Italian flag dropped from 'Jersey Shore'

  Here's one character from "Jersey Shore" who -- or I should say which -- will not be returning for the third season, to be taped in Seaside Heights: 

  The Italian flag.

  You know the flag well, oh "Jersey Shore" fan. It was a huge decal of the flag that hung over the door in Seaside Heights and has since become both a symbol of the show and a tourist attraction.

  Well -- UNICO,  the big Italian-American anti-defamation group that pressured MTV to have it removed -- finally prevailed. The flag comes down, and with it, an enduring thorn in UNICO's side:

   
A mural of the Italian flag, which covered part of the front of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” beach house at Seaside Heights and was used to unfortunately symbolize the show which stereotyped Italian Americans, has been removed, UNICO National President Andre’ DiMino announced.

The mural of the Italian flag was painted over the garage door of the shore house, with a centered overlay of an outline of the State of New Jersey. The removal occurs after talks between Italian American leaders and MTV about derogatory Italian American references and imagery used in “Jersey Shore.” Based on recent promos for the upcoming second season of “Jersey Shore,” set to debut on July 29th, ironically the same date as UNICO’s National Convention in Hershey, Pa., DiMino stated he is “cautiously optimistic” about the potential lack of derogatory Italian American references and imagery in the new season. Commenting on the promos, DiMino stated, “I still believe the cast acts reprehensibly and continue to appear dumb as rocks, but, at least, the Italian American emphasis is not apparent.”