"Growing Up Greek" sparks petitions for opposing teams; One petition wants show rewritten or cancelled because of its misinterpretation, while another calls it authentic and accurate

By Staff Writer

Dec 02 2014, 16:58 PM EST

"Growing up Greek" trailer shows the reality show looking a lot like "Jersey Shore," which sparked up petition for it to be rewritten or cancelled. However, a petition in favor of the show has also been started.

According to TBO, MTV released a 55-second trailer for the show produced in Tarpon Springs before the 30-minute special airs on Wednesday, December 3. The show "follows a group of young Greek-Americans in the Pinellas County ethnic Greek enclave," shares TBO.

As the trailer begins, TBO mentions it having "a lot of dancing, drinking, festive plate-breaking and an allusion to a possible love triangle." Then as the trailer ends a police cruiser from Tarpon Spring is shown outside a nightspot after a woman has just been in an altercation with another woman. The happenings that lead to someone being kicked out of a bar on someone's birthday is "typical reality show drama," says TBO.

Such was the impact of the show's trailer that Change.org has a petition saying that the show should be boycotted. Currently, there are over 5000 supporters who consider the show a misinterpretation of what the title implies. The petition urges that MTV either cancel the show or have it rewritten to represent how "Growing up Greek" should be instead of it looking like "Jersey Shore."

According to Greek Reporter, the petition reads: "What makes us Greek is PRIDE. Pride for our faith, family and each other. This show lessens us to look like Jersey Shore! We have worked hard to not have that stereotype."

Apart from the petition, a Facebook page has also been created against the show, which had over 400 likes on Sunday, shares Patch.

Meanwhile, supporters express their appreciation of the show via their own petition through Care2 petitions. The pro-show petition calls "Growing Up Greek" as "authentic" and "very accurate" in portraying Greeks living in America. However, this petition only had over 100 signatures as of Sunday, Patch reveals.

Tarpon Springs seems to be the perfect location for the show, with it being an "idyllic and picturesque all-Greek town, where everyone is either dating, related, or brawling each other," as described by MTV. The place is complete with parents and grandparents for unexpected events, adds the article.