While "Jersey Shore" has some groups seething about the portrayal of Italian-Americans, it's hardly the first popular TV series to do so.

"Before we were the 'Soprano' state," observed Andre DiMino, whose group, UNICO National, is urging members to boycott advertisers of the show.

DiMino was part of a panel convened to discuss "Jersey Shore"'s impact on New Jersey's reputation, presented by the state's chapter of the Public Relations Society of America at Seton Hall on Wednesday morning. His fellow panelists were Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times, who wrote a tongue-in-cheek defense of the show; Star-Ledger columnist Mark DiIonno; Baristanet editor Debbie Galant, whose site recently covered the descent of thousands of rowdy "Jersey Shore" fans on a Montclair nightclub; Mediabistro blogger Jason Chupick; and Michael Genevrino, director of the New Jersey Italian American Heritage Commission. Alicia Vitarelli of News 12 NJ was the moderator.

In a final accounting of opinions on the panel, the four journalists ultimately classified "Jersey Shore" as "entertaining," while the two representatives of Italian-American groups characterized it as "irresponsible."

In his remarks, Genzlinger commented on the hundreds of comments his article had generated on the New York Times site, demonstrating people's passionate reaction to the show. However, he observed that modern TV viewers are much more savvy and sophisticated than radio listeners of 1938, many of whom flew into a panic upon hearing Orson Welles's broadcast of "War of the Worlds."

"Anyone who thinks this show is scaring people away from the Jersey Shore is oversimplying," said Genzlinger, who thinks that TV viewers understand that flamboyant characters like Snooki and Mike "the Situation" are ultimately entertainers.

However, DiMino and Genevrino maintained that negative portrayals of Italian-Americans on "Jersey Shore" and "The Sopranos" have serious ramifications. DiMino attested to having people ask him whether he's connected and carrying a gun when he travels for his work as an engineer. Genevrino said his organization had recently gotten calls from a man in Cleveland who said he missed out on a promotion because his employer said he couldn't trust an Italian-American from New Jersey. He also observed that the outrage of other ethnic groups seems to get greater consideration, in light of MTV's decision not to re-air the documentary "I'm a Nuyorican" after backlash from the Puerto Rican community.

DiIonno said he believes too big of a deal is being made of "Jersey Shore" and that he even "howled in spots" while watching the show with his teenage children. In contrast, while "The Sopranos" is often touted as one of the great series of all times, he believes it to be far more damaging because its characters aren't cartoons.

"The general thuggism of that series really disturbed me," he said.

Galant noted that "The Sopranos" had positive Italian-American characters, like Dr. Melfi, portrayed by Lorraine Bracco.

"I was thinking while watching ["Jersey Shore"] that these girls would eat Meadow alive," she said.