NEW YORK — President Barack Obama has not heard of Snooki, but New Jersey police certainly have after arresting the “Jersey Shore” reality TV star Friday on a charge of disorderly conduct.
Snooki, whose real name is Nicole Polizzi, 22, was arrested in Seaside Heights on the New Jersey shore while filming the hit TV series, and she was later released from custody with a summons to appear in court, police said.
“Nicole Polizzi was acting in a disorderly manner while located on the beach,” Seaside Heights Chief of Police Thomas Boyd said in a statement. “Ms. Polizzi was escorted from the beach by (officers) then placed under arrest for the charge of disorderly conduct.”
Celebrity news website TMZ showed photos of Snooki in handcuffs. It also showed photos of the petite star drinking Coca Cola out of a beer bong earlier Friday.
Snooki is currently filming the third season of “Jersey Shore” in Seaside Heights with seven other Italian-Americans cast members, including gym rat Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, who all live together in a house for the summer.
The second season of MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” which was filmed in Miami, premiered Thursday to a series record 5.3 million total viewers, more than three times the number who tuned in for the first season’s premiere.
“Jersey Shore” gave MTV the best season premiere of a show since the season two launch of “The Osbournes” in 2002.
The program debuted in December 2009, and the cast members' use of “guido” and “guidette” — long-considered slurs for working class Italian-Americans — their late-night boozing and sexually-charged escapades have won fans and been criticized by some as stereotyping young Italian-Americans.
Earlier this week New Jersey’s governor Chris Christie said the cast and show gave a “negative” impression of New Jersey.
Obama appeared on “The View” talk show Thursday and said he had not heard of Snooki when asked a question about the reality television star.
“President Obama … love to tan in the rose garden 🙂 … I’ll teach you how to fist pump!” Snooki tweeted Friday.