'Jersey Shore' EP SallyAnn Salsano Brings 'Mama Drama' to VH1 (Exclusive)

VH1/ 495 Productions

Jersey Shore’s executive producer, SallyAnn Salsano, is bringing another house full of colorful characters (see photo above) to our TV sets. VH1 has just picked up a new reality series from Salsano’s 495 Productions titled Mama Drama. The series premieres Jan. 1 at 9 p.m.

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“This show is emotionally and visually stimulating,” Salsano tells The Hollywood Reporter. “You can’t stop watching. These characters are real and raw and don’t apologize for anything.”

VH1 has ordered 10 episodes of what it calls a “docu-style social experiment,” which features moms who don’t want to grow up and their young adult daughters who they’d rather pal around with, than parent.

“We see examples of this all around today with mothers living vicariously through their daughters,” VH1’s Original Programming and Production EVP, Jeff Olde, says.

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“Part of this speaks to a new cultural definition of age with women in their 40s and 50s no longer constrained by rules about how they need to dress or act,” he continues. “In some cases, this allows them to forge strong bonds with their daughters and true friendships. In other cases, they cross the line and forget their role as a parent and a role model.”

The series places five mothers and their daughters in a house together to see how their BFF status can withstand the time together and alongside other mothers and daughters with similar relationships.

“With this show, I had the same experience I had in Jersey Shore [Season] 1,” Salsano says. “Where I couldn’t leave the control room because I could not believe what was happening before my eyes. At any second chaos could erupt, and most days it did. When there was a fight in that house, it wasn’t a regular reality show squabble - it was personal. Whoever was saying something was going after someone’s mother or daughter.”

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As with Jersey Shore, Salsano says she relates to the show’s cast, but not the over-the-top ways in which they express themselves.

“I am super tight with my mom. My mom and I are best friends. I have that in common with these girls,” she says. “However, I can tell you I’ve never been to a nightclub doing shots and hooking up with guys in front of my mother. I’m not judging, because even in the best of times there is no more complicated relationship than one between a mother and daughter. I think that’s something that needs to be explored.”

Mama Drama is executive produced by Salsano for 495 Productions. Olde, Shelly Tatro, and Brad Abramson serve as the EPs for VH1 with supervising producer Sean Gottlieb.

Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro