“We’re collectively, lightning in a bottle, the Avengers of actuality TV, however extra in order that I really feel like authenticity has been key, unapologetically ourselves always,” The State of affairs tells TooFab.
Over 15 years in the past, Mike “The State of affairs” Sorrentino and his roommates graced the small display screen for the primary time on MTV’s Jersey Shore, which might finally change into a popular culture phenomenon, and make him and his castmates family names.
Now, as Mike and his co-stars — Pauly “DJ Pauly D” Delvecchio, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Deena Nicole Cortese, Samantha “Sammi Sweetheart” Giancola and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro — return to the place all of it started in Seaside Heights, New Jersey for Season 8 of the present’s reunion sequence, Jersey Shore Household Trip, the truth star is wanting again at his journey on the franchise and reflecting on its legacy.
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In an interview with TooFab, Mike, 42, opened up about what he believes makes followers nonetheless need to tune in 15 years after they first realized all about GTL, fist-pumping, and guidos.
Jersey Shore first premiered in December 2009, and ran for six seasons. Almost six years later, Mike and (most of) the crew reunited for Jersey Shore Household Trip, which premiered in 2018. Season 8 of the spinoff sequence — which premieres on Jerzday, Thursday, Might 29 — marks the fifteenth anniversary and general season of the present.
When requested what he believes is the present’s “secret sauce,” Mike mentioned, “I feel that, you already know, I am a giant fan of the present, and all of my castmates. They’re brothers and sisters to me. However hear, every one in all ’em, they’re family names. They’ve thousands and thousands of followers on each platform. I really feel like we’re collectively, lightning in a bottle, the Avengers of actuality TV, however extra in order that I really feel like authenticity has been key, unapologetically ourselves always, wherein why our present has been so relatable to the viewer and to the followers, and so they’ve grown up with us and we’re like brothers and sisters.”
Mike — who shares Romeo, 3, Mia, 2, and Luna, 13 months, with spouse Lauren Sorrentino — famous how he will get approached by loving followers when he goes out in public.
“You must see after I go for, like, a CVS run. Individuals are coming as much as me like I am their brother or their son or their uncle, hugs, and, you already know, ‘How’s Lauren?’ and ‘How’s the youngsters?’ And it is so, so very particular,” he advised TooFab. “It is positively a once-in-a-lifetime sort of present, and I am very blessed to be concerned.”
“I assume it is a reward for, you already know, being authentically ourselves and in addition being so relatable and sharing our lives with America for therefore lengthy,” he added.
For the brand new season of Jersey Shore Household Trip, followers will see Mike and the gang going again to the OG shore home in Seaside Heights — and it seems many viewers will likely be experiencing some deja vu.
“I imply, you are simply tremendous grateful. You possibly can’t consider that you just’re on this trip and it has lasted 15 years, and that the general public and followers have grown up with you,” Mike shared. “It is form of like a pinch-me second, you already know? And now you are again within the shore home. It smells the identical, it seems to be the identical. And also you’re simply taking a look at your pals who at the moment are just about household, doing, like, ‘Take a look at us. Take a look at us. Look, look what we did.’ ?””
“And the story continues. It is a tremendous story, and I am very, very blessed to be part of it,” he added. “So you already know, Seaside has a really particular place in our coronary heart, and really glad that we celebrated our fifteenth anniversary there, and we closed out this season over there as properly.”
And for many who could also be questioning, sure, the long-lasting duck cellphone is nonetheless there — together with a number of different Jersey Shore memorabilia, together with the well-known be aware Snooki and JWoww wrote to Sammi to disclose Ronnie had allegedly cheated on her.
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“The duck cellphone is there and it’s intact,” Mike mentioned. “It is part of tradition at this second. Together with the be aware, you already know, the neck brace and the sun shades, you already know. Jersey Shore has had a giant half in tradition and actuality TV, and you already know, now we have fairly the story.”
Mike described the present as a “ceremony of passage,” noting that it has tagged together with followers as they’ve grown up — and has gained new viewers alongside the way in which.
“It is for, you already know, the highschool courses to look at the previous or the unique Jersey Shore, after which once you go to varsity, you may have the be aware in your lobby, you already know what I imply? On a sheet,” he mentioned. “And also you see it all over the place. , it is so loopy what this present became. And now, that is the fifteenth anniversary. So for followers, who’ve grown up with us and new followers, they love us and we love them too.”
As for who he believes has modified essentially the most through the years, Mike named himself.
“Large Daddy Sitch has had fairly the journey,” he mentioned. “I am now 10 years clear and sober. I am 10 years this 12 months, and a loyal, devoted husband, dad of three. , I am opening up my very own therapy facilities this 12 months referred to as the Archangel Facilities. , I had this bestselling autobiography, which was killing the sport the previous 12 months. So, it has been fairly a trip.”
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“I’d positively assume I’d vote myself solely due to the, you already know, the sobriety journey,” Mike continued. “I used to be in all probability one of many wildest forged members … to now [being on] this superb sober journey that I am on to be the mature good buddy that I’m to my roommates.”
The Actuality Test writer mentioned he is “turned my ache into objective,” including that his story “has helped others.”
“My life story is now different folks’s survival information,” he defined. “And I really feel like I discovered, you already know, my method in life, and others can too. If Mike The State of affairs can do it, and be 10 years clear and sober, so are you able to.”
Mike went on to open up about how he’ll see the present 15 years from now, and shared whether or not he’ll let his children watch it sooner or later.
“I feel that I will in all probability let my youngsters watch the present, Jersey Shore Household Trip, after they flip 16 or 18, which is the Household Trip sequence,” he advised TooFab. “Because it pertains to possibly the uncensored Jersey Shore model, possibly they gotta flip 21 for that.”
“As you guys all know, Large Daddy Sitch could be very pleased with his story, as I am now 10 years clear and sober, my rise and fall and rise once more is the instance,” he continued. “And the epitome of the comeback is bigger than the setback. I am a sober legend within the streets.”
“So, I am very proud that, you already know, my youngsters have, you already know, an excellent instance to develop as much as or no matter,” he continued. “And once more, you already know, when you guys do not know, Large Daddy Sitch has an autobiography within the streets, Actuality Test: How I Overcame Dependancy, Loss, and Jail in all kinds. And we offered seven figures for the 12 months in product sales, and we self-published. So everybody loves comeback story.”
Jersey Shore Household Trip premieres Thursday, Might twenty ninth at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.
