Take it as you will: I'm addicted to the 'Jersey Shore'

I'm slightly ashamed of myself. I made a mistake last week that may damage my yet-untarnished reputation.

And I'll probably get grief here in the office for it, but hey, at least I'm admitting my newest guilty pleasure.

Here it goes:

Hi. My name is Laura, and I'm addicted to the 'Jersey Shore.'
Oh God, I can't believe I just said that. I couldn't help it. I was bored.

It's the end of the summer, nothing was on. I flipped and flipped through the channels and then I stopped...on MTV.

I haven't watched MTV in years. I don't know what compelled me to stop. Maybe it was the fist-pumping music. Maybe it was my own pale complexion and an envy of the deep tans that were on the screen in front of me. Or maybe it was "The Situation's" abs. Who knows?

But it happened, and now I'm a fan. Shame me, if you will.
First there's the nicknamed folks: Nicole "Snooki"; Mike "The Situation"; Sammi "Sweetheart"; Jenni "JWoww." And we can't forget Vinny, Ronnie, Angelina and Pauly.

Whether people like it or not, the cast of the 'Jersey Shore' is everywhere. They're on every talk show around.And why not - people are drawn to their personalities and want more, so why shouldn't the cast take advantage of that?

"The Situation" sure is. He's taken advantage of numerous endorsement deals. And it's rumored that he'll be on the next season of "Dancing with the Stars."

But it's not just about the deals flowing in. Even the five-foot-nothing spitfire they call "Snooki" has had her comments about tanning salon taxes discussed on reputable news networks.

"I don't go tanning-tanning anymore because Obama put a 10 percent tax on tanning. I feel like he did that intentionally for us, like, McCain would never put a 10 percent tax on tanning...because he is pale and he would probably wanna be tanned."

Hey, her comments may have been ridiculous, but it got people talking, right?

So what is it about the show that works? Why the appeal to a bunch of self-proclaimed "guidos and guidettes" - they refer to themselves that way endlessly on the show - when only one, Sammi, is really from Jersey?

Unlike the fading "Real World" series from MTV, where eight people of every type of stereotypical background get shoved into a house for a couple months and drama ensues, the 'Jersey Shore' a) keeps the same cast from season to season, b) changes locations (Season 1: Seaside Heights, N.J.; Season 2: Miami, Fla.) and c) the cast is genuinely there to just have fun. Okay, there might be slight drama...and granted, the entire cast is one big stereotype, but genuinely they are there to enjoy a summer together partying with good people.

Oh and of course, as the boys say, "G-T-L." That's every day - gym tanning, laundry. One must be fresh every night out, you know.

So if you're the slightest bit intrigued - and looking for something to fill the end-of-the-summer TV blues - check out the 'Jersey Shore' in its second season Thursdays at 10 p.m. on MTV.

Or for the haters out there who won't budge on giving the Jersey Shore kids a chance, you can keep hoping the show fades out quicker than a spray-on tan. But it may be awhile.