Jersey Shore stars eight housemates who summer on the New Jersey shore. Although the cast immediately sparked controversy for their stereotypical portrayals of Italian-Americans, the Guidos and Guidettes have gone on to become cultural phenoms.
The cast of MTV's most watched show is credited with introducing new words to the American lexicon, and have become the subject of college courses and made Barbara Walters' list of Ten Most Fascinating People in 2010.
Learn more about Snooki, The Situation, JWoww, Pauly D and the rest of the Jersey Shore cast below:
Deena
MTV
Although Deena Nicole Cortese was reportedly rejected as a Jersey Shore cast member the first season, she later joined the cast in Season Three, when Angelina Pivarnick left the show. Cortese, a longtime friend of Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, is an Italian American from New Egypt, New Jersey. She was born January 12, 1987.
JWoww
MTV
Jennifer "JWoww" Farley is a graphic designer and club promoter. An Irish-Spanish American from Franklin Square, New York, Farley joined the Jersey Shore in the premiere season. Farley was born February 27, 1986.
Although she had a steady boyfriend at home, Farley cheated on him by hooking up with cast mate Paul DelVecchio. That relationship also fizzled. Between the Third and Fourth Seasons, Farley--who has always been open about having breast implants--lost a significant amount of weight and appeared to have undergone plastic surgery.
In 2010, Farley wrote a book, The Rules According to JWOWW: Shore-Tested Secrets On Landing A Mint Guy, Staying Fresh To Death, and Kicking the Competition to the Curb. Farley and fellow cast member Nicole Polizzi, have reportedly signed a deal to star in a Jersey Shore spin off show that will follow the two girls moving in together.
Mike "The Situation"
MTV
Michael "The Situation" Sorrentino was born born July 4, 1982 in West New Brighton, New York to an Italian American family. Sorrentino worked as an exotic dancer, an underwear model and an assistant manager of a fitness club before joining the Jersey Shore cast in its first season.
On Jersey Shore Sorrentino developed a crush on cast mate Sammi Giancola, but the feeling wasn't reciprocated. Sorrentino competed on the Eleventh Season of Dancing with the Stars, when he partnered with Karina Smirnoff until he was eliminated in week four.
Pauly D
MTV
Born July 5, 1980, Paul "Pauly D" DelVecchio is an Italian American from Johnston, Rhode Island. DelVecchio has been on Jersey Shore since the beginning. On the show, he had a short relationship with fellow cast member Jennifer "JWoww" Farley. DelVecchio won a 2011 Teen Choice Award for "Choice Reality Star: Male."
A professional DJ, DelVecchio has opened for Britney Spears and signed a recording contract with 50 Cent's G-Note Records. He will reportedly star in a Jersey Shore spin off, which will focus on his DJ career, follow him on a U.S. tour, and begin filming in 2012.
Ronnie
MTV
Ronald "Ronnie" Ortiz-Magro, Jr. was born to a Puerto Rican-Italian American family, December 4, 1985. He has been a cast member on Jersey Shore since the show first aired. On the show he has had an on-and-off-again relationship with Sammi Giancola. Formerly in real estate, Ortiz-Magro launched a T-Shirt line called "Jersey Laundry."
Sammi
MTV
Before Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola started on Jersey Shore she was a soccer player at William Paterson University. Giancola is an Italian American who was born March 14th, 1987 in Hazlet, New Jersey. On the show, she has been in a on-and-off-again relationship with Ronald "Ronnie" Ortiz-Magro. In 2011 Giancola, became the face of Dangerous perfume.
Snooki
MTV
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi was born November 23, 1987. Although she is of Chilean descent, Polizzi was adopted by an Italian American family. Polizzi has been a cast member on Jersey Shore since the show premiered.
Polizzi earlier appeared an episode of MTV's reality show, Is She Really Going Out with Him?, about women dating annoying men. Her book A Shore Thing was released in January, 2011 but it failed to fly off shelves. In April of the same year, Polizzi was paid $32,000 to speak at Rutgers University about being a celebrity and offered the advice, "Study hard, but party harder."
Vinny
MTV
Vinny Guadagnino was born November 11, 1987 and raised in Staten Island, New York to Italian American parents. Guadagnino graduated from CUNY College of Staten Island with a 3.9 GPA, was a political aide for a New York State Assemblyman and was going to go to law school before he joined the cast of Jersey Shore.
He reportedly applied to the show, "as a joke," and famously said of meeting his cast mates, "I see Pauly and his spiky hair and his whole Guido look. Great, they found the most stereotypical kid. Then Snooki seems like a train wreck. But you realize we're all starting this crazy new adventure."
Guadagnino's mother was born in Sicily, and the cast visited his ancestor's farm during the Fourth Season, which was set in Italy. Guadagnino previously appeared on an episode of The Hard Times of RJ Berger.
Off the show, Guadagnino is an advocate for disenfranchised communities including LGBT teens. He has appeared in a public service campaign ad for the It Gets Better Project.
