‘Jersey Shore’ Gets Fourth Season — In Italy

Housemates will visit Vinny’s family

Italians can soon be as horrified by the cast of "Jersey Shore" as Americans.

MTV's ratings phenomenon will get a fourth season set in Italy, MTV announced Tuesday.

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The cast's misadventures will include joining Vinny’s family for a Guadagnino dinner, the network said. (Wait: One of the castmates is actually Italian?)

“The cast is headed to the birthplace of the culture they love and live by. We can’t wait to see what erupts as a result," said Chris Linn, executive vice president of programming and head of production for MTV.

The show is MTV's top ratings draw in its target demo of 12-34. Its third season is averaging an 8.3 rating in the demo, up 46 percent from last season and 219 percent from Season One. It also ranks No. 1 in its Thursday 10-11 p.m. time slot among 12-34 an 18-49, beating the broadcast networks.

The show debuted to objections from Italian-American groups who said the show's depictions of hard-drinking, frequently fighting, fist-pumping self-proclaimed "Guidos" had nothing to do with Italian culture. Now the cast can meet real Italians and find out for themselves.

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