Lake Shore, a Canadian spinoff of MTV’s Jersey Shore, has been scrapped before it even hit the airwaves. The controversial reality series received major media buzz, yet failed to attract a network.
Argued by critics to be “un-Canadian,” Lake Shore was set to depict an image of Toronto, which was far from its multicultural reality.
The show allegedly contains racist content as it profiles eight cast members by ethnic background – a major reason behind the absence of network support.
According to the Toronto Star, cast member Sibel Atlug, also known as The Turk, claimed he “[hated] everyone equally – especially Jewish people”. Comments like the anti-Semitic ones made by Atlug led producers to question Lake Shore’s appropriateness for Canadian television, which serves a highly-diverse population.
Lake Shore creator, Maryam Rahimi told the National Post that she blamed “circumstances” for the show’s demise.
“I have to be a bit more careful and, although it’s entertainment, some people really take what gets said to heart,” she said.
With files from the National Post and the Toronto Star.
