There's room for 'Jersey Shore' — but not at the Emmy Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — On Sunday, the television industry will spend three hours (at least) celebrating all that's good about TV.

And, for the most part, trying to ignore what's bad about TV.

Not that that makes the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences any different from any other group. For example, you're not going to see "Piranha 3D" get an Oscar nomination as best picture.

And, no, "Jersey Shore" is not nominated for an Emmy as best comedy. Or best drama. Or reality show.

But John Shaffner, who's the chairman and chief executive officer of the television academy, found himself in the position of having to defend — sort of — shows like "Jersey Shore." He has to be a sort of politician in his position, and he offered the "big tent" dodge.

"This is a question that we struggle with likewise," Shaffner said. "The challenge of popular culture and the excellence that can be perceived in popular culture (is) oftentimes at the time we're seeing it, (we) don't recognize what is excellent about it."

Acknowledging that it was "pretty dumb" even as he was saying it, Shaffner compared "Jersey Shore" to the Beatles.

Really.

"When the Beatles came out, most of our culture denied them as having any viable artistic merit," he said. "And of course, now we look back and say this is probably one of the greatest musical achievements of the last 100 years, although some people could continue to debate that."

He's right about the Beatles, of course. But it's hard not to agree that the comparison with "Jersey Shore" is "pretty dumb."

As a matter of fact, what you're reading right now may be the first and last time the words "artistic merit" and "Jersey Shore" have ever been used in the same sentence.

"But in terms of, yes, 'Jersey Shore,' the thing about television is it's so vast that there is room for programming like that, and it serves a purpose and people are entertained by it," Shaffner said.

It's appalling, but he's right.

He's also right when he points out that different people like different TV programs.

"You turn around the corner, and (people) say, 'Oh, I can't believe it. I love the "Housewives of Orange County." And I'm going, like, 'You're kidding me,' " he said.