With one well-aimed, no-holds-bar punch, Brad Ferro knocked Snooki to the ground. For a brief moment, Snooki remained standing, dazed. She then dropped to the ground. Police arrived minutes later and arrested Ferro, a New York City high school gym teacher. Miraculously, Snooki was alright by the next episode, the "Jersey Shore" regular was once again fist-pumping and binge drinking with a healthy orange glow on her face.
MTV, which produces the show, heavily advertised the incident, but ultimately refused to show the punch on air after a wave of critics claimed that airing the clip would encourage domestic violence. MTV's decision, however, was more likely a result of marketing prowess than any real concern for victims of domestic abuse, and their claim otherwise is insulting.
"Jersey Shore," a steroid-injected version of "The Real World," features the (mostly) drunken exploits of Staten Island natives vacationing on the Jersey Shore. Anyone who's seen the show knows that this is not the first nor is it likely the last scuffle. The next episode featured another riff involving Snooki. This time, however, the aggressor was a woman. Instead of shying away from airing this spectacle, MTV showed it multiple times in slow motion with voiced-over commentary from multiple characters. In addition, the same episode prominently featured a brawl between Ronnie, a "Jersey Shore" cast member, and another man on the Shore boardwalk.
My first issue with MTV's decision is its insincerity. Just as banning books usually increases their popularity, refusing to air the punch generated considerable interest. The video's popularity online exploded, with some web sites featuring a constant loop of the assault. If MTV truly wanted to suppress the video, it could have done a much more effective job.
Rather, it seems that MTV's goal was to placate its sponsors by feigning a substantive reaction to the controversy. Furthermore, if MTV genuinely believed that showing violence encouraged domestic abuse and therefore refused to air it, then domestic abuse must not occur in gay or lesbian relationships either; MTV enthusiastically advertised and aired Ronnie's fight and the scuffle between Snooki and the other woman. While neither relationship is homosexual in nature, it still sets a precedent. The message seems to be that a man hitting a woman is unacceptable, but violence among the sexes is acceptable.
My second issue with MTV's censorship is how counterproductive it is. A major problem with domestic violence is that it usually is not reported. For far too long, law enforcement hesitated to interfere in what they considered "private" matters. Thankfully, that sentiment has changed. But even today, if victims fail to report the crime, then it is almost impossible for them to receive help.
Rather than refusing to air the clip, MTV should have exposed Ferro for the belligerent coward he is. Unprovoked, he wound up and duked a 4'9'' woman in the jaw after stealing several of her drinks. MTV shows all of the events immediately preceding and following the punch, so it's obvious what occurs. But, the intensity and force of the punch is shocking, and seeing the actual event reinforces how appalling it is. Ferro could not look less sympathetic, and it's indicative of far more troubling issues if viewers witness his action and feel inspired to assault another.
To be fair, I love "Jersey Shore." Until Sarah Palin's stint on Fox News airs, "Jersey Shore" is the most ridiculous and vacuous show on television. I enjoy turning off my brain and watching 47 minutes of absurdity that's as subtle as a charging hippopotamus. No one should take the show that seriously, and MTV is not and certainly should never be anyone's moral guide. But, MTV's producers shouldn't demean the issue of domestic violence by pretending to edit "Jersey Shore" for any reason other than free publicity.
What happened to Snooki was appalling, but that's all the more reason why we need to see it.
