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Lake Shore reality show announces racially categorized cast

Posted by Derek Flack / November 9, 2010

Writing about Lake Shore, Toronto's self-touted "fresh new addition to the reality TV revolution," is surely a catch-22. Even if one wants to criticize the show and and its over-the-top focus on the racial make-up of its cast members, he has to realize that for enterprises of this nature, all press is good press.

So, a couple of solutions: 1.) I'll resist the urge to take the racially-categorized cast list with any seriousness, and 2.) I'll remind myself that shock tactics like this are so transparently desperate, there's really no need to add any analysis or insight into the matter. Everybody gets it.

Check out the YouTube clip above to see the latest development from a reality TV series that, it should be remembered, has yet to get on television.

Discussion

71 Comments

d / November 9, 2010 at 11:03 am
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thats not toronto !!! thats not toronto!!!

im personally gonna find downtown d and challenge him to a fight.
R / November 9, 2010 at 11:11 am
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This is basically MeetMeInTO: The Series. Every douchebag from that site probably auditioned. I wonder how many STDs this cast has among them...
Rochelle / November 9, 2010 at 11:14 am
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I'm ashamed to be from Thornhill and of Jewish descent.
What a travesty.
Sean / November 9, 2010 at 11:48 am
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I'm looking forward to this train wreck. Should be a disaster of epic proportions.
Rob / November 9, 2010 at 11:56 am
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These people are a huge collection of douchy-ness, but that's the point, isn't it?

What fun would a bunch of level-headed folks discussing politics or culture over some chai lattes?

This is Trash TV which require, well, trash!
Rob / November 9, 2010 at 12:01 pm
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Rob Ford won't allow this! Too much gravy, baby.
Rachel / November 9, 2010 at 12:02 pm
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I like that Downtown D is only downtown three or four days a week. Living in the Annex everyday never seemed so hardcore until now.
Long Gone / November 9, 2010 at 12:10 pm
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There is no shortage of criminals or posers to be in your shore show. Way to be original there guys. Why bother creating a new idea when you can just copy what is trending. Now that's world class stuff. NOT!!!

What makes you think anyone would watch this crap?

Should have made a sitcom. You could be yourselves for big laughs.....

J.Rai / November 9, 2010 at 12:19 pm
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I'd rather watch a show about Igor Kenk, Rob Ford, the G20 anarchist ringleaders and OH MY GOD SOMEBODY GET ME A TV PRODUCER.
pat / November 9, 2010 at 12:47 pm
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Ick. The lowest common denominator just got lower.
Long Gone / November 9, 2010 at 01:05 pm
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I vote for the chick full of burgers n fries to be the lakeshore Snookie. Paint her orange and you got a big fat clown. After all BFC's can buy their way onto television just like anybody else. I would personally like to start a pool of which day of the week the gay guy gets it. The tall chick obviously spends all her money on Botox. The naked thing in the pool really really needs to lose her virginity and a pound or two. The Italian guy is just funny but not the way he thinks. The guy at the end seems to know a lot about being homosexual 'huhuhuhu'. I wonder if he makes that sound when his boyfriend is zeroing in on his backside.

Sorry but this is too funny today!! Please, please stop. I am laughing so much it hurts!!!!
Sean / November 9, 2010 at 01:07 pm
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No token black person?
Rob replying to a comment from Sean / November 9, 2010 at 01:14 pm
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Also, given that Toronto is 50% Chinese and South Asian, where is their representation?
Greg replying to a comment from Long Gone / November 9, 2010 at 01:31 pm
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Watch out folks; it's raining zingers!

R O B is correct. Where are tha gangstahhhh Chinese/Tamils?

Season 2.
WTF / November 9, 2010 at 01:34 pm
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I didnt think anything could've been worse then JacLife. But I was wrong.
Mike W replying to a comment from Long Gone / November 9, 2010 at 01:45 pm
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So who has more class now, this idiot or the idiots on the show?
Mike W replying to a comment from Rob / November 9, 2010 at 01:48 pm
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I wouldn't be surprised if the producers haven't noticed the minorities of the city.

Although I wouldn't give the show enough credit to think they'd try to be representative.
John / November 9, 2010 at 01:53 pm
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Why would any tv station bother putting a second rate clone of Jersey Shore on tv? Not original in any way! They might as well throw their money away or better give it to charity.
Evan / November 9, 2010 at 01:55 pm
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No Greek?!?!
Evan / November 9, 2010 at 02:02 pm
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These people do not represent their respective ethnicities in any way. They all have the same lifestyles, interests and personalities. So why always the racial themes?
simuls / November 9, 2010 at 02:02 pm
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Doesn't seem any better or any worse than Jersey Shore and people watch that like mad.

I did particularly like how Salem considers himself to be a "pes-timistic" person...and he's not gay? Gotta be a plant for some drama down the way with Hollywood's coming out.
C / November 9, 2010 at 02:22 pm
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Reply @ d .. lmao, were expecting people like you so these 'threats' don't scare nor intimidate any of us @ all. Good Luck and happy hating.
Anon / November 9, 2010 at 02:23 pm
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Apparently the term "race" is interchangeable with "nationality". All of these people of of the same "race" but different "nationalities". That is not the same. DUH.
Jake / November 9, 2010 at 02:25 pm
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I never realized multiculturalism was so white.
C replying to a comment from d / November 9, 2010 at 02:41 pm
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Reply @ d .. lmao, were expecting people like you so these 'threats' don't scare nor intimidate any of us @ all. Good Luck and happy hating.
Rob replying to a comment from Jake / November 9, 2010 at 02:44 pm
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Very true. You could argue that kids from New Jersey are cut from the same cloth, but I think it's fair to say that Toronto offers a fairly unique opportunity to have people from all over the world on the show (even if they are crazy clubber types).

The Lebanese guy sounds gay, however...
Rob replying to a comment from Jake / November 9, 2010 at 02:47 pm
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Very true. You could argue that kids from New Jersey are cut from the same cloth, but I think it's fair to say that Toronto offers a fairly unique opportunity to have people from all over the world on the show (even if they are crazy clubber types).

The Lebanese guy sounds gay, however...
Wait... what? / November 9, 2010 at 02:50 pm
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The Lebanese guy isn't gay? Seriously?
JoeParez / November 9, 2010 at 03:32 pm
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This is beyond awful.
Seriously. This will go down with all the other Canadian - American TV ripoffs; such as 'Who Wants To Be A CANADIAN Millionaire?", "Are You Smarter Than A Canadian 5th Grader?", "Canadian Idol(ol)" and so forth and of course, THE CFL.

Canada will hype it, no one will care.
Z / November 9, 2010 at 04:08 pm
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Salem is pretty openly gay, so I guess it's just in the script that he pretend not to be for a while. Also, his DOB is 1982 according to his Facebook page, so dude ain't 24 years old either.
david / November 9, 2010 at 04:23 pm
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I cannot believe i actually watched that- I refuse to watch jersey shore but i thought this was about Toronto. These people are not from Toronto- they are the Douchebags and Hoochies that come down in Daddy's car on the weekends- I own a Night Club in Toronto and when these people try to get in the cover doubles or "Guest List Only tonight" and send them elsewhere.
fn / November 9, 2010 at 05:03 pm
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wait! isn't the gay dude that czech guy? the one who did 'the screwdriver"? seemed very gay to me.
Lacey / November 9, 2010 at 05:09 pm
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God help us all.
tamil person replying to a comment from Greg / November 9, 2010 at 08:09 pm
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"R O B is correct. Where are tha gangstahhhh Chinese/Tamils?"

I'm thanking all of these people's respective gods that they couldn't find a caricature to fill that spot. This is going to be a disaster.
Mike W / November 9, 2010 at 08:41 pm
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Just watched the "trailer". This is going to be an embarrassment to the city, youtube or not.

I wish we could force them to have a "does not represent Toronto" disclaimer like they have before infomercials.
Michael / November 9, 2010 at 09:18 pm
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Brought to you by George Tsioutsioulas. The male Lucy Zilio.
Choker / November 9, 2010 at 09:24 pm
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am I the only one who thinks this is a joke? these people are like stereo types drawn with the thickest marker, no one would be this willing to act out right? or I could be wrong and their just that willing to be dancing puppets for reality television. Either way I'm still not watching.
Christina replying to a comment from Michael / November 9, 2010 at 10:36 pm
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Haha the male Lucy Zilion - A.MA.ZING.
TOguy / November 9, 2010 at 11:32 pm
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What a bunch of haters here... Look in the mirror. Your condescension is unflattering.
electric / November 9, 2010 at 11:56 pm
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What a different vibe from the original Toronto reality show the lofters

I didn't know jersey shore was being filmed Toronto... lol
Piro21 / November 10, 2010 at 12:16 am
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Everyone in Toronto is Middle Eastern or from the former Soviet Union. There are no Indians, Chinese, or black people here.
The Liquor / November 10, 2010 at 04:12 am
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1 is from Mississauga, 1 is from Whitby, 1 is "always downtown" (2-3 nights a week), so likely lives in Mississauga or Vaughan.

jesus christ.

can't we call it the 905 shore instead and just pretend it doesnt exist?

Leeeeah / November 10, 2010 at 06:19 am
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Is this actually a TV show? I don't see any TV station attached to this.
choppery replying to a comment from Neil / November 10, 2010 at 08:48 am
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Uh, your comment is seriously fucked. Not in a good way.
frank replying to a comment from david / November 10, 2010 at 08:57 am
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David you in the F**K are you kidding if you really do own a bar in toronto you know that every club has there promotors that set up bus limos to bring all the kids from the outskirts and i am sure you would not turn back Kids from out of the Downtown area who would be stupid enough to buy the $125.00 bottles that they all buy, and if you do you are a shitty businessman
david / November 10, 2010 at 11:01 am
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Replying to Frank i have run my Bar/Nighclub for 15 years now and we still have lineups when we get to our 600 person capacity- We do NOT do bottle service and refuse any requests concerning Bus Packages - We have never used "Promoters" , we work with our DJ's to promote ourselves - We do not work with " Facebook who has the most friends kids" either
we pride ourselves at being a more Downtown Centric type of place- and a Top 40 Free zone
when it comes to music styles- Yes i make a Great Living - I could maybe Make more $$ but i would not want to Pander to the douchebag masses and I sleep better at night knowing that i can do things the way i want and not have to whore out my Venue.
gonzo / November 10, 2010 at 11:12 am
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Why couldn't they just get a bunch of gino's and send them to Wasaga - that would have been hilarious and awesome.

The trailer represents everything that is wrong with Toronto - especially the attitude that something is wrong with being Canadian, you have to be from somewhere else to have any sort of identity.

Face the facts, you're not from Turkey, you're from Scarborough.
ROB replying to a comment from gonzo / November 10, 2010 at 12:36 pm
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Absolutely pathetic trailer and I'm truly ashamed that this is getting the attention it is. I've been privileged to know some fine people of various ethnic backgrounds from Toronto in my life. Many from european backgrounds and NONE of them have been as shallow,superficial,vain,and outright stupid as the douchebags that represent their ethnicity and my city in that trailer.It's almost as if producer George Tool was on a mission to find the biggest losers and set them on us via a media blitz. Mayor Ford should launch a class action lawsuit against the production company for misrepresentation of Toronto.

Another point is WHERE are the CANADIANS in that show? Definitely not representative of my Toronto.
BlackLotus / November 10, 2010 at 12:43 pm
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........ Why is the only Asian depicted considered "weird"?... Even though that's totally wrong I still want to watch this show! LOL
Realjigga / November 10, 2010 at 12:45 pm
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Show looks entertaining, can't wait!
Irish / November 10, 2010 at 03:51 pm
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Where are the Irish? If you really want to represent Toronto you need to get the people that put it on the map. Every single person here would have been a Nerd in highschool. This show should be called the lakeshore losers.
Davak / November 10, 2010 at 03:52 pm
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LOL. I love how these fake ass 905ers think it is sooo badass to "go downtown."

I hate this show, but I guess I'm supposed to... isn't that why the original was so popular, the show you love to hate. Still not going to watch it.

What the hell though, with the amount of amazing talent we have in Toronto we have the potential to create some really awesome content, but instead we get this. Ugh...
Tiffany / November 10, 2010 at 09:00 pm
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I'm more afraid that people won't know the show is made to be ironic...


or is it?
HUK / November 10, 2010 at 10:19 pm
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Did anyone who is from Toronto audition for this?
realtalk / November 11, 2010 at 04:17 am
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LOL of course there are no Indians because none of them are dumb enough to audition for this.

But seriously, did a network actually pick this up or what? How can you promote a show that is not even on the slate to get aired???
Sandman / November 11, 2010 at 11:09 am
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I want to personally thank the 'US of A' for continually contributing "content ideas" to us Canadians.
We are getting stupider and stupider with each generation.
Thank you.
FunkyBuddha / November 11, 2010 at 11:17 am
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This crap is so waacckkk! I want to seriously punch all these douchbags in the face.
frank / November 11, 2010 at 11:48 am
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@funky Buddha,why don't you relax and take a pill, you act like this is going to affect you personally it is a frickken show,

and now for everyone else if you guys are so stupid not to realize that this is all staged than you guys have more serious issues than this show.....and i can assure you that these kids are no different than the rest of this generation 500-700 kids auditioned for this oppurtunity and a million more just crashed their website within the last few days let's face it if you asked 10 kids if they wanted this oppurtunity 8 would say yes hell kids would pay to be on this show if they could so stop blaming these 8 kids or the producers directors.....
david / November 11, 2010 at 02:44 pm
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@Frank Staged or not it is another example of the Dumbing Down
of Toronto's as well as Canada's Multi Cultural Society and Respect and Tolerance of Others- These "Kids" are not From Toronto and do not Represent Toronto- I do not Believe that the Million who crashed their Website were all supporters of this "Show" as i did show this clip to many people who were all disgusted by it - Re Blaming these "kids" - the show is not Scripted so what they say is their own words = SAD
frank / November 11, 2010 at 03:52 pm
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Hi David,
NOT SCRIPTED!!! i guess it is just a coincidence that the Albanian doesn't like gays and one of the cast members is gay and the turk does not like jews and one of the cast members is jewish c'mon get real this is a version of a WWF pre- match,you are actly like the action of these kids is going to harm anybody kids that are too young should not be watching this anyways,it is all tongue in cheek i don't how old you are but did "ALL IN THE FAMILY" sitcom traumatize you as well? if this show gets picked up which it probably will because of all the exposure it is getting you can choose not too watch it. maybe you should exert some effort on things that are worthwhile
midtown j / November 11, 2010 at 04:09 pm
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this show is going to rock.

....i want to poke that polish chick
jb / November 11, 2010 at 04:12 pm
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***Video is no longer available due to a copyright claim from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation***

Can someone explain this? I refuse to believe that CBC is picking this thing up, has anyone bought it yet?
david / November 11, 2010 at 04:42 pm
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Comparing a show like this to All In The Family??......... 'nuff said - I wont bother going in to details of "Worthwhile" efforts i may be involved with as They would be lost on anyone who would Defend this nonsense - I like a Good Laugh as much as anybody, but This is not Funny or "Entertaining" at all. We shall see if this show gets" picked up ". Facebook and Other Social Media Outlets helped Stop a Version of Fox News North from Airing in Canada That Stephen Harper was pushing for, I think this will be Much Easier to stop.
RACIST! / November 12, 2010 at 11:01 am
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WHY IS THIS ON CANADIAN TV./?
IT IS RACIST. WHAT COUNTRY DO WE LIVE IN?
STOP THIS GARBAGE FROM AIRING ON TV!
jb / November 12, 2010 at 12:26 pm
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The budget is obviously very low, but I still wonder where they got ANY money to shoot this thing? They still had to pay their camera and edit people, right? Who put money into this?
izzy / November 15, 2010 at 03:20 am
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where are the spics, hispanics, latinos!? Lol
XFunc_CaRteR / November 15, 2010 at 04:06 pm
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It's not "racially" categorized.

It's ethnically categorized.

There's a difference.
XFunc_CaRteR replying to a comment from Irish / November 15, 2010 at 04:07 pm
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You mean the Scottish.
electric replying to a comment from XFunc_CaRteR / November 15, 2010 at 06:22 pm
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Ethnically categorized according to who? Haha. Don't be pedantic, it won't get you anywhere!
chad / October 7, 2011 at 01:48 am
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This show might have been a hit if it was produced and marketed right. But obviously that didn't happen. Too bad if it was produced right it would of put Toronto on the map.
wholerery / August 18, 2012 at 09:27 pm
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i am new here and loved the forum don't know if i am posting in the right place..
just wanted to say hi and i hope that i will have good time here

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