What is it that gives a neighborhood or town a sense of personality? From the people that live there to the scenery, each has its own specific traits that define it. This holds true even for Staten Island- the “Forgotten Borough”. Staten Island is the least populated of the five boroughs of New York, but the third largest in area with approximately 38.4% vacant land. Although the island is isolated, the inhabitants of Staten Island have become very well known. Due to television programs and movies, Staten islanders have received a reputation for being loud and obnoxious. In other words, the “Guido”- the typical Italian with a Staten Island accent. This media representation has made Staten Islanders popular targets for ridicule and disrespect. I want to further understand why the media chooses to portray Staten Islanders in such a way and if it is actually true to real life.
The Media and Stereotypes:
Stereotypes
What does it mean to be stereotyped? A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people that becomes a common public belief. These generalizations are based
upon specific characteristics each individual possesses. Stereotyping can be very problematic. Groups define themselves according to who they are and who they are not. These stereotypes are, in many instances, used in a negative manner to attack their pride and confidence.
The Media
The media has become an important factor in daily life. The average person spends 28 hours a week watching television and movies. This has had significant influence of the minds of people today. We are exposed to some form of media everyday, whether it be a magazine, newspaper, internet, movies, etc. The media has the ability to reproduce the self-image of a society. In doing so they tend to over exaggerate the reality of the society. This is why many stereotypes form. The media is successful in influencing the minds of people due to the wide audience it reaches and gimmicks they use to deliver the message.
The Forgotten Borough--or so we thought...
In present years the media has chosen to focus on Staten Island, and more specifically the people that live there. When mentioning Staten Island it is a common to hear words such as Guido, tan, fake, accents and many more. Where did these assumptions come from? The media has "brainwashed" the audience into believing this is truly how every Staten Islander behaves. it has portrayed the younger generation of Staten Island as ignorant, wild partyers. It is not surprising that Staten Island is gaining a bad reputation.
In this Youtube video: a girl talks about stereotypes that are prevalent in the media. She focuses her point of view on Italian Americans. She uses clips from various movies and television shows as examples. Also she interviews some Italian Americans in order to get their feedback on the media's use of stereotypes.
Guidos and Guidettes
The Jersey Shore Photo courtesy of www.mtv.com/shows/jersey_shore.com
A commonly used stereotype in Staten Island is a "Guido". A "Guido" is a person, usually italian american, that thinks very highly of themselves and takes great pride in their appearance. they usually reside in New York or New Jersey. They can be found wandering the malls or at the gym working on their bodies. The guido stereotype has become a negative image. Due to television shows such as the "Jersey Shore", the term guido (males) or Guidette (females) is associated with being rude/obnoxious, built or juiced, and above all FAKE. The media also depicts "Guidos" as wild partyers, with many anger issues. although many consider this term to be offensive towards italians, there are some who accept it and are proud to say they belong to this group. In a way it has given them yet another way to stand out in the world.
Gangster/Ghetto
If you are not a part of the "Guidos" of Staten Island, then you must be in a gang or try to act gangster. This is what many outsiders believe to be true of Staten Islanders. another common stereotype that comes to mind when people hear Staten Island is that we are rowdy teenagers, involved in gangs and drugs. It is typically thought to be groups of teens, wearing baggy clothing, smoking and pill popping. In the movie Staten Island, director James Demonaco depicts the characters as older men born and raised in Staten Island, involved in the mob with the purpose of killing and selling drugs.
The Godfather Photo courtesy of www.thegodfather.com
The Sopranos Photo courtesy of www.hbo.com
"Staten Island" Photo courtesy of www.customglassanddoors.com/index.php?key=Staten
Staten Island and Big Fan
These movies depict Staten Island in very different ways. The movie Staten Island focuses on the mob/gangster aspect the of Island. The movie Big Fan shows more realistic characters, basing the movie on a sports fanatic. although the plots are farfetched, the emotions and most of the actions of the characters are real. I used these two particular movies because they are not similar in their plots, however they both focus on the people of Staten Island. They show how staten islanders interact with one another and how is it to live on Staten Island.
