By Emily Gross

The cast members of  “Jersey Shore” are a strange and foreign tribe that have invaded our country with their fake tans, big hair and ridiculous language.

For those who have been living under a rock for the past year, “Jersey Shore” is a reality show that documents the lives of eight crazy people living under one roof for the summer. An episode would not be complete without at least one crazy hookup or cat fight.

MTV’s “Jersey Shore” first aired in December 2009, and it has since become a cultural phenomenon.

In its second season premiere, the show was ranked the No. 1 cable telecast of 2010 and broke series records with 5.3 million viewers, according to Tvbythenumbers.com.

The show has brought an entirely new culture to the country, encouraging audiences to live the GTL lifestyle that isn’t just for the shore anymore.

For the few sad individuals who don’t know what it is, GTL stands for Gym, Tan and Laundry. The guys on the show perform this ritual daily, and some viewers are starting to do the same.

“GTL is my lifestyle,” said senior Mitch Hoyt.

Mitch has seen every episode, and he loves it because he believes the Jersey Shore cast knows how to party.

“Jersey Shore” is not a show viewers can watch occasionally or just when they’re bored. It’s serious business, and viewers have to make a choice: Love it or hate it? While some are addicted to the show, others simply view it as trashy.

“I hate it. Every time someone watches it, they become dumber,” said senior Elissa McConnell.

Elissa thinks the stupidity of the people on the show can rub off on the viewers because young viewers often try to copy  people they see becoming famous on TV.

It’s scary for her to think that people can be famous for simply getting drunk and getting into fights all the time.

Pop culture shows in general can influence their viewers, especially shows that cater to a young audience. For example, MTV’s “16 & Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” have had an impact on senior Danyelle Moncuse.

“Those shows made me realize I should focus on my future and not jeopardize it by making stupid decisions,” she said.

With any controversy, there are two sides to every story.

“I love ‘Jersey Shore’,” said senior Lauren Beyerle. “The people on it are ridiculously stupid, but they make my life so much better.”

Lauren is a die-hard fan of the show and aspires to be on it after she graduates.

But there is a bigger issue at hand than whether people like the show or not: Are the cast members good role models for today’s youth?

The answer seems obvious to Elissa.

“They aren’t good role models at all,” she said. “Snooki is the worst!”

She said the show probably does have an influence on a lot of young people, which she finds unfortunate.

Lauren while agreeing that cast members aren’t good role models, thinks they don’t really influence so many people in such a negative way.

“They’re terrible role models, but watching them teaches people not to be that way in the future,” she said.

Mitch, on the other hand, thinks the cast members are good role models for those who want to party.

“They got famous because everyone likes to watch drunk people fighting,” he said.

Liking the show or not is immaterial because “Jersey Shore” is one of the most talked about shows of the year.

Jump on the bandwagon by watching Thursdays at 10 p.m.