Angelina Pivarnick, competing against each other for a cash prize. Moreover, the original Jersey Shore cast continues to experience success thanks to the reboot Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, which is filming season 6 at publication. 

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Lauren Anderson

Senior Writer - Streaming

I'm an entertainment nerd (seriously, I studied it in college) who consumes pop culture for breakfast. When I'm not writing about my favorite movies and television series, you can find me watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall for the umpteenth time or planning my next vacation.

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