00:00Mike, I guess I'll start with you. This will be the first season that we get to see you as a dad, which is so exciting. Congratulations.
00:07What was it like filming this season, you know, while having a newborn at home?
00:12Well, I think my biggest flex is being a dad, but it was just me showing a different side to the audience and the viewers,
00:21as well as I feel like I've been working on being this mature new version of myself for quite some time.
00:27So me being a dad was was like the next step for me. So this is a big season for me.
00:33And I'm very excited to show how I became a dad and how I am as a dad.
00:37Was there any sort of hesitation from you or Lauren, you know, with with how much to show of that of that side of it?
00:45Well, MTV has always given me a great edit over the past, I would think, five years or in the new season or the new version of Jersey Shore Family Vacation.
00:54So we we trusted them and we just kept the motto of, you know, being authentic has always worked for me.
01:01So, you know, and I'm hoping that I'm pretty sure that this season of Jersey Shore Family Vacation is going to be a great one.
01:09What would you say is kind of the most important thing you've learned from being a dad so far?
01:13Besides not really getting much sleep, I don't know. It's an amazing thing.
01:20You know, you could never imagine what it's like being a dad until you actually are a dad.
01:26And if I had to describe it, you're introduced to a love that you didn't even know existed.
01:31And I feel like I found my purpose.
01:33I love that. And for you, Vinny and Dina, seeing Mike, you know, step into this role,
01:38what has it been like for you since you've known him for so long?
01:41Oh, I'm sorry. I've always called Mike Daddy.
01:48I just think that it fits him so well.
01:52I have to say he has like the cutest, most well behaved baby.
01:57No offense, Dina. I actually love Dina's babies too.
02:00But Romeo is such like a little character and he just fits in so well to everything that we have going on.
02:08I love going to his house and just seeing him there.
02:12I'm not going to lie. I went to houses where I'm like, oh, that baby.
02:15But not Romeo and not Dina's babies.
02:19I love CJ and Cameron.
02:22So it's just it's just all been amazing.
02:24How about for you, Dina? What's it been like to see Mike kind of step into the dad role?
02:30I knew he was going to be a great dad.
02:32I always saw him with all of our kids and they were definitely ready to be parents for sure.
02:39And for you this season, Dina, you finally have your meatball back, which is so exciting.
02:44Did it take like some extra convincing from you, you know, to kind of get her to make the decision to come back?
02:49Um, to be honest, we all really, really tried to get Nicole back.
02:54I think that she just missed us all so much that she was like having FOMO and she just was ready on her own.
03:02I didn't push her too much because I feel like she was getting annoyed when everybody was on top of her about it.
03:08And then on her own, she just decided to come back.
03:11So it was it all worked out.
03:13Yes. And you definitely, you know, of the girls,
03:16like definitely tend to steer away from the drama the most, I would say.
03:20And we know that Angelina did make up with with Nicole and Jenny.
03:24But do you ever kind of worry that like that tension is going to come back and kind of you're going to be stuck in the middle again?
03:31That's always going to be how it's going to happen.
03:34I'm always stuck in the middle.
03:36But honestly, I really feel like we've all come past it at this point.
03:41I think the wedding and the speech and everything was kind of like the volcano that needed to erupt for us to get past whatever was really boiling for the last however many years.
03:54I think it I think it's finally leveled out, to be honest.
03:57And I don't think it's really going to explode again because we're all just really open and honest with each other at this point.
04:05So if something's bothering one of us, we're like, yeah, this is like annoying to me, you know, and we're in the past.
04:11We all kind of were stepping on eggshells around each other.
04:15But I think I think it's kind of leveled out and we're all good now.
04:19Well, last season, you know, she was definitely getting a little frustrated, maybe with you, Mike, and probably you, Vinny, a little bit for meddling in her marriage and whatnot.
04:28Vinny.
04:30How is that going to kind of continue into the season?
04:34Because it was kind of left open ended with where they stood.
04:39I mean, we're on a reality show.
04:41She doesn't realize we are.
04:43And it's it's our job to sort of show what's going on in our lives and and also what's going on as a group as well and how we relate and and get along.
04:55So I didn't really get that when she said, you know, don't get involved with my relationship.
04:59It's you know, I didn't I thought that was like a a point kind of that didn't really make sense.
05:05But I feel that at the end of the day, we all came together and got closer.
05:09And that's really the the moral of the story.
05:13I love that.
05:14That's always that's always a plus.
05:15And Vinny, we just got to see Double Shot at Love air.
05:19But then we didn't really, you know, hear from you guys afterward, you and Akelia.
05:24So are we going to kind of see the aftermath of that or can you give us an update?
05:28What's going on there?
05:30Well, we're not together.
05:32I did remain friends with Akelia after the show, but it just once you're in the real world outside of the the Double Shot at Love house, things are a little different.
05:46And, you know, we just we just were better off as friends.
05:51So I don't really think you see that on Jersey Shore, except for the fact that it's just me being single again kind of thing.
05:59Well, thanks for the update then.
06:02And how does it feel?
06:04Because I think we've talked about this before, but you really are the only single one left in the group.
06:08Is does that kind of push you to want to settle down or are you kind of still happy with where you're at?
06:13I'm definitely at a point where, you know, naturally I've slowed down a lot when it comes to going to nightclubs and partying and drinking every night.
06:25And that kind of went hand in hand with my single life.
06:28So I'm definitely I wouldn't mind having somebody that's a little bit more constant.
06:34But I don't know.
06:35I guess I don't know if I'm I have high standards or I'm picky or it's hard to find someone like that.
06:43It's matches me.
06:45So I'm not really rushing it until I find that person.
06:49Do you now they've done it a few times.
06:51Do you still trust the double shot at love process if that opportunity came up again?
06:55Well, the way I always say it is that that could could be a starting point to meet somebody.
07:01Just like if I walk to get coffee right now, that could be a starting point to meet somebody.
07:08You never know where you're going to meet somebody who ends up being the person like look at Pauly and Nikki.
07:14They met at that place.
07:15It wasn't that double shot at love created their relationship.
07:19It was a starting point for them.
07:21And then afterwards, they continue to be friends and know each other.
07:25So in a sense, I think, yeah, it could be a starting person if that right person is there for you at that time.
07:32That's a great way to look at it.
07:34I love that.
07:35All right.
07:35Well, you guys have all been doing this.
07:38You guys have all been doing this for so long.
07:41And I mean, you've managed to put like three seasons out now during covid, which is amazing and still really entertaining the fans so much.
07:47So what is it that really keeps you coming back and anyone can answer?
07:52And what is it like?
07:53Why do you think the fans just like still love it so much?
07:56I feel like what keeps all of us coming back to keep doing it is each other.
08:00We all really, truly do love each other at this point.
08:04It's been almost 12 years.
08:07So I feel like we all enjoy each other.
08:10And then I feel like the fans come back because they feel like they're part of our family, too.
08:14I mean, they watched us grow up from our early 20s.
08:18What, Vinny, you were 21 when you came on.
08:20And now we're I'm going to be 35 next week.
08:23Like you're what, 34.
08:25Like we're just it's just they've they've grown with us.
08:28So I think that's why.
08:31Yeah, I think we've always been lightning in a bottle as a cast.
08:37And that's what's so good about us.
08:39You know, you can put us in a room and we just know what to do.
08:41We know what to say. And the lines just come out.
08:45So I'm very proud of us.
08:46I consider our cast to be one of the best cast or actually the best cast in reality TV for sure.
08:53We have the most loyal fans like, you know, all these years showing up every Thursday.
08:58Like people don't even really watch TV.
09:00And but they show up for Thursday.
09:04You know, if you look at the ratings and whatever, like I mean, back in the day used to be nine million people because there was no other way to watch.
09:11Right.
09:12But like they still show up and then they watch it afterwards.
09:16So we have the most loyal fans.
09:19Yeah, I love that.
09:20And it's still so fun to go back and watch the old episodes, too.
09:23But it is somewhat of a different show now.
09:25So you kind of get the best of both worlds when you can see both ends of the spectrum.
09:29Well, this was so nice to catch up with you guys.
09:32I'm so excited for the premiere.
09:33And thank you so much for taking the time to chat today.
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