Montclair Folks Who Beat The Jersey Shore Stereotype

The Jersey Shore Season 2 premiere this week apparently was as inane and outrageous as everyone expected it to be. Even if you aren't a regular viewer, everyone seems to at least recognize the name "Snooki." Gov. Chris Christie, too, has gotten in on the act, criticizing the cast for shedding an "unrealistic" and "negative" light on New Jersey. And, in a way, he's right. Certainly, there are loads of highly respectable people who hail from the Garden State, and who are nothing like the vain and vacuous (I promise I've never seen the show ... but I've heard!) Jersey Shore cast members. Here are a few:

1) Olympia Dukakis: This former resident of Montclair has had a long and serious career in films, including major roles in Mr. Holland's Opus, Steel Magnolia's, and Moonstruck for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She did appear on the Search for Tomorrow soap opera, but anyone who - at 78 - can juggle numerous film, stage, and teaching projects the way she can is one smart, savvy woman.

2) Mary Alice Williams: This Montclair resident may be blonde and perpetually smiling, but she's no dummy. As a news anchor, author, and esteemed lecturer, her investigate work has made her a highly respected authority on everything from health to ethics.

3) Buzz Aldrin: This 1946 graduate of Montclair High School was the second man to walk on the moon. He actually turned down a full scholarship offer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in order to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

4) Christina Ricci: This former Montclair resident actually lived on the same street as the infamous Russian spies - Marquette Road - and attended Edgemont Elementary School, Glenfield Middle School, and Montclair High School. She may be an actress but she's appeared in some smart films. She's also modest, admitting that, at 5 ft 1 in, she's too short to ever become an A-list actress.

5) Joshua Lederberg: Born in Montclair, this geneticist won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for work in bacterial genetics in 1958. Enough said.

For more, here's a great list of 10 people who beat the Jersey Shore stereotype.