Please allow me to digress from the law to come to the defense of my (former) home state, New Jersey. Yes, I am originally from New Jersey (don’t tell anyone). Let me clarify as I have done in the past and will likely do for the rest of my life, I am from SOUTH JERSEY.
New Jersey as a whole is currently under attack from a barrage of trashy reality shows, leaving the rest of the nation with misguided perceptions of the Garden State. I ask that when you watch those shows (we know you do), that you think the following:
Jersey Shore: NORTH JERSEY
The Real Housewives of New Jersey: NORTH JERSEY
Jerseylicious: NORTH JERSEY
All of these shows are set and cast in North Jersey. Draw a line across the state at Trenton (around Exit 7A on the Turnpike), look above that line and over by the New York City area. Heck, the people in Jersey Shore are mainly New Yorkers thrown together in a house in a North Jersey shore town.
Now, I don’t necessarily disagree that these New Jersey reality shows might accurately depict a certain element of people from North Jersey—I just want it known that things are different, better, in South Jersey where I’m from (I mean,really, do you think a South Jersey guy like myself could ever get away with calling himself “The Situation”?).
Sure, we may have had our share of bright, yellow Camaro Iroc Zs and guys with more gold around their necks than Fort Knox in South Jersey. Yes, there is a certain element in South Jersey that will kick you at least three times when you're down and out in a fight (but not five times, like in North Jersey). By and large, however, things are much more pleasant in South Jersey.
Think of South Jersey as being made up of sprawling, green suburbia and farmland compared to the dingy, on-top-of-each other rowhouses in North Jersey in the shadows New York City and the oil refineries and chemical plants off the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.
Think of the beautiful southern New Jersey shorelines in family-friendly Brigantine, Longport, and Ocean City compared to (Yuck!) Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant and other North Jersey Beaches.
Think of nice roadways through the Pine Barrens in South Jersey lined with vegetables stands overflowing with Jersey tomatoes, peaches, blueberries and corn compared to the monstrous five (5) lanes in each direction Garden State Parkway in North Jersey.
To further clarify the distinction, note that South Jersey primarily has Phillies and Eagles fans compared to the obnoxious Mets, Yankees, and Giants fans of North Jersey.
So, please, when you are caused to think of New Jersey by these reality shows or any other negative publicity, remember that there’s North Jersey (what you’re negatively thinking of about Jersey) and South Jersey.
Aaaah, I feel better now—thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Speaking of chests, I read that Snooki was thrown in jail last night. One North Jersey character down, many more to go.
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Ha! A subtle, but critical, distinction that is often overlooked by the rest of the country. Fortunately, here in the South (not South Jersey, but "the South"), we don't have to worry about any negative stereotypes ... (yeah right)
ReplyDeleteDan,
ReplyDeleteYou're right, South Jersey is magnificent...I race sports cars at MIllville ( a new track near Vineland) several times a year and love the area. Most people think if Jersey as a concrete jungle with people living on top of each other. TORT TALK is a great venture...keep up the good work.
Mike Cefalo, Esq.
Cefalo & Associates
Hilarious Dan - Great way to start the week - thanks!
ReplyDeleteJerry "J-LAW" Connor
But as a South Jersey defense guy, maybe you could call yourself "Getting out of the Situation," or better yet, "The Solution."
ReplyDeleteJames W. Scott, Jr., Esquire
Dan:
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I am a devotee of Tort Talk. However, I am compelled to register constructive criticism regarding your latest post regarding the State of New Jersey. Specifically, I take issue with your slight of fans of the New York Football Giants, of which I am one.
I find it amusing that you describe Giants fans as “obnoxious” while no such label is used by you with respect to Eagles fans. I believe that this is submitted in order to try to draw some type of distinction between the segments of the populace in North Jersey as opposed to South Jersey.
Allow me to respond…
First of all, the latest story of fan notoriety is the Phillies fan (I believe you lumped in Phillies fans with those who identify themselves generally from South Jersey) who induced vomiting on another fan who was the daughter of an Easton policeman. Please take note that the fan who perpetrated this remarkable act of barbarity, and who was subsequently arrested and convicted on this action, was from SOUTH JERSEY, specifically Cherry Hill.
Moreover, Eagles fans are not generally known by reputation as passive creatures. I submit this You Tube clip of a typical Eagles game as visual evidence of what passes as typical behavior by Eagles fans a their games. I didn’t see anyone from South Jersey even attempting to stop the boorish behavior shown on the video.
Further, as you might be aware, fan behavior has been traditionally so bad at Eagles games that circumstances compelled holding magisterial district court at Eagles games conducted by one of our Supreme Court Justices.
Philadelphia sports fans have booed Santa, hurled batteries of athletes on the field, allegedly prostituted themselves for World Series tickets, and generally revel in having a bad reputation among sports enthusiasts. If these examples of bad behavior do not merit the label of at least, “obnoxious,” I don’t know what does.
I’m not promoting or degrading either North or South Jersey. However, I’m quite skeptical about what was implied, if not outright stated, in your post that Eagles and Phillies fans are less obnoxious than Giants fans.
The evidence clearly shows the opposite.
Thanks for letting me reply.