MTV’s “Jersey Shore” may have become one of the network’s most successful shows but one prominent cast member claims it came from some pretty humble beginnings.
During the first season of filming, the cast apparently didn’t get paid cash for their work.
“We would get $200 a week from the Shore Store,” Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi told InStyle. “I had never gotten that much in a week, like, every single week, because you usually get paid every two weeks. That was crazy for me.”
Pretty wild revelations coming out of “Jersey Shore.” I expected some of the show’s behind the scenes facts to be surprising but this takes it to a new rock bottom. First, it’s surprising that anybody would sign on for a job that offers little to no realistic sustenance. And second, it’s incredible that Snooki considered the weekly $200 a lot of money.
I’d never heard of the Shore Store before but a quick Google search cleared it right up. I was expecting the Shore Store to maybe be a reasonably priced convenience store where the cast would get stipends for groceries and soap. But no. It’s a tourist shop that sells neon graphic tees and booty shorts. Imagine blowing through $200 a week at a place that sells t-shirts with phrases like, “I’m the sweetest b*tch you’ll ever meet.”
Incredible. I have nothing but respect for MTV. Especially since the cast of “Jersey Shore” eventually sky rocketed into fame and fortune. But this kept them humble. It’s an important lesson to remember where you come from.
Follow Jena on Twitter.