For the past three years, we’ve learned more about spray tans and blowouts than ever before. The group has taken over Seaside Heights; they’ve made Miami hotter than it already was; and they even expanded their horizons in Italy. One thing is for sure; these eight self-proclaimed “guidos and guidettes” have captured the hearts of millions with their crazy antics and traditions.
In light of season five airing its final episode last Thursday here are some of the many lessons we’ve learned from watching MTV’s highest-rated program ever: ‘Jersey Shore.’
Love will either conquer all… or it won’t.
Sam and Ron were the culprits of major drama in seasons two and three, but in seasons four and five they seemed to have set aside their differences and focus on progressing their relationship. Working through problems, obviously has its upsides.
Meanwhile Jenni and her then boyfriend Tom broke up over the phone, and Tom took things out of their house (Even her bed!) leaving her dogs abandoned inside. Thankfully, she found Roger who “treats his girls like gold.”
Nicole has been “Snookin’ for love since the beginning of the show. After many failed attempts at relationships and a few sleepovers in Vinny’s bed, she finally met Jionni while filming season three. They began dating. However, a fight while Nicole was in Italy during season four didn’t stop her from crawling into Vinny’s bed five minutes later. Since then Jionni and Nicole have worked out their differences, despite drama that arose throughout season five regarding whether or not she and Mike “hooked-up” in early last, and are still together today.
Overall, relationships that the cast members have experienced emphasize the fact that some things work out and others don’t. They’ve moved on from every situation the best they can and lived life accordingly.
Prank wars will never end.
Throughout the seasons, the roommates have pulled off many memorable pranks. However, the “official” prank war started in season three when Nicole and Deena smashed cake in Vinny’s face. Vinny retaliated by hanging Nicole’s stuffed animal over the balcony. Throughout the season, pranks were played among the cast members including Mike sending Nicole and Deena to New York City in a cab, Nicole, Sammi and Ron convincing Mike that he had contracted an STD by filling his bed with cheese and the entire cast participating in massive balloon fights. The pranks continue through season four when Deena’s bed is moved into the living room as a joke—even though she doesn’t see it that way. Finally, in season five, Pauly and Vinny turn the entire shore house inside out while the rest of the group goes camping proclaiming it as the “prank of all pranks.”
Needless to say these guidos/guidettes are also the prank kings/queens. Like many prank wars their audiences may have with their friends, it will never end.
The double standard will always prevail.
Mike, Vinny, and Pauly “MVP” bring home at least one “DTF” girl in every episode and credit each other for their accomplishments. Meanwhile when Nicole brought guys home before meeting her present boyfriend Jionni in season three, many viewers deemed her a whore. If Deena, the only single girl in the house while filming season five, were to have brought back guys every night, she would have been seen as the same thing.
Editing is a prominent part of society.
Just like magazines publish photoshopped pictures, producers edit the enormous amount of footage they have to shape the plotline any way they so choose in order to fit months worth of film into 11-13 episodes of entertainment. Jersey Shore is no different. Audiences sometimes forget that they may not be getting every side of every story — hence the common perception of “fake” reality television.
Abuse and anxiety are real problems.
In season one, a New York City high school teacher unexpectedly punched Nicole in the face at a bar.
Seasons two and three revolved around Sam and Ron’s seemingly dysfunctional relationship as Ron would make-out with girls at the club and come home to lay in bed with Sammi. In season three, everything exploded when Sam punched Ron in the face and Ron destroyed all of Sam’s belongings resulting in Sammi deciding to leave the house for a short period of time to “regroup.”
In season five, Vinny left the house to “recharge” after having filmed in Italy for a month and a half and moving back to Seaside Heights immediately after. Later, he revealed that he had suffered from anxiety his entire life.
Regardless, these events prove that issues of physical and verbal abuse as well as anxiety are major problems in today’s world and have come to light on the show. Hopefully audiences have taken this into account and have realized that it can happen to anyone.
Forgetting about your friends could have serious consequences.
Season two was definitely one of tumultuous relationships. With the drama between Ron and Sam brewing Jenni and Nicole were caught in the middle when they tried to help both parties by writing Sam a note explaining Ron’s wrongful actions. However, things turned ugly when the anonymous letter led to tension and the eventual physical altercation between Jenni and Sam. The girls discontinued their friendship until the middle of season three.
Since then, Sam and Ron have openly admitted, in numerous interviews, that they focused on each other too much as opposed attempting to establish relationships with other people in the house. By using seasons three and four to rekindle those relationships, the couple was able to have the best of both worlds and get through filming in one piece.
Alcohol makes everything worse.
Being around the alcoholic beverages constantly didn’t exactly discourage cast members when they argued with their roommates or wandered around town.
In season one, Nicole immediately started drinking when she arrived at the shore house leading to her giving off a bad first impression. Later on in the season, Ron was arrested after punching an intoxicated man who was following the group and being a nuisance. In season three, Nicole was arrested for public intoxication. In addition, many of the arguments between cast members have been while they were intoxicated.
The simple point here is that alcohol can quickly escalate any issues that arise into major problems that could essentially have a major impact on your life.
Two important things you may not have realized…
1. Ron and Sam’s fights were fueled by the fact that season two was airing and season three was filming simultaneously. Although they may have been working on their relationship between seasons, they had to relive the drama while living in the shore house that summer—hence beds being thrown on balconies and insults being exchanged.
2. The cast isn’t as stupid as they are portrayed. At least six of the eight cast members have received some sort of college education. Vinny and Jenni both have college degrees. Vinny just graduated with a political science degree with a 3.9 GPA in three and a half years before moving to the shore house in season one. JWOWW actually has two degrees — one in graphic design and another in computer programming. Sammi attended William Paterson University and was even a midfielder on their soccer team before moving to Seaside Heights — she still has one semester to complete in order to earn her degree in sociology. Nicole studied at a community college to become a veterinary technician and Deena went to school for dental assisting. Mike attended Monmouth University, but eventually dropped out.
Where are they now?
Today, the cast of Jersey Shore is taking advantages of opportunities that have come their way since being on the show.
Ron and Sam are not presently together, but have not ruled out reconciliation as of yet. Ron recently moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Sam is now focusing on her perfume products.
Nicole and Jenni are currently filming their spinoff show, “Snooki and JWOWW vs. the World.” Nicole recently confirmed that she is expecting her first child with fiancé Jionni LaValle. Snooki and JWOWW have both also had books published within the last two years as well as successful branded products such as slippers and bronzers.
Pauly is preparing for his spinoff to begin airing on March 29called “The Pauly D Project,” which follows him as he goes on tour with Britney Spears and signs a record contract with 50 Cent.
Vinny is now getting ready for his self-help book about anxiety to release this April.
TUNE IN!
The Jersey Shore season five reunion airs on March 22 at 10 p.m. on MTV.