Benny (slang)

Benny is a pejorative term used by year-round residents of the Jersey Shore to describe rude, flashy, loud tourists from North Jersey and New York. Since local residents appreciate the tourists' economic contribution, the term "Benny" sometimes refers to only those unpleasant tourists who cut lines, drive recklessly, start fights, park on the wrong side of the street, harass women, or deliver other disrespect.

Origin

The origin of the term is disputed. One common theory says the term originates from an acronym that was stamped on the beachgoers' train tickets, representing the city in which they boarded the train to the Jersey Shore: Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York. The term "Benny" may also originate from the early 20th century practice of wealthy New Yorkers taking trips to the Jersey Shore as treatment for myriad maladies such as anemia, hemophilia, and hysteria. These therapeutic trips were called "beneficials" by doctors and patients. Often, visitors would claim to be at the Jersey Shore on a "beneficial", hence the term Benny.