T-Shirt Time! Jersey Shore: It’s Been 10 Years, and Things Have Changed

Whether you loved it or hated the reality show ‘Jersey Shore,’ you can’t deny that the show was a pop culture phenomenon. There were those who loved it and couldn’t get enough, those who hated it, and then there were those who secretly watched it because it became a guilty pleasure.

Cast of Jersey Shore
Source: Elite Daily

The show that revealed the lives of these nine “guidos and meatballs” began in 2009 and lasted for 6 seasons. The gang, who were basically trouble magnets, quickly became the most recognized people in America. From fighting in clubs to being arrested, this group knew how to let loose. They also started a reunion show last year called ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation,’ and it is already in the middle of the third season! It might be ten years since this show was my guilty pleasure, but this new reunion show can still be called that.
Let’s take a look at where the reality show stars are now and what they’re doing…

Nicole Polizzi aka Snooki – Was 21

The super fans will remember that when ‘Jersey Shore’ first began, the other housemates didn’t particularly like Snooki, the then 21-year-old. But one intense moment at a night club (where else?) changed everything. An (ex)-gym teacher punched her in the face, and the outrage was national, turning the guy into a villain. I mean, who does that?

Nicole Polizzi
Source: NBC Philadelphia

After that incident, the housemates and America as a whole were on Team Snooki. She then became a celebrity in her own right, and everything she said was instantly quotable, like “Where’s the beach,” and “Meatball problems.” She loved to hang out with her girls and have fun on the boardwalk. The one thing she didn’t enjoy doing down there was working at the shore shop, and that didn’t really change throughout the six seasons this show aired.

She Goes By Nicole – Now 31

Yes, ladies and gents. The “little meatball” has 3 kids with her husband Jionni LaValle. She’s still close with her Jersey Shore buddies, especially Jenni. You might remember that the two of them had their own reality show called ‘Snooki & Jwoww,’ which lasted as long as for four seasons.

Nicole Polizzi, her husband, and son
Source: Just Jared

The girl has been busy. Nicole has her own podcast called ‘It’s Happening with Snooki and Joey’, her own clothing line called ‘The Snooki Shop,’ and an Etsy store called ‘Nicole’s Craft Room.’ Oh, and she wrote five books. Five!
Nicole recently gave birth to her third child, and was absent on the reunion show, but got right back into things with a night out with the gang. The only person who was missing from this group was…

Mike Sorrentino aka The Situation – Was 27

Like Snooki, Mike, the Situation launched straight into fame after the show started. His antics got him into a lot of, em, “situations.” He got into fights with just about every single member of the cast and even found himself in a neck brace by ramming his own head into a wall. Do you remember the situation where Mike was interested in Sammi?

Mike Sorrentino
Source: Fanpop

Before the well- known relationship of Ronnie and Sammi, Mike made a move on Sammi. It’s usually forgotten since her relationship took over the show. Mike’s rowdy personality and tendency to expose his abs all the time is what made him one of the most recognizable faces. By season 6, “The Situation” was taking home $150,000 per episode. Not too shabby.

He’s Still Dealing with Some Situations – Now 37

In 2014, Mike was indicted on a number of tax-related charges, and then in 2017, he was indicted again for tax evasion, among other offenses. On October 5, 2018, he was sentenced to 8 months in prison. According to Pauly and Vinny, Mike is still in contact with his castmates from within prison. And you know who else is in prison he’s in? The Fyre Fest founder Billy McFarland.

Mike Sorrentino and his wife
Source: People

Anyway, before landing himself in jail, he announced on Snooki’s podcast that he’s been sober for 18 months. He spoke of his addiction to painkillers, stating that he was intoxicated for most of his time on ‘Jersey Shore.’ He married his college girlfriend, Lauren Pesce on an episode of the reunion show on November 1, 2018.

Jenni Farley aka “Jwoww” – Was 23

Jwoww made a reputation for herself as being something of a man-eater. She had two defining moments on the show. The first was when Pauly D showed her his piercing in the first episode. The second was when she had a physical altercation with Sammi, which started after Snooki and Jenni wrote Sammi an anonymous letter about Ronnie cheating on her at a club.

Jenni Farley
Source: MTV

While she wasn’t as incredibly famous as some of the other cast members, Jenni developed a genuine love and friendship for her bestie Snooki, and the two became BFFs forever.
Towards the end of the show, Jwoww broke up with her boyfriend Tom who had heard she was hanging out with a guy named Roger. This isn’t what she’s remembered for, but let’s check out what she’s up to now…

She’s Calmed Down – Now 33

She no longer goes by Jwoww, and in 2015, she married her longtime boyfriend Roger. But in 2018, they got divorced. It was a pretty messy divorce which ended up blowing up on social media. The couple has two children together: Meilani and Greyson. Jenni revealed in 2018 that her son, Greyson, has been diagnosed with autism.

Jenni Farley and her son
Source: People

Like Snooki, Jenni also became a published author. She had a clothing line, but it stopped production in 2010. She decided to start a skincare line called Naturally Woww and has her own self-tanner line (no surprise there!). The divorce might have been messy, but Jenni has moved on in life. She is dating a man named Zach Clayton Carpinello, who her group of friends call ’24’ because of his age.

Pauly Delvecchio aka Pauly D – Was 28

The loveable Pauly D usually stayed out of the crew’s inevitable drama. Pauly is the oldest member of the cast, which means his bromance with Vinny, the youngest of the cast, even cuter. Pauly was responsible for some of the more popular catchphrases.

Pauly D
Source: Giphy

Pauly says that he got this job after receiving a message on MySpace that they liked his look. They came to his house to film him, and even filmed him at the gym and going tanning. Well, this seems to have been a good choice. We can thank him for: “T-Shirt Time,” “Stage 5 clinger,” and “CABS ARE HERE.” Pauly was the most beloved member by the cast, and if he was upset, things were about to go down. Like when Angelina slapped him in the face, it was her last straw.

He’s Still a DJ – Now 38

During and after the show, Pauly has been and still is a successful DJ. He even opened for Britney Spears on her ‘Femme Fatale’ world tour. He was the first cast member to get his own spin-off: ‘The Pauly D Project,’ but it only lasted one season.

Pauly D and his family
Source: People

He went on to appear in the reality show ‘Famously Single,’ and dated his co-star Aubrey O’Day. But they split up a year and a half later. Pauly and Vinny also were on a show together called Double Shot at Love, where the pair has twenty ladies competing for their attention. The ladies are able to try and create a connection with either of the men, and in the end are either asked to stay or are told ‘cabs are here!’ Did you know that Pauly has a daughter named Amabella? She was born in 2013, and he always speaks about how much he loves her.

Sammi Giancola aka “Sammi Sweetheart” – Was 22

Sammi wasn’t as much of a “sweetheart” as her nickname would infer. She was basically the culprit of half of the show’s blowups. Sammi’s quote in the show’s intro was: “I’m the sweetest b#$ch you’ll ever meet.” And most of her screen time was dedicated to her toxic relationship with Ronnie.

Sammi Giancola
Source: Giphy

We can also thank Sammi for the line that we all loved to mock: “Raaaaahn, staaappp.” Sammi became a cautionary tale, which led to the take-home lesson: “Never fall in love at the Jersey Shore.” I would go a step further and say maybe don’t fall in love on a reality TV show.
Did you know that before her time on the show, she played on a women’s soccer team at the William Paterson University? Let’s see what she’s up to now…

She’s The Only One Who Didn’t Come Back for the Reunion – Now 32

The newly engaged Sammi is the only cast member who didn’t return for ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.’ Can anyone really blame her? Sammi now has a new fiancé now she calls “her soulmate.” Her relationship with Ronnie, by the way, finally ended in 2014. Thankfully Ronnie moved on also, and the era of this crazy relationship has ended.

Sammi Giancola and he fiancé
Source: People

Similar to the other ladies of Jersey Shore, she also went down the beauty and fashion route. She created a fragrance line and a clothing line. She currently hosts a podcast called ‘Just Sayin’.’ While she didn’t show up for the reunion show, she did make appearances in 2017 on Snooki and JWoww’s show and she even showed up for the E! Special ‘Reunion Road Trip: Return to the Jersey Shore.’

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro – Was 23

Ronnie was excluded from MVP (Mikey, Pauly, Vinny) as well as the female cast-members, over and over again because he chose to side with Sammi during all their arguments. During the first season of ‘Family Vacation,’ Ronnie continued to cause drama and have bad habits, having trouble staying faithful to Jen and still being hung up on Sammi. Ronnie and Jen broke up during the reunion show, and the two blasted each other on social media.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro
Source: Giphy

He might not have been a part of MVP, but he did get to take part in the gangs’ guy outings they referred to as GTL. This stands for ‘gym, tan, laundry’, and it’s where the guys went out and made a day out of their errands.

He’s Trying to Get His Life Back Together – Now 33

Ronnie also appeared on ‘Famously Single,’ where he was involved in yet another tumultuous relationship with Malika Haqq (Khloe Kardashian’s best friend). They broke up after two months. He had his first child (a daughter) with his then-girlfriend Jen Harley in 2018.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro
Source: Pop Culture

Ronnie had issues with alcohol and depression, entering rehab at the beginning of 2019. Fights with Jen ended up all over social media and he wanted to take control of the situation. At one point, his daughter Ariana was in the care of his family since Jen was arrested for domestic violence. While his relationship with Jen is still on and off, he seems to be doing well and you can see him recently bringing his daughter to hang out with his roomies on the reunion show.

Vinny Guadagnino – Was 21

Vinny was the baby of the group, and as luck would have it, he got pink eye on the first episode of the show. How? From sticking his face into a woman’s behind. Not a great first impression by any means. But Vinny came out as one of the most stable members of the house.
Vinny has a great relationship with his mom and one thing I really remember is the group going back to his mom’s house and she made a delicious looking Italian meal.

Vinny Guadagnino
Source: Giphy

Throughout the show, he and his bro Pauly liked to stay out of trouble. And when he left the house in the 5th season, it put a spotlight on dealing with anxiety and feeling comfortable to ask for help.

Vinny’s Branching Out – Now 31

Vinny’s been busy. He wrote a book called “Control the Crazy” about how to avoid drama and alleviate stress, and he became an advocate for mental health awareness. He took acting lessons and landed a small role on the ‘90210’ reboot and ‘The Hard Times of RJ Berger.’

Vinny Guadagnino
Source: JStone / Shutterstock

He hosted a show on The Cooking Channel named ‘Vinny and Ma Eat America’ where he traveled around the US with his mom, trying new foods! Then Vinny and Pauly D began starring in ‘Double Shot at Love with DJ Pauly D and Vinny,’ where only he ended up finding a relationship. It might not have lasted, but he walked out of the show looking happy. He also has a successful food Instagram account called @ketoguido.

Deena Cortese – Was 24

Deena was a late addition to the hit show, and she made a big impression. She first appeared on the third season when Snooki suggested her joining the show after Angelina left. Deena was actually friends with Snooki before the show began, and even auditioned for the first season but wasn’t chosen.

Deena Cortese
Source: Giphy

Deena was always down to have a good time and brought out an entertaining side of Snooki, without getting involved in drama. She had a difficult task of jumping into an already established “family,” but she fit right in. She quickly became one of the meatballs out with the girls having fun, and enjoying a few drinks. Deena liked to describe herself as a ‘blast in a glass’, but let’s see what she’s up to now.

She’s Now Happily Married and a Mother – Now 33

Deena got married in 2017, and most of the cast came to celebrate her big day. She’s out of show business, working as a dog trainer. But before that, she appeared on ‘Couples Therapy’ and some episodes of “Snooki & Jwoww.”

Deena Cortese and her baby
Source: E! News

Deena gave birth to her first son Christopher John in January 2019. She revealed the exciting news to the cast in the 2nd season of ‘Family Vacation’, where they shared a joyful and tearful family moment. Now that she’s appearing on the Jersey Shore: Family Reunion Show, she’s been making the most out of the time away from her family by living it up with her shore house family. It looks like this girl still remembers how to be a ‘blast in a glass’.

Angelina Pivarnick – Was 22

Angelina really started the show on the wrong foot when she said that people call her either “Jolie,” or “the Kim Kardashian of Staten Island.” She might have called herself that, but she actually showed up to the first episode with her clothes and belongings packed in garbage bags. She ended up leaving the show in the middle of the first season because refused to work her shift at the T-shirt shop.

Angelina Pivarnick
Source: Giphy

She later returned for the second season without even telling any of the cast members that she was coming back. This only started more drama, and of course, she eventually left again. This time she left the house after a violent fight with Mike and Nicole. She didn’t return for the rest of the show, but was that the last time we get to see Angelina?

She’s Trying To Break Into the Entertainment World – Now 32

Since the show, Angelina has been out of the spotlight. She did release a song, though, called “I’m Hot.” Like really… And interestingly, she made a wrestling debut on “TNA iMPACT Wrestling” in 2011. Angelina also started a Kickstarter page to fund a new series called “The Comeback.” The project made her $8,000 goal, but it never happened.

Angelina Pivarnick
Source: Life and Style

Angelina is an EMT for the city of New York and is engaged to Chris Larangeira. She came for season 2 of ‘Family Vacation,’ but guess what? She only stayed for a couple of days. Season 3 just finished airing, and by the end of it she was very close with Jenni, Snooki and Deena. It looks like things did turn around for her.

Now onto some of the best-kept secrets of the show…

Jersey Shore Was Initially a Competition Series for Guidos

Jersey Shore will go down in history as one of the most popular reality shows ever. But Jersey Shore producer SallyAnn Salsano revealed in an interview with Vulture that VH1 actually wanted to do a competition series focused on fit Guidos.

The male cast members of Jersey Shore
Source: Picdeer

After finding the first group of participants (Mike, Nicole, Jennifer, Pauly, and Angelina), the showrunners were ready, but suddenly the show got dropped by VH1 and then picked up by MTV. “When it moved from VH1 to MTV, we wanted to make it a little bit younger, so we swapped one or two cast members out,” Salsano said. Thus, Vinny and Ronnie were brought in. Imagine if Vinny and Ronnie weren’t brought on to the show, things just would not have been the same.

A “Fitchuation”

On August 12, 2011, clothing line Abercrombie & Fitch officially asked Mike ‘The Situation’ to stop wearing the brand’s clothes. That’s right. They released an official statement that stated how they were “deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino’s association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image.” We can all admit it, Mike did have the body to work at Abercrombie & Fitch, but that didn’t seem to be enough.

Mike Sorrentino
Source: VIP Fails

They even offered a “substantial payment” to Sorrentino and the producers of ‘Jersey Shore’ to have him wear an alternate brand. I swear, I’ve never heard of a brand asking a celebrity not to wear their clothes! People say that there is no such thing as bad publicity, perhaps Abercrombie & Fitch should have listened to them.

The Situation Hit Back

Mike Sorrentino had to respond to the statement from Abercrombie & Fitch, right? And how did he react? Well, he decided to sue the clothing company. As it turned out, while the clothing line said that they wanted nothing to do with the troubled reality star, but they still banked on him.

Mike Sorrentino and t-shirts
Source: minieconomiadebolsillo.blogspot.com

They had no issue selling T-shirts with the phrase “The Fitchuation,” which A&F coined. Sorrentino claimed that this was using his coined phrase, ‘The Situation’, and even though the trademark isn’t approved yet, it is in action. A&F claimed that Sorrentino knew about these two t-shirts for a month already, and that they don’t violate their pending trademark. In any case, Sorrentino seemed like he really had a case. But in 2013, Judge John O’Sullivan shot his claims down.

More Legal Battles

While JWoww was never arrested on the show, she was no stranger to legal problems. She was sued in 2010 by her ex-boyfriend and ex-manager, Tom Lippolis. He claimed that she owed him $700,000 for his role in making her “a success.” As you probably remember, she dated Tom back on Jersey Shore right before she really started dating Roger.

Jenni Farley and Tom Lippolis
Source: Zimbio

He alleged that he got her free plastic surgery, fat reduction, and cellulite removal. No privacy whatsoever! He tried to blackmail her into giving him tens of thousands of dollar and threatened to sell information about her to the tabloids. She accused Tom of abuse and won a court injunction to block him from potentially releasing nude photos of her.

The Duck Phone was Left by Accident

Before Jersey Shore, no one younger than 74 ever thought of having a duck phone in their homes. The Shore House duck phone became synonymous with the series. When producer Salsano first approached the owner of the home, Danny Merk, about the property, she said she wanted everything gone, including the duck phone.

The duck phone on Jersey Shore
Source: Ignoring your crush

But, when the series started filming, the phone was accidentally left in the house. And she was glad it was. “Now the duck phone is the national symbol of Jersey Shore,” Salsano told Vulture. So much so, that at the beginning of the new show Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Snooki went back to the old shore house to take the duck phone with them on their new adventures.

There Were a Lot of Cameras in the House

Reality shows require a lot of filming. Yes, there are cameramen, and they follow the characters pretty much everywhere. But there are also cameras that are set up in the rooms so they can capture everything. There were 42 cameras in the Jersey Shore house. There were 42 cameras inside the house, the Shore Store, and on the boardwalk.

Cast and crew of Jersey Shore on the boardwalk
Source: Reality Realness

“In Seaside, we had them up and down the boardwalk, down to the Ferris wheel. We literally wired the entire town,” Salsano said. As you can see in the photo, there are so many people following the crew around when a few of them go down to enjoy some time in the water. If you think this is an exaggeration, check out what they will do to keep a main gang member in the house.

Snooki Had Her Own Separate House

As the series progressed, the lives of the gang were changing. Snooki didn’t want to show up for the last season because apparently, she fulfilled her lifelong wish of “making Guido babies.” By then, she was pregnant with her first child. People at the show say that they understand she doesn’t want everyone to get the wrong impression of her living in a party house while pregnant.

Snooki and JWow with their kids
Source: Entertainment Tonight

But instead of giving up completely, the producers rented a house for her right next door to the Shore House in order to separate her from the constant partying. The show’s executive producer said that there is always a back-up location in case there’s a serious situation in the house. Of course they want everyone to stay under the same roof, but keeping Snooki was more important.

Snooki Said the Shore House Was Like Being in Jail

During an interview with V Magazine, Snooki said that living in the house felt like “being in jail for two months.” She said she couldn’t leave without a film crew following her, and if she wanted to leave, she had to tell them an hour before so they could get ready.

Snooki
Source: MTV

There were also no cell phones, no TV, and they weren’t allowed to read! When the cast signed up for the show, they signed up for having no control over their privacy and were only allowed to make one private phone call a week. Throughout the show you can see that they are always on the phone, but the privacy just wasn’t there. It almost seems like they stopped caring about how personal the calls were and just went with it.

The Cast Worked For Free in Season One

The Jersey Shore cast ended up making a lot of money over the six seasons, but they had to pay their dues at first. In an interview with Vulture, Vinny said that they worked for free during the first season. They worked for free, despite many of them having left school and their jobs to be on the show.

Jersey Shore Store
Source: iExplore

The only actual money they made was when they did their shifts at Danny’s Shore Store. You would think with this being the case, more of them would have showed up for their shifts. As the seasons went on, you could see that whatever job they had at the time became more about the random experience than working for the money.

…But Then the Money Rolled In

It may have sucked at first, but come season two, after the huge hit that season one was, they were able to make some cash. Each cast member ended up getting $10,000 per episode in Season Two. Snooki ended up making $150,000 per episode in the final season, and today has a net worth of $4 million. Jenni was making $100,000 and today has a net worth of $3 million.

Cast of Jersey Shore
Source: Cheat Sheet

If this is how much they were making then, imagine how much they make in their new reunion show. At the end of season three, Nicole, Jenni, Deena and Angelina take a trip over to Washington, DC to ‘free Mike’ on a private jet. This should make it easier to imagine what they are bringing in.

Snooki’s Police Car “Accident” in Italy Wasn’t Real

Hey guys – here’s a piece of information: reality shows aren’t always real. Oh, you haven’t heard? Well, during the season four trip to Italy, Snooki got into an “accident” with a police car and even wore a neck brace due to her injury. Some tabloids reported that Snooki put two officers in the hospital with the crash, and even that they took her into custody and questioned her for hours.

Snooki and the police
Source: Daily Mail

Another tabloid went as far as saying Snooki had to leave the car from the back window and that they tested her for drugs and alcohol. If it seemed staged to you, your instincts are spot on. As it turns out, the police officers were actually members of the security team that were hired for the cast members’ safety.

Salsano Signed on for Season Five Before Telling the Cast

The cast was still filming the 4th season in Italy when producer Salsano greenlit the 5th season. Instead of telling them right away, she waited until MTV was ready to go public with the official press release. Why do you think she did this? Because she knew it wouldn’t sit well with the cast.

Sally Ann Salsano and Ronnie
Source: Celebrity Net Worth

“They’re gonna hate me,” is what she told The Hollywood Reporter at the time. The next season meant the cast wouldn’t get any rest since season five would begin shooting as soon as they got back to the states. In the end, the cast made a lot of money for partying and staying at a nice house near the shore and really didn’t have anything to complain about.

Fans Could Rent the Shore House

The show was all about parties, right? At the club or at home, their lives were centered around partying. Well, fans were also allowed to rent the Shore House at one point, too. And that house has now seen more parties, fights and alcohol than most beach homes.

Snooki in front of the Jersey Shore house
Source: Galuxsee

According to a local New Jersey real estate website, the vacation home was up for grabs (while only temporarily) for fans of the show who just had to get their GTL vibe and host their own Jersey Shore-style party. You can also make calls on the duck phone like the rest of the cast, and take full advantage of the large rooftop porch that you can see out to the shore from.

Vinny Considered Law School

If Jersey Shore didn’t end up launching Vinny into the successful career he made for himself; chances are he would have pursued a career in law. “My score was decent. I had a plan that if my score was really well, then I might have just went to Yale or Harvard,” he told US Weekly.

vinny guadagnino
Source: Elite Daily

“But it was just mediocre. I can get into law school. I had a 3.9 GPA, Latin Honors, but I’m doing this right now. Law school is always on the back burner.” Maybe he’ll end up doing what Kim Kardashian is doing now, and intern to get his school experience or even go back to law school. For now, he is focusing on his ketosis.

Snooki was Drunk at Her Audition

It may not come as a surprise, but Nicole came intoxicated to her audition. In an interview with Vulture, she said, “I went there drunk, because it was at a bar, and the rest is history.” She mentioned that when she gets drunk her friends have to take care of her, since it gets really bad.

Snooki in an interview
Source: Hollyscoop

Snooki is known for being able to have a good time, and the amount of bronzer she had on back in the day definitely worked in her favor. The bronzer actually got all over the release that she signed. The casting director said, “Nicole showed up in a miniskirt and literally did cartwheels and flips. She was extraordinary.” No wonder they cast her on the show!

Shores Everywhere

Jersey Shore clearly made a dent, and there’s no wonder that other networks copied the concept. This show was so popular that there were 8 remakes of Jersey Shore created by various international branches of MTV. There was ‘Gandia Shore,’ ‘Warsaw Shore,’ ‘Acapulco Shore,’ ‘Floribama Shore,’ and ‘Geordie Shore,’ which was created by MTV UK.

Cast of Geordie Shore
Source: Stellar Magazine

There is also a version of the show called ‘Super Shore’ which combines fan favorites from Acapulco and Gandia shore. The most famous one of these shows is ‘Geordie Shore’. Believe it or not, ‘Geordie Shore’ is in its 20th season and have already started filming the 21st! The cast members of Geordie Shore and Jersey Shore have actually gotten together, more recently in London.

Guests Were Carded Before Going Into the House

MTV went to lengths to cover all of their bases (including their a$$es). For example, the house guests of ‘Jersey Shore’ got carded before walking in. Producer Salsano told Vulture, “People are literally given a field sobriety test to get into the house.”

Paul D and a girl on Jersey Shore
Source: MTV

They had the same carding system they have at a club, the thing where they scan your ID. They didn’t want to let anybody in the house that was under 21. MTV didn’t want to leave any room for lawsuits in all ways, so if someone was too drunk they would ask them to leave. SallyAnn Salsano, the show’s executive producer, also lived there at the time and was there to keep an eye on the groups crazy situations.

The Cast Took Long Showers for Privacy

Since producers and the camera crew were always around, and they basically lacked any privacy, they had to find ways to get some alone time. They did have one time per week where they were allowed to make a private phone call which isn’t filed. But everyone needs some alone time, right?

Jersey Shore bathroom
Source: Pinterest

Pauly told Vulture, “The only time you’re off-camera is when you’re in the bathroom. Even if you’re in the bathroom with somebody else, they say two is a party, so they film it. We took long showers to get away from cameras.” When every moment of your life is filmed, it’s definitely nice to get some time with your own thoughts. Also, who doesn’t love a long hot shower?

Hot Tub Time

When you think about it, what’s a reality show without a hot tub, right? The producers of ‘Jersey Shore’ had to retrieve a special permit from Seaside Heights in order to get their hot tub built. A lot happened in that hot tub, but how much did you have to go through to actually use it?

Mike hot tub gif
Source: Giphy

The hot tub wasn’t actually on the roof of the Shore house. It was actually on the roof of the Shore Store. But that’s reality TV for you – it’s not as real as it looks. I’m not sure how much I would be hanging out in the hot tub if I had to actually leave the area my house is in just to sit in it.

Thanks to SNL

‘Jersey Shore’ wasn’t an immediate hit, but it didn’t take long for ‘Saturday Night Live’ to take notice of the comedy goldmine. In the show’s third week, it was already parodied by SNL. And it was after that that the MTV show began hitting #1 every week until the season’s finale. There’s nothing funnier than a show that you can imagine parodies that they will create for some of the situations.

Source: Pinterest

It got three times the number of viewers that the premiere received. Ratings stayed high in season 2 when they moved to South Beach, Florida to capitalize on the popularity – instead of waiting for another Jersey summer. Saturday Night Live really has a way of taking a show and just making it blow up.

Controversy

No one was shocked when controversy grew as the popularity of the show did too. ‘Jersey Shore’ faced much of the same criticism that ‘The Sopranos’ had faced in early seasons – that it portrayed Italian-Americans in an unfavorable fashion.

Vinny and Pauly D
Source: am New York

The show ‘Jersey Shore’ faced specific criticism about the use of the word ‘Guido,’ which was considered an ethnic slur. Many companies pulled their ads from MTV, and later, the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, claimed that the show didn’t portray the real New Jersey. Like most guilty pleasure, in the end, controversy didn’t seem to matter. This was one of the most popular shows at the time and people were watching it and loving it no matter what was said or done.

She Was Almost a Veterinarian

Nicole, aka Snooki, insisted on breaking fan expectations by publishing multiple books. Why? Because of her college education. In interviews, Nicole has highlighted her college education as a veterinarian technician. When she was interviewed about it she said “…if you want to tell me I’m stupid again, let’s go to an animal hospital.”

Snooki and a dog
Source: Access Online

She spoke about how she worked with all sorts of animals: cats, dogs, ducks, and even cows. She would take temperatures, help with surgeries, and take blood. She even remembers that the ideal heart rate for a dog is 150 BPM. She says that she definitely would have work a leopard lab cat to work. She always finds ways to bring the Jersey out in her personality.