‘Shore’ thing

The most interesting change on the new season of “Jersey Shore” is that it’s no longer a show about Italian-American idiots. Now, it’s just a show about American idiots.

Bowing to complaints about blatant stereotyping by MTV, the cast members no longer refer to themselves as Italians — nor even, with any luck, the totally offensive “guido” and “guidette.”

At least in the Season 2 premiere.

In case you just emerged from a medically-induced coma, the phenomenon that is the bronzed glory of “Jersey Shore” is so huge that the cast began the day yesterday by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

Hey, in this economy, the coke-fueled maniacs on Wall Street are probably in awe of anybody who can make a buck. And the cast of “JS” has been able to do more with less than any other talentless humans ever to hit reality TV.

I mean, seriously, how many reality TV nitwits ever get mentioned by name by the president of the United States?

And return the favor to him?

Tonight, the cast — unable to wait for summer — heads for Miami. The episode begins with height-challenged Snooki getting ready for her trip south by spray tanning herself, while complaining about the president.

Is it the war, the economy or the BP oil spill that has her fuming? No.

“Obama,” she seethes, “put a 10 percent tax on tanning, and I feel like he did it intentionally to us.” Ego anybody?

Then, it gets worse. “McCain would never put a tax on tanning,” she says.

Why is that Snooki?

“Because he’s pale and probably wants to be tan. Obama doesn’t have that problem. Obviously!”

Watching the cast reunite in their new Miami digs is a kind of thrill, although there’s already a creeping semi-desperate air about them.

After all, nobody expected this show to capture the imagination of the country the way it did, and the cast is grimly determined to keep their fame for 15 minutes more. Obviously!

Which means you can expect them to be ruder, coarser, tanner, dumber and more badly-behaved than last season.

I can live with all of that. But when Ronnie calls Sammi, his show-mance ex, the “c” word and she, in turn, replies, “I still care about him,” it’s just so wrong. Did Sammi grow up with no one around to teach her the rudiments of self-respect?

So, Season 2 is more of less than we’ve come to expect.

I’m wondering, though. Without the Italian flag on the garage door and the cringe-worthy ethnic posturing, will anyone notice the difference?

Somehow, I don’t think people are going to mistake them for Amish kids out for some rumspringa fun.

Short history of ‘Shore’

July 7, 2009: Snooki catches eye of casting agent on “Is She Really Going Out With Him?”