Will Snooki’s Wedding Air on MTV after All?
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Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi recently announced that she’s marrying fiance Jionni LaValle in a “Great Gatsby”-themed wedding. The star of MTV’s reality series “Jersey Shore” and its spinoff “Snooki and JWoww” plans to get married in the fall at the Venetian banquet hall in Garfield, NJ. MTV wants to film the wedding for an upcoming special. Garfield town officials are discussing whether to grant permits for the taping.
Mayor Joseph Delaney tells “The Reporter” that filming in Garfield is a great thing. Others on the town council are less enthusiastic. Councilman Frank Calandriello has concerns about how Garfield might be portrayed. He tells the newspaper, “I think we have a moral obligation to protect the best interest of Garfield. We need to investigate this further.”
Calandriello’s concerns stem from the way “Jersey Shore” glorified its cast members’ bad behavior. Snooki and friends were frequently drunk, slept around, and couldn’t utter a sentence without “bleeps” censoring their language.
Mayor Delaney dismisses how “Jersey Shore” might hurt the reputation of Garfield. “I think their intentions are to film her growing up. I think it’s a good idea, especially since The Venetian is a landmark in the state. To even consider filming here is a great thing.”
City Attorney Robert Ferrarro is reviewing the contract before the city officials make a decision. Ferraro explains that the council cannot censor the filming; however, they can block it for safety reasons.
If the city allows the taping of Snooki’s wedding special, it won’t be the first time Garfield has been in a television show or movie. HBO filmed its hit series “The Sopranos” there. Although HBO didn’t pay the city, it covered expenses such as overtime for police who blocked streets. When the movie “The Wrestler” starring Mickey Rourke was filmed at the Boys & Girls Club, producers paid the club for allowing them to film at the location.
