As an American of Italian ancestry, I don’t think MTV is exploiting The Jersey Shore gang because they are Italian.
I think they are being exploited because they are gullible idiots. That quality knows no ethnic boundary! :-)
I grew up in North Jersey and used to hitch hike down the shore in highschool, crashing on the Seaside Heights beach.
The guidos were everywhere. And they were predominantly, but by no means, exclusively Italian. I knew plenty of Greek, Jewish, hispanic, Irish and mid-eastern guidos. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how many mid-eastern guidos there are. I remember the Haboush brothers with their matching IROCs!
It's all about the hair gel, the cheesy cars, the dumb accent and the stupid clothes. Oh, and you have to be an idiot in every way, or you're out of the club.