Yell and scream, 'Jersey Shore' is a hit

New Jersey lawmakers and Italian-American groups can agitate all they want. There's no way MTV is canceling "Jersey Shore."

The controversial reality show about a group of self-described guidos and guidettes has become the network's highest-rated series, with huge growth over the past few weeks as the "Shore" stars become tabloid staples.

Last week's episode averaged a series-high 3.2 Nielsen rating among viewers 12-34 in its Thursday 10 p.m. timeslot. That was up 68 percent over its season-to-date average of 1.9.

Among adults 18-34, "Shore" ranked second on cable for the week behind only E!'s "Keeping up with the Kardashians."

"Shore" averaged a series-best 3.2 million total viewers as well despite airing opposite ABC's Bowl Championship Series title game, which drew its best ratings in three years. "Shore" bettered its season-to-date average of 2 million viewers by 60 percent.

The huge outcry over the show has sparked curiosity and is likely responsible for its surging ratings. A few weeks ago, the New Jersey Italian American Legislative Caucus appealed to MTV to cancel the program, calling it "wildly offensive."

That followed efforts in late November by two Italian-American groups to get "Shore" axed before it even debuted.

At issue has been what the protesters call the stereotyping of this ethnic group. If you judge all Italian-Americans by the young people on "Shore," you'd believe they care only about working out, hooking up, and gelling their hair, though to be fair, that's pretty much what the kids of all ethnicities on "Real World" do, too.

But the people these groups consider offensive characters have turned into marketable personalities for MTV. The show's two breakout stars, womanizer The Situation and buxom brunette Snooki, have become tabloid staples, and there was a huge uproar when Snooki was seen being hit by a man in a preview for an upcoming episode.

MTV pulled the footage but it was leaked online, where it's become a viral hit. The network aired a public service announcement denouncing violence against women last month, after the clip began stirring up a whole new set of controversy.