MTV Pulls “Jersey Shore” Punch Clip

Network calls scene "extremely disturbing"

If you were eagerly anticipating the chance to see "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snookie" Polizzi get punched in the face, don't hold your breath.

MTV announced Friday that they have pulled the clip from the reality show's upcoming episode, according to Us Magazine.

"What happened to 'Snooki' was a crime and obviously extremely disturbing," MTV said in a statement Friday. "After hearing from our viewers, further consulting with experts on the issue of violence, and seeing how the video footage has been taken out of context to not show the severity of this act or the resulting consequences, MTV has decided not to air 'Snooki' being physically punched in next week's episode."

The clip went viral earlier this week after it appeared in a teaser for Thursday night's episode. In the footage viewers saw a quick clip of Snooki, the self-proclaimed "Princess of Poughkeepsie," getting socked right in the face and the subsequent arrest of her attacker.

The network says that the incident will still be addressed in the episode and that a message at the show's end will provide a list of available resources for those in abusive relationships, according to Us.

As for Snooki's attacker, he has been identifed by The New York Post as Brad Ferro, a 24-year-old gym teacher from Deer Park, Long Island.

Ferror was drinking in the Beachcomber Bar & Grill in Seaside Heights, N.J., when he decked the "guidette." 

Dept. of Education officials say they've taken Ferro out of his north Queens Community High School and sent to a reassignment center while they investigate.

This is the first time that MTV has backed down amidst the scandal surrounding their newest reality show. Since its premiere, the Italian-American community has pressed for the show's cancellation. 

Andre DeMino, the president of Unico, an Italian-American service has repeatedly denounced the behavior of the eight housemates on the Jersey Shore, calling it "reprehensible and demeaning in all respects."

"I don't see any redeeming value in the show," DiMino told the New York Times. "They are an embarrassment to themselves and to their families."

Prior to the "Snooki-punch," programming president at MTV, Tony DiSanto, defended the show saying that it never even crossed his mind that it was offensive.

When he asked whether it bothered him, he said, “To be 100 percent honest, no, even as an Italian American,” the president told the Hollywood Reporter. “I just wanted to be cautious about toning down the partying.”

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