The summer night sky is still. Waves crash on the beach and the moon lights up the sky. Suddenly, a faint cry echoes in the night. It’s hard to make out at first but soon is clear. It’s Pauly D yelling “Cabs are here!” In 2009, 8 roommates came to New Jersey and the city’s never been the same. They turned the place upside down and had a good time doing it. Indeed, they love to party, hook up and cause a whole lot of drama. However, there were times the show was real and other times it was fake.
Jersey Shore aired from 2009 to 2102 to rave reviews. It quickly became one of the most popular shows on TV. In fact, they had a huge influence on pop culture. They introduced the world to phrases like “GTL”, “T-Shirt Time” and “Meatball Power”. The romances, epic fights and wild partying had fans glued to the screen. However, it turns out that not every moment was real. As a matter of fact, much of the show’s scripted. That’s not to say all of it is.
Indeed, there were some very real and painful moments. On the other hand, the producers created a lot of fake incidents. Not all the fights and drama were as real as fans assume. It’s time to take a closer look at The Jersey Shore and their adventures.
Here are 10 Times The Show Was Fake (And 10 Times It Was All Real).
real – VINNY WASN’T A PARTY ANIMAL UNTIL MEETING PAULY D
The show had a long list of hookups and romances. Although, nothing compares to the bromance between Pauly and Vinny. In the show, Vinny pointed out he wasn’t like the rest of the cast members. He admits that he’s not like the other guys.
However, Pauly changes that quickly. By the end of the show, Vinny was a fist-pumping ladies man too. Before the show, Vinny focused on his education and acting career. In fact, he was taking improv classes at the time. However, his friendship with Pauly on the show truly did change that. He too began to focus on the three most important things in life: Gym, Tan and Laundry.
fake – SNOOKI’S NICKNAME
Nicole “Snooki” LaValle became the most famous cast member. There isn’t a person that doesn’t know the name Snooki. There were many stars on the show but Snooki stole the spotlight. Turns out that her famous nickname wasn’t actually her nickname. She admits that nobody ever called her Snooki before the show.
The application for the show asked for a nickname. She could have put down anything she wanted. In fact, she didn’t really have a nickname, to begin with. Her friend called her “Snooki” as a joke so she wrote it down. She had no idea the nickname would help make her famous. She’s going to be Snooki for the rest of her life now.
real – THE WILD PARTYING
The 8 cast members had a lot of differences. On the other hand, they had one important thing in common. They all loved to party hard. Clearly, the tans, the hair, and clothes were all fake. However, the wild partying was all very real. It was the only thing they could do.
As a matter of fact, they had no contact with the outside world. They couldn’t watch TV or listen to the radio. The only thing they could do was party. The pre-partying always started around 9:30 even if they partied all day. Snooki once said, “I don’t know how we’re alive.”
fake – PAULY VS. VINNY STREET FIGHT
Pauly and Vinny truly were the perfect couple. Of course, even the perfect couple had their fair share of problems. At least that’s what the producers wanted viewers to think. In season 4, Pauly and Vinny got into a brutal street fight in Italy. Turns out the whole fight was a fake.
Indeed, a waitress claimed to see the two working out the fight. In addition, the fight takes place under a very well lit street light. Security also kept fans and photographers away from the scene. Vinny got to throw in his acting skills and even tore up his shirt for added effect. The fight didn’t make headlines as they hoped.
real – SNOOKI AND DEENA were FRIENDS BEFORE SHOW
In season 1, the castmates walked into the house strangers. None of them really knew each other. It was on the show that a bond grew and they became a family. However, one cast member felt she didn’t fit in with the rest. Angelina often had issues with her roommates. She left the series because she just couldn’t handle it anymore.
Snooki then pushed for her real-life friend, Deena, to fill the spot. Indeed, Deena auditioned for season 1 but the producers passed on her. She finally joined the cast in season 3 and the rest’s history. In fact, it’s like Deena’s the missing piece of the puzzle.
fake – OVERNIGHT GUESTS
The night would start at Karma or Bamboo but always ended at the house. It was common for the cast members to have overnight guests. It seemed they would randomly meet at the club and end up back at the house. However, most of the overnight guests were not from the club. Essentially, the producers picked the overnight guests.
In fact, they had to pass several tests first before they could get in. They had to be over 21 and would have their I.D.’s scanned. The guests were just another part of the show.
real – DUCK PHONE
It might come as a surprise but the duck phone’s one of the most real things on the show. They didn’t plan for it to be an iconic piece of the show. The set decorator saw the phone at a flea market and bought it. She thought it would be a funny thing to have in the house.
However, the producer hated the phone chose not to use it. She felt that it didn’t match the vibe of the house. It felt too wacky and silly for the show. However, they forgot to remove the phone. After they started shooting they realized their error but it was too late. The mistake paid off as it became famous itself.
fake – THEY’RE FROM NEW JERSEY
The show created a ton of controversy for its portrayal of Italians and New Jersey. The people of New Jersey felt it made them look bad. To make matters worse most of the cast wasn’t even from Jersey. In fact, only Sammi “Sweetheart” and Deena Cortese are from Jersey. Vinny and The Situation are from Staten Island and Ronnie’s from the Bronx.
Both JWoww and Snooki grew up in New York State. In addition, two of the most famous cast members are not Italian. JWoww has Irish and Spanish heritage. Snooki’s arguably the most famous star on the show. However, she’s not Italian either and is actually from Chile.
real – SNOOKI FELT LEFT OUT
In the final season, one of the key storylines was Snooki feeling left out. She became pregnant with her first child and left the shore house. Instead, she moved into a house nearby in order to still be part of the show. However, she didn’t partake in the partying and wild nights.
As a matter of fact, the show didn’t create the Snooki feeling left out storyline. She really did miss out on the parties and hookups. She was happy to be going in a new direction in her life.
fake – WORKING AT THE T-SHIRT STORE
During the first season, the producers wanted to capture the life of a 20-something spending their summer at the shore. The producers wanted the show to be as real as possible. Therefore, the cast members all worked at the local t-shirt store, The Shore Store. They didn’t make any money from the show in season 1. They had to work at the store to make money.
However, it really wasn’t like most jobs. In fact, they started making $10 an hour but by the end of the summer were making $20. In addition, they didn’t have to work that hard. Indeed, the owner and staff often complained about working with Mike “The Situation”. They called him the “laziest person to work with.”
real – RONNIE AND SAMMI’S RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS
Ronnie broke his most important rule of The Jersey Shore. Never fall in love at the shore. Ronnie couldn’t even make it through the first few episodes. Ronnie and Sammi had one of the first love stories at the shore. The producers certainly pushed for them to be a couple. However, nobody could script the outrageous fighting.
That is not to say the producers didn’t help push the story along. If they saw an opportunity to exploit the issues they jumped at it. To be fair, Ronnie and Sammi were easy to exploit. Sammi’s moved on and chose not to participate in Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. She did participate in Reunion Road Trip: Return To The Jersey Shore.
fake – THEY GOT JOBS AT THE PIZZERIA
When the crew went to Italy they had to earn their way once again. In fact, each one had to work at the local pizzeria, O’Vesuvio. They had to wake up early every morning and head to work. It didn’t matter if they partied all night and had no sleep. They had to make their shift each time. However, rumours suggest working at the pizzeria was fake.
Apparently, MTV set the entire scenario up to cause some drama. The entire experience was faker than Mike’s tan. Indeed, MTV rented out the pizzeria for the gang to work. During filming, journalists weren’t able to get inside. In addition, the customers weren’t real customers. They were extras who got free pizza for their time.
real – THE SITUATION VS. THE WALL
There were many fights in the house both real and fake. In this case, this was one of the realest moments in the show. In Italy, Ronnie and Sammi fought just like it was Jersey or Miami. However, this time The Situation became part of the situation. Mike and Ronnie ended up having a heated argument.
They destroyed the house before the big showdown. It’s not clear if this was a real or fake fight but what happened next was very real. To prove just how tough he is The Situation ran his head into a concrete wall. He might be able to run his head into walls in Jersey but Italy’s different. He ran his head into the wall so hard he knocked himself out. To his credit, he eventually got back to his feet and tried to keep the fight going.
fake – SNOOKI VS. ANGELINA
In season 2, Snooki and Angelina had an epic showdown. It ended with Angelina leaving the show for good. Angelina had issues with everyone in the house and the fight was the breaking point. It’s one of the most famous fights and did huge ratings. However, fans have doubted the reality of the fight for years.
They were swinging for the fences but looking closely there’s a few errors. Viewers noticed something off about JWoww’s footwear. In the first angle, she’s clearly wearing socks. However, in a different angle, she’s not wearing any socks. They then cut back to the first angle and the socks re-appear. This lead to some fans questioning if the fight was real at all.
real – VINNY REJECTS SNOOKI
At one time, Snooki and Vinny seemed like a romance waiting to happen. Clearly, they had chemistry and there was an attraction. They even hooked up a few times and were close. The producers and fans really wanted to see it work out.
However, Vinny started to really care about her. He didn’t want to treat her like the rest of the girls. One night she asked if he wanted to cuddle but he turned her down. He didn’t want to lead her own or hurt her in anyway. It’s one of the few legit rejections on the show. The producers would have loved it if they became an item. Instead, they went into very different directions.
fake – PAID EXTRAS AND LOCALS
The 8 cast members were always the centre of attention. Wherever they went the party followed them. Although. most of them were extras and locals. In fact, they were all paid for their work to be on the show. The show’s more like a movie set than a reality show. As noted, they used a large number of extras in Italy at the pizzeria.
A lawyer noted he saw the cast re-shooting shots from different angles and multiple takes. The extras and locals made it easier to control the show. The extras knew the direction and didn’t cause any added problems for the show. The producers had enough to deal with already.
real – THE LOVE TRIANGLE
The Jersey Shore had romance, brawls and drama. It also had a few burning mysteries that had fans talking. Before the crew headed to Italy, The Situation claimed he had a fling with Snooki. However, Snooki was in a relationship with Jionni. Regardless, Mike noted their fling lasted two months and things got intense. Snooki denied all of it.
Snooki and Mike then had a huge fight and falling out. In fact, Snooki threw a water bottle at his head. Later, they patched things up but neither changed their story. To this day, Mike claims something went down and Snooki denies it. It remains one of the most famous mysterious in the show.
THE INFAMOUS NOTE (FAKE)
The infamous note nearly destroyed the Jersey Shore forever. In season 2, JWoww and Snooki wrote an anonymous letter to their friend Sammi about her then-boyfriend Ron. They had all gone out one night but Sammi left early. Ron stayed behind and ended up being unfaithful. JWoww and Snooki wrote a very detailed letter about his actions. They figured Sammi would assume one of the producers wrote it. The cast couldn’t bring any paper or pens into the house.
The girls thought Sammi would accuse the producers for that reason. However, the producers couldn’t let such a juicy storyline slip by. As a matter of fact, the producers told her they didn’t write it. In addition, they told her it was one of the cast members. It lead to one of the most epic fights in Jersey Shore history.
real – SNOOKI and the GYM TEACHER
In season 1, Snooki ended up making major headlines. She’s at the centre of one of the most famous incidents in the show. While at the bar, she got into an argument with a gym teacher. He had taken shots meant for Snooki and her friends. Snooki took it upon herself to stand up to him.
The gym teacher then became upset and a physical altercation occurred. Snooki had some minor injuries and her friends were furious. The camera’s were rolling and caught the entire incident. The gym teacher lost his job and faced charges. However, the incident brought the cast members together. It also took Snooki from being just another reality star to a world famous personality.
fake – SNOOKI CRASHED INTO A POLICE CAR
While in Italy, Snooki got into some trouble with the law. She was driving down the streets when she crashed her car into a police vehicle. It was an international incident that resulted in Snooki losing her license. According to rumours, the whole thing was a set up. In fact, witnesses claim it was all a fake.
For instance, their were two camera crews filming. One crew was in a car following Snooki and one crew on the ground. Sources claim they were driving at a very slow speed. They hit the police car but kept driving forward at the slow speed. Snooki then wore a neck brace for several weeks. However, many sources claim that was fake as well.
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What other instances do you think were real or fake on Jersey Shore? Let us know in the comments!