i read all the comments on this thread, i dont think mtv went out and searched for anyone. have you seen what they do to look for people for their shows. they have open casting calls, anyone can sign up, if you wanted to show the world "true" nuyoricans, the ones with with BA in social work should have signed up. dont complain because out of 10 people that signed up for that casting call those 3 had the best possibilities to bring in ratings. what have you done to show the world a true nuyorican, have u started a thread for true life: im a TRUE nuyorican? dont ride the wave, start it....i love to start waves :-)

yea I'm actually surprised they didn't bleep that but they bleep the N word o.O I'm black and even I'm bringing this up.

When i first saw the episode i could not believe what i was hearing and seeing. Yes i was among many Boricuas who were embarrassed and upset. That is not what all the Puerto Rican's are like, ye we do struggle and overcome many obstables, we have many who living in the Bronx experience greatest in school, i gradated HS, when on to college have a BA in Social work and in later years at my age getting my Masters. My husband and i have 4 childrens 3 college graduates, one still in college, we have never had any major drama, we have raised children to appreciate who they are and where they come from. My mother raised me and my brothers with out a father and she still was able to become someone, a registered nurse struggling two jobs to give us what we needed. Stop portraying us as a people who have not motivation to do better, we come in all colors, shapes and forms. The Bronx is just a stepping stone for most, we all get out one day and do better, some dont but that is life. Why is it that we are always being put down and drug addicts, and prostitutes, hello change the channel, we also go to school become pillars of our community. So MTV stop the abuse of a race and have something positive to say.

Well as a Nuyorican myself I have to say I was totally embaressed by this episode! MTV chose complete IDIOTS for this. It should have been called True Life: I need English Speaking Classes. Now you know why the Hooters waitress wanna be didn't get the job! Yes there are some dumb, illeterate and ghetto speaking Puerto Ricans but there are some of those in all cultures. Nuyoricans are not illiterate or annoying like these kids! Please don't judge us by these cases seen.

I was born, raised and still to this day live in the South Bronx and made a career for myself. I had MANY obsticles growing up and steered clear of them. I ALSO grew up with the typical PRican family, ate the typical food and still embraced my ethnicity. I went to school with all types: white, black, latin and asian. In school I was always confused for being mexican, I always corrected them. I speak the way I was raised to speak, know the things I know because I have ARGULLO of my Puerto Rican heritage.

These young ladies shouldn't only be embaressed of the representation they portrayed on Nuyoricans but on them being LATINA! The way that they spoke and treated the families on TV was unacceptable. Rose's mother did stand up and put her in her place, but was it for TV? Naizsha's mom should just give her a good Puerto Rican a$$ whooping and have her go back to school. She doesn't even know how to speak. That girl needs alot of help. I am glad that our grandparents don't watch this crap or else they would be soooo ashamed. Jpse is the only one that might have a chance in becoming somthing IF he gets his act together. I hope in them watching the show that they see how ridiculous they look and sound and see how many people they have made incredibly mad.

After watching this episode I was left thinking that it is a good thing that I dont rely on the popular media, school system, or anything else to educate my children about their culture. Do I agree with some of the comments that the intentions of MTV are questionable? No, I think that I am very clear on the intentions of MTV by airing this. In the same way Boricua's Bond, the book In Search of Respect,: Selling Crack In El Barrio (the name says it all doesnt it?), and Nuyorican Dream influenced previous generations, this was meant to do the same for young people today. WHen was the last time there was a positive portrayal of our story in the popular media? Pretty much never. The advertisement on Craigslist for show participants says it all when one of the main questions asked was "Do you struggle with difficult issues that are part of city life, like peer pressure, drugs, or gangs?" (If you dont believe me check it out http://guanabee.com/2008/07/nuyorican-willing-to-embarrass-yourself-on-tv-then-mtv-true-life-im-nuyorican-wants-you ) . I rely on my community, family, traditions, history, education, and spirit to show my children what it means to be a Puerto Rican living in New York. My husband and I are both "Nuyoricans", both educated (I have a Masters degree and he a Law Degree), and both understand that we can all learn just as much in life from the PR doctor as we can from the PR janitor or bodega worker. I am not really interested in interjecting MTV's opinion in to the equation. So to all of my fellow boricuas out there doing your thing, and understand that this and other tv specials like it are created for a reason, Do what you do best. This is just another tool to distract us from the big picture. We know our own story and can pass that on to our children for the future, no need to trust others to do it properly for us. I wish you luck, and Keep it Movin'. To MTV and other media outlets, Get some new material.

This show does a poor job of showing how Puerto Ricans live in New York City. Obviously when looking for Nuyoricans, you went directly and exclusively to people struggling in the lowest socio-economical class. The main flaw of the show is its bias, as it neglects all of the highly educated affluent Puerto Ricans who succeed in finance, medicine, law and show business in New York City and whose children grow to be confident thriving Nuyoricans. One can find people of all backgrounds in low socio-economical classes. The bias in this show is the equivalent of making a show about subjects in a trailer park, calling it 'True Live, I'm American' and broadcasting it in Puerto Rico.

I just sent this to nuyorican@mtvn.com. They need to hear from all of us!

MTV, how much research did you do on NUYORICANS? I'll tell you...NONE! What a disgrace! An embarrassment! Do yourself a favor and don't ever air this special again because I can tell you now you'll lose some of your audience. I am a writer, director and producer who prides herself on creating positive Latino images! Then to see something so backward and insulting hurts the hell out of me! I am amazed that with all the Nuyoricans in NYC, you didn't have a more diverse group of young people on that show! I have to wonder what your intention was. Did you have to show the hair in the food! It's so stupid it's almost funny! I take great offense to what I just saw! Shame on you MTV for not doing your homework! And thank you to all the people on this board who are airing the same feelings! The producer should be fired!

How were the experiences of these three youths uniquely Nuyorican? They weren't. The entire point of this episode is lost on me. Each of the three youths could have been parts of other shows: Niazsha on True Life: I don’t know what to do with my life; Rose on True Life: My family doesn’t understand me; and Jose on True Life: I’m a boxer or I want to get out of the ‘hood.

There is zero insight to be gained from this episode and as a Puerto Rican in New York I cringe at the thought that people will think that "Nuyorican" is just a name given to PR's who live in the Big Apple.

This could have been a wonderful opportunity to shed light on a little-known part of our great US history: the colonial relationship with Puerto Rico and its creation of a Puerto Rican diaspora that spans far from the tiny Island of Enchantment. There is no exploration of why there is such a large Puerto Rican community in New York in the first place, or of where the term Nuyorican came from. Of all the ethnicities in New York, why is being Puerto Rican so fascinating? What literature and art has resulted from this melding of cultures? What complexes do Nuyoricans often develop as a result of straddling two cultures? What is the relationship between Nuyoricans and Puerto Ricans from the island?

I am surprised by and disappointed in MTV, which usually puts a lot of thought and research into its shows; in this episode MTV instead let the weak footage it compiled stand for something it knew nothing about.

I was deeply disappointed in the portrayal of "Nuyoricans" in this True Life. It made it seem that this is a population that is surrounded by nothing but troubles. Yes, there are many who live in a house with many people in it, but that is not just Nuyoricans, all cultures have experienced this. I am ashamed that MTV didn't try to find college students or people who have overcome the adversities of life. I also didn't like the fact that the girls said they had problems with authority figures. This made it seem that this is something that is the "norm" of Nuyoricans which is not true always. I blame MTV for not trying to get other people also it gives everyone a bad name, I live in Spanish Harlem and seeing this I was ashamed because not everyone has these issues nor attitude. The cast on the show also had much to blame because I think they exaggerated much to make a point or stand out.

I totally agree with you! I'm a Puerto Rican living on the island and i was embarrassed! The truth is some people are like that but not all. And all of that crap about all puerto ricans are salseras!! PLEASE!! Puerto Rico is a U.S territory, even though we have our own culture we are very americanized. Very little young people listen to salsa anymore, also the comment a Puerto Rican with an attitude! PLEASE! It is time for a change, and that doc just helped puerto rican women to be seen as winy can't get a job, sassy, bad-mouthing.. ugh! They should have shown a different aspect of Puerto Ricans because that just helps the stereotypes.
Not to mention that nuyoricans (not all) have this pride of being Puerto Ricans but most of them don't even know our culture or even know how to speak spanish right!!

ALSO MTV SHOULD HAVE BLEEPED OUT WHEN THAT GIRL SAID SPICS!! WTF IS THAT ITS JUST LIKE CALLING MEXICANS WET BACKS OR BLACK PEOPLE U KNOW WHAT IT IS VERY OFFENSIVE ESPECIALLY COMING FROM A PUERTO RICAN!