Jersey Strong ... Jersey Proud.

     Either last week or the week before, I came across this postcard on PostSecret and I was a little offended by whoever sent it in ...

     I mean, yes, we have the casts of Jersey Shore and Jerseylicious and Real Housewives to make us look like stupid, drunk fools with anger management issues, crime families to make us look criminal, and politicians to make us look corrupt ... But the people of New Jersey are not what the media makes us out to be. We are better than that ... and just when you thought no one could embarrass New Jersey anymore ... This man comes along.

     Can you say mid-life crisis?! Most people just buy a fancy car or motorcycle ... Or run away with their secretaries. This guy needed to go and record a rap video and embarrass a whole state in the process. Livin' large with those dreams.

     And seriously, when some of the most famous people in entertainment (No, not Snooki), and sports, and history, and everything come from New Jersey ... He chose to highlight Newark as his backdrop for his story and video? Ugh. Couldn't he lie and choose Tallahassee or somewhere that hasn't been hit with the media stupid gene, as of lately.

     And, WHAT? You don't believe me about all those famous New Jerseyans? You think it's just James Gandolfini (Westwood) and Whitney Houston (Newark)'?! You best check yo'self. Here's just a few (or more) for you to think about ...

Famous New Jerseyans in Entertainment

Paul Rudd (Passaic) 

Ray Liotta (aka that hot guy in "Goodfellas," Newark)

My Chemical Romance (Jersey City)

The Shirelles (Passaic) 

Dionne Warwick (East Orange)

Famous New Jerseyans in Sports

Jim Bouton (Newark)

Derek Jeter (Pequannock)

Shaquille O'Neal (Newark)

Famous New Jerseyans in the Arts

Judy Blume (children's author, Elizabeth)

Allen Ginsberg (poet, Newark)

Dorothea Lange (photographer and photojournalist, Hoboken)

Famous New Jerseyans in Other Fields

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (astronaut, Glen Ridge)

Alice Paul (American suffragist; original author of a proposed Equal Rights amendment, Mt. Laurel)

Paul Robeson (activist, artist, athlete, Princeton)

Martha Stewart (all-around rich businesswoman, Jersey City)

     Didn't I tell you New Jersey had a whole bunch of badass people who were born (and maybe raised) here? It's a great place to live and to raise a family ... and it's time that the media starts showing that.

So don't bother me 'cause I got no time. I'm on my way to see that girl of mine. Nothin' else matters in this whole wide world when you're in love with a Jersey girl. Sing sha la la la la la. (Jersey Girl, Tom Waits)

Side note: It's still true. We pump our fists. Not our gas.