The Untold Truth Of Double Shot At Love's Vinny Guadagnino
Vinny Guadagnino has come a long way from the beaches of the "Jersey Shore." As part of the original cast when the show premiered in 2009, he was just 22 when he was catapulted to celebrity status as a star of the most-watched series in MTV history (via Entertainment Weekly). As the youngest cast member, interestingly, he was known to keep the others grounded while still having fun on the beach and in the club until the series ended in 2012.
To say that the self-proclaimed "guido" with a penchant for GTL — the acronym coined by the show to stand for the stars' routine of "Gym, Tan, Laundry" — benefited greatly from the show's success is an understatement. Through his resulting earnings and fame, the Staten Island native has enjoyed dating models, buying multi-million-dollar homes, driving lavish cars, and getting gifted multiple spinoffs.
Besides joining "Jersey Shore Family Vacation," currently in its fourth season, Guadagnino is also starring in the third installment of "Double Shot at Love," which is designed to finally find him lasting love. "I started [on "Jersey Shore"] when I was 21. So I think [my cast] had a little bit of like a life head start on me, but [I'm] definitely not rushing it," as the perennial reality show bachelor told In Touch Weekly. "It would have to be for the right one."
Could the third time be the charm? Let's explore what you may not already know about Vinny Guadagnino.
Because of Jersey Shore, he's met a lot of women
When he was cast in "Jersey Shore," Vinny Guadagnino was single, so the then-newfound celebrity took advantage of being unattached during those very memorable and drama-filled summers in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. And in the six seasons of the show, he did well for himself in the romance department, racking up an interesting dating history, including liaisons with a couple of his roommates.
In an interview with Boomer & Gio, he revealed that, due to his reality-star status, he's slept with over 500 women. "You've got to understand, I've done these club appearances when I was on the show," he explained. "So like three nights a week you're in a different city, traveling around the country, things happen."
In Season 2 of "Jersey Shore," he settled down with Romanian model Ramona Nitu, but that relationship was short-lived. And, after the show ended, he was coupled up with Maxim model and his "Guy Code" co-star Melanie Iglesias (via HuffPost), but that ended after two years when she alleged he was unfaithful (per MStars News).
When "Jersey Shore Family Vacation" premiered in 2018, Guadagnino was dating model Elicea Shyann, but the couple split because of his behavior on the series, which included "flirting with the bottle waitresses." To defend his actions, he explained that he was "really drunk" and admitted that "it's definitely the wrong thing to do, but I wouldn't call it cheating, though" (via "JennyMcCarthyTV").
Vinny Guadagnino has a bromance with co-star Pauly D
Fans of "Jersey Shore" know that no matter how many girls come and go, Vinny Guadagnino can always rely on one special someone, his best friend, Pauly "Pauly D" DelVecchio. The boys are so tight, in fact, that MTV actually made a compilation video of their bromance.
To solidify their union on national television, they actually had a "brommitment" ceremony in front of Elvis when they visited Las Vegas on "Jersey Shore Family Vacation." For his vows, Guadagnino gushed, "You're orange, I'm pale. You have muscles, and I don't. But at the end of the day, you're the yin to my yang, and I want to do T-shirt time together for the rest of our lives" (via MTV News).
The inseparable dynamic duo has done everything together from sporting matching tracksuits to getting tandem haircuts. So, it was no surprise that the boys decided to try finding girlfriends together as well: In 2019, they starred in "Double Shot at Love," where they dated 20 women — in unison! "It was a perfect combination, because Pauly and I would always love to do any show together and we always wanted our own show, but we were also single and I'm an avid "Bachelor" fan and I love dating shows, so just the two things combined was perfect timing and it worked out," Guadagnino told Entertainment Weekly.
Additionally, the buddies teamed up for the reality show "Revenge Prank," which aired on MTV in 2020.
The Staten Island native has Italian roots
Although the "Jersey Shore" roommates have been criticized for not being Italian (via Today), Vinny Guadagnino has nothing to worry about. A native of Staten Island, a borough of New York City, the first-generation Italian told Parade, "My family was all born in Sicily and I'm Italian American."
When the show aired, it was denounced for degrading Italians, especially for their use of the words "guido" and "guidette," which some saw as derogatory (via The Guardian). To counter, Guadagnino told Parade that he had no problem with the way the show portrays his ethnicity. "That's why when Italians get mad and say, 'You're a bad representation of Italians,' I'm like, 'Really? Because my family is right off the boat and they don't take it that seriously.' The real Italians don't really care as much."
In Season 4 of the original series, the entire cast traveled to Florence, Italy, for the summer. As part of the trip, Guadagnino took his friends to meet his family in Sicily, an island off the coast of the Italian mainland. It was his first time in the homeland of his ancestors, and he likened it to visiting Jurassic Park (via Us Weekly). The reality star is commonly asked whether he speaks the language, and he confessed that, although he understands Italian, speaking it proves to be more difficult (via Google).
On Double Shot at Love, he's trying to find his person
Vinny Guadagnino is back for a third "Double Shot at Love." In the first two seasons, he went on a myriad of dates, from fancy dinners to carnivals — and, of course, had some flirty makeout seshes.
On the Season 1 finale, he ultimately chose professional backup dancer Alysse Joyner (via MTV). But, at the reunion show (per In Touch Weekly), she claimed the "Jersey Shore" alum ghosted her — so he took to Twitter to defend himself. "Unfortunately, Alysse and I weren't allowed to see each other publicly after filming for 5 months," he said. "Very weird situation to be put in after the finale. I struggled to keep it alive through text." Joyner clapped back to say he never texted but, instead, hit up her friend from the show, New Jersey-native Maria Elizondo.
In the show's second season, Elizondo returned to Vegas, and the duo got hot and heavy — but they later revealed at the Reunion that they hadn't seen each other after the show wrapped. Now, in Season 3 of the series, Guadagnino has his pick of 17 women, according to People, and said that he does see marriage in his future (via In Touch Weekly). Maybe the third time really is the charm.
Vinny Guadagnino has a tumultuous history with co-star Angelina Pivarnick
As loyal fans of "Jersey Shore" are well aware, there has always been a love-hate relationship between Vinny Guadagnino and his co-star Angelina Pivarnick. Born and raised in Staten Island, New York, the two always shared a special bond, having experienced ups and downs for years. In fact, they've had so many memorable squabbles that MTV actually made compilation reels with titles like "8 Epic Vinny vs. Angelina Fights Ranked" and "Roast Battle: Vinny vs Angelina" — the pair's intense arguments have sparked speculation from fans that Guadagnino has unrequited feelings for Pivarnick, with fans even saying that he's "obsessed" with her (via Screen Rant). Guadagnino even declared on "The Jenny McCarthy Show" that he's "her Staten Island dream boy."
But, first, here's a quick recap: They shared a tipsy hookup in Season 2 of "Jersey Shore" that began in the backseat of a cab and ended with them sleeping together. When Pivarnick unexpectedly crashed Season 1 of "Jersey Shore Family Vacation," the cast wanted to see a round two for them. And when the reality starlet experienced marital problems with her new husband, Chris Larangeira, during "Family Vacation," Guadagnino went so far as to tweet, "Don't worry Angelina if it doesn't work out, you always have me." Less than a month later, in July 2021, Pivarnick filed for divorce, as noted by E! News. However, by September, Us Weekly reported that the couple had reconciled.
The reality star is the author of two books
We're all familiar with the old adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover." So, you shouldn't be surprised to learn that when he's not GTL'ing, Guadagnino writes. The reality star-turned-author released two books based on his life experiences. The first, "Control the Crazy: My Plan to Stop Stressing, Avoid Drama, and Maintain Inner Cool," explores the "Jersey Shore" alum's history of anxiety along with the coping techniques he's discovered.
You may remember that in Season 5 of "Jersey Shore" he left the house to keep his mental health in check. At the time, he told MTV News, "We do this 24 hours a day and sometimes you just reach a point where [you] ... need to take a break." Guadagnino shared with Complex that readers even wrote him thanking him for his honesty. "You know, I'm on a show about partying and having fun, and I'm always like the cool, calm guy, and it took a lot of strength to say that stuff in front of millions of people," he said.
His second book also focuses on self-improvement, but, this time, on the body instead of the mind. After following a keto diet for five years (and dubbing himself the "Keto Guido"), losing 50 pounds, and posting impressive before-and-after body pics, the fitness buff put together "The Keto Guido Cookbook: Delicious Recipes to Get Healthy and Look Great," which is filled with healthier alternatives to his favorite dishes.
A quintessential mama's boy, Vinny Guadagnino even hosted a show with his mother
Among the parents of the "Jersey Shore" cast, Vinny Guadagnino's mother, Paola Giaimo, gets the most airtime by far. In many episodes, she's cooked up big Italian meals for the roomies and is always there to give her only son a warm embrace. "I am a mama's boy, I will admit. I love my mom — she taught me everything I know," Guadagnino said on "Double Shot at Love" (via Pop Culture), "but the thing is I never lived in my mom's house, my mom lived in my house." He further explained that through his financial success from the franchise, he has given back to the woman who raised him, with lavish gifts like a new car and even a house.
In fact, fans loved the mother-son duo so much that MTV gifted them their own reality show. On the 2013 series "The Show with Vinny," the pair welcomed celebrities into their Staten Island, New York, home for an interview, complete with a home-cooked meal by Giaimo. Guests included Little Wayne, who ate broccoli rabe, an Italian specialty (via The Hollywood Reporter), and Ciara, who tasted her first cannoli (via the New York Daily News) on the show.
We would be remiss, however, not to mention another family member, Giaimo's brother, Antonio Giaimo, lovingly referred to by the cast as "Uncle Nino," who shows up on countless episodes providing non-filtered comedic commentary.
In his free time, he works as a stripper in Vegas
After his body transformation, the Keto Guido — and his chiseled abs — bared it all for a side hustle as a celebrity guest host stripper at the famed "Chippendales," the storied male revue at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. According to TMZ, Vinny Guadagnino made his stripping debut in 2019, and his steamy routine — where he gets completely naked inside of a shower stall — gained much attention. "He was definitely one of the best-received guest hosts we have had, bringing in tons of 'Jersey Shore' and 'Double Shot at Love' fans," a rep from Chippendales dished to Page Six. "He basically sold out almost every performance."
On "Jersey Shore Family Vacation," the cast had a blast supporting their pal in his new sultry venture. Two of the ladies on the show, Jenni "JWoww" Farley and Angelina Pivarnick, got strip teases from Guadagnino as the roomies cringed at the over-the-top PDA amongst their friends. Also, we can't forget to mention that his supportive mom, Paola Giaimo, even traveled to Vegas to watch his performance.
When asked about his initial interest in the infamous gig, Guadagnino told Las Vegas Magazine, "I always wanted to be in a Vegas show but I don't really know what my lane is for that." He added, "I'm not a DJ or a singer or a stand-up comedian yet. Sometimes you gotta create your own lane."
The reality star already bought and sold a fancy home in the Hollywood Hills
Vinny Guadagnino has strayed far from his humble roots — namely, the shore house he shared with his "Jersey Shore" castmates. In 2020, to commemorate his 33rd birthday, he gifted himself quite a lavish present — a new home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles!
Newly bicoastal, he marked his memorable trip around the sun on Instagram, where he posted a photo of the impressive abode along with the caption, "I've never gotten myself a birthday gift ... So for my Jesus year, I'm blessed and thankful to have closed on another home."
According to the New York Post, the ocean view property, which set him back a whopping $3.85 million, includes a saltwater pool and spa. And we can assume that he spent a lot of time putting the T (which stands for "tanning") in GTL on the property's sprawling grounds.
Surprisingly, less than a year later, the newfound West Coast homeowner sold the house (per People). We wonder where he headed to next?
His net worth is impressive
Through the success of "Jersey Shore," his participation in multiple spinoffs, and his many guest appearances, Vinny Guadagnino is worth a staggering $5 million (via Celebrity Net Worth).
According to Life & Style, Guadagnino brought home $90,000 per episode of "Jersey Shore." As for "Jersey Shore Family Vacation," he can earn as much as $100,000 per episode and a total of $2.9 million per season, depending on its episode count (via The Cinemaholic). In addition to his TV salary and his earnings from his Chippendales' gig, he started his own clothing line, selling T-shirts and hoodies with Guadagnino-inspired slogans like "Vinny's Italian Sausage" and "Sensitive Savage."
Although it may seem that the reality star blows his money on an expensive lifestyle, he has been open about how he invests his money instead of frivolously spending it. "I own houses, I like real estate but I have a financial advisor as well who diversifies me. I am like the most conservative person you will ever meet — I just have bonds and mutual funds," he told Yahoo!.
Although he may be frugal, Guadagnino has shelled out cash on some extravagant purchases, like visits to celebrity dentist Michael Apa, whose veneers cost up to $4,000 per tooth and up to $80,000 for an entire mouth (via Insider).
Why was Vinny not invited to Snooki's wedding?
As evidenced by the "Jersey Shore" group photo taken at her nuptials, when Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi tied the knot with Jionni LaValle, Vinny Guadagnino was not in attendance. "I think [I wasn't invited] because we hooked up to some capacity in the past," he told Life & Style. He explained that it was likely the bride who decided to keep him off the guest list. "I think it was just because of me doing comedy ... and going up on stage. I would tell stories about hooking up with her."
For a refresher, as early as Season 1, the pair got close after Polizzi got punched and Guadagnino comforted her. The two finally hooked up in Season 2 after the reality starlet wandered into his bed and, to add fuel to the fire, commented about the impressive size of his manhood. Things took another turn in Season 4 when she wound up in his bed once again after LaValle, who was her boyfriend at the time, abruptly left while they were filming in Italy (via MTV).
Polizzi did admit that her former hookup was right about the reason he wasn't invited to her wedding. "I get it, it was in the past, whatever — but to use me for comic relief? Like, knowing that it's not cool to talk about that anymore ... when I'm married — that's just not really something a friend would do, you know?" she told Life & Style.
Before his reality TV debut, the star worked in politics and planned to attend law school
Before he was dodging grenades at Karma, Vinny Guadagnino pursued an academic track. A graduate of The State University of New York at New Paltz and the College of Staten Island at the City University of New York where he studied political science, Guadagnino worked as an aide for Democratic Staten Island, New York, state assemblyman Michael Cusick, as he told Vulture.
Soon after graduating from college, Guadagnino got word of the new MTV series. "I was going to go to law school, so I was studying for my LSATs ... That's when somebody sent me the casting thing," he told Vulture. In fact, Guadagnino took the LSAT exam on the same day "Jersey Shore" premiered. So, will he ever finish what he started? He told Straus Media that he hopes to one day return to school to complete his law degree, saying, "I like accomplishing things ... That would be another goal to accomplish."
Interestingly, when Guadagnino was chosen as part of the OG cast, he immediately told the network that he would not in any way be perceived as unintelligent on the show. As he explained to Vulture, "I straight-up told [MTV] when they picked me that I went to college, and I wouldn't dumb myself down." From our perspective, he was portrayed as he really seems — mature, grounded, and family-oriented, with a penchant for both working hard and playing hard.