The new MTV reality show, “Growing up Greek”, featuring a group of young Greeks at Tarpon Springs, Florida, living a plate-breaking, opa-yelling lifestyle met with controversy when the trailer was released. The Greek-American community reacted to the promo and started a digital signature-gathering crusade to ban the show or at least stop it from using the term “Greek” to represent the behavior being displayed.

Controversy on Facebook began prior to the show airing with people from the reality program arguing with the administrators of the Facebook page “Boycott Growing UP Greek” after various comments on the page called the participants on the show as “low life white trash” as well as calls for the police to capture the people on the show who were seen to be drinking even though they were underage.

Facebook warfare –

Cathy Koursiotis whose daughter was on the show said that she wasn’t embarrassed at all that her daughter was on the show. “For these people to make an opinion on something they haven’t seen yet is unfortunate,” she said. “Here’s the deal. You have drama with Italians; you have drama with the Greeks; you have drama with every type of culture. So Jersey Shore – I don’t think it’s going to be anything like it to be honest with you.”

A mother of one of the cast members

Here’s how local Greeks really felt about “Growing Up Greek” –

Here’s what Tony Pertesis says on Youtube –

Here’s what Tony Pertesis says on Youtube –

On Twitter it was another story after the show aired last night –

#GrowingUpGreek is skata produced by a bunch of xeni malakas #✋

— Big Fat Greek Tweets (@GreekTweetyBird) December 4, 2014

We stopped breaking plates and screaming OPA in 1973 but apparently those VILLAGERS in tarpon springs didn’t move on #GrowingUpGreek

— Despina (@despotato) December 4, 2014

#GrowingUpGreek definitely was a waste of airtime. Fortunately us Greeks don’t have too much damage control!

— Christina (@cginter7) December 4, 2014

#GrowingUpGreek definitely was a waste of airtime. Fortunately us Greeks don’t have too much damage control!

— Christina (@cginter7) December 4, 2014

#GrowingUpGreek is a despicable depiction of Greeks. Hellenism is respect, honor, and a love for our rich history and culture. #terrible

— Parissia (@xoParissia) December 4, 2014

Nothing like my life. Don’t embarrass yourself @MTV Take this σκουπίδια down now. #GrowingUpGreek

— Yianni Magoulias (@magoogoo_) December 4, 2014

PSA: If you’re watching #GrowingUpGreek right now I promise you this is not how Greeks behave. It’s a total 360. They have no respect.

— Nick Ziogas (@nickziogas) December 4, 2014

What a joke this show is. This is so embarrassing!!! #GrowingUpGreek #rezili

— Niko Takas (@nikolakiiii) December 4, 2014

I’ll pass on Growing Up Greek, if I wanted to watch a bunch of spray tanned poustides fight I’d just drive 20 minutes to Boystown

— Izaki (@Metrozak) December 4, 2014

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I can legit film myself eating half a tapsi of pastitsio sitting in my fridge and that would STILL be more Growing Up Greek than this show

— Paraskevi Georgalos (@friidayy) December 4, 2014