'The Jersey Shore''s Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi And Jennifer 'JWoww' Farley Discuss Sexuality, Feminism, And More
If you were anywhere near a television or computer or rack of magazines during the last week you probably caught sight of Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jennifer "JWoww" Farley at least once. Or maybe twice. Or possibly 14 or 16 times.
That's because the "Jersey Shore" stars were on a seemingly endless press tour to promote the latest season of MTV's hit reality show. As fate would have it, it was the same week that the city of Hoboken refused to issue permits for the taping of the women's upcoming MTV spinoff show and when a rumor that Snooki was pregnant was sweeping the Internet (she says she's not).
Not that rumors or headlines have ever really distressed the pair. In fact, during our interview, JWoww and Snooki admitted that they have set up Google alerts so they can instantly learn when a new story about them hits the web. Snooki, who was poring over several tabloid magazines when we sat down to chat in the MTV offices in Times Square, remarked "I just like my name being in the news."
Here the "Jersey Shore" roommates discuss their gay following, feminism, having gay children, and more.
The Huffington Post: Was there an exact moment that you can point to when you realized you have a gay following?
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi: I always knew. I feel like I get along more with gay guys than I do...
Snooki and Jennifer "JWoww" Farley: Girls.
Really?
JWoww: My gay best friend Joey was like, "Do you know that Perez [Hilton] talks about you guys all the time?" We love everybody but Joey was like, "No! You don't get it!" [Laughs] Me and Joey have been friends since I was 16 and we moved to New York together and he's the reason I'm on ["the Jersey Shore"].
JWoww, last year you tweeted that you were upset that gay marriage wasn't legal in New York yet. What are you thinking about the current fight to get it legalized in New Jersey?
JWoww: The same [as I thought about gay marriage in New York]. I was living in New York last year and now that I'm living in Jersey, I want the same thing there. My best friend couldn't get married.
Snooki: I told her to run for president so that everyone could get married. Because I certainly can't [run for president.]
JWoww: I was really upset -- that's what I tweeted about. My friend couldn't get married. He had to get a domestic partnership [at the time] and I was so pissed off about that. I was like, "I want to go to your wedding. You're going to be my bridesmaid and I'm going to be your bridesmaid..."
Snooki: Is he going to wear a dress?
JWoww: I don't know. I hope so. [Laughs]
You were both featured in one of MTV's "Love Is Louder" videos which tackles the issue of bullying. In it you mentioned that you know what it's like to be discriminated against. What were you referring to?
JWoww: We're just very stereotyped. [Snooki was] bullied in high school and so was I.
Snooki: Yeah. And I'm probably the top celebrity that gets bullied today.
JWoww: She's itty bitty but she's proportional.
Snooki: I'm just different and everyone hates me for it.
JWoww: And I'm 5'7'' and I might have a fat day -- it can be anything!
Snooki: But you're like a model. You fit in. I'm... different.
JWoww: What we do on the show -- people say we're alcoholics. We get discriminated against for drinking. And we're tan so now we've caused these tanning taxes and we're getting a bad rap for tanning.
Snooki: People just take us too seriously.
What's the biggest misconception people have about you?
Snooki: That we're stupid. We're not stupid. We're very smart, actually.
JWoww: That really gets under my skin. It's like you don't know me to judge me. We're sorry we're not walking on the shore with three-piece business suits or evening gowns.
Snooki: Or using big words.
JWoww: It feels like people just see one side of us and they shouldn't judge. And we watch other reality shows all the time. We're fans of everyone else and we never judge them. So it's weird to be judge by other people.
Do you read your own press?
Snooki: We have Google alerts!
Jwoww: It's funny.
So do you take what people write about you seriously? Snooki, when people are writing about the pregnancy rumors, for instance, does it freak you out?
Snooki: No. I just like my name being in the news.
JWoww: She [supposedly] gets pregnant. I have 500 facelifts done -- what else [do they write]?
Snooki: You're engaged. I'm engaged.
So it just rolls off your backs?
Snooki and JWoww: Always.
Snooki: We have a thick skin. We don't care what people think.
JWoww: Because when the show first came out [the press] was so negative. So we had to learn how to deal with it right from the jump. People love to hate us.
Snooki, things got hot and heavy with Deena [another one of the "Jersey Shore" roommates] last season. Do you consider yourself bisexual?
Snooki: I would consider myself bi. I've done stuff with girls before. But I would never be with a girl because I like... penis. But I've experimented.
What about Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino? What's the deal? Gay? Not gay?
Snooki: Do you think he's gay?
It wouldn't shock me. Whenever he brings a girl home something always seems to go awry and they don't end up hooking up.
Snooki: And he gives them men's clothing to wear.
JWoww: And his posture and the way he holds his cigarettes... everything. Listen, I know I keep talking about my best friend Joey, but his husband was closeted for 27 years of his life. And I knew him before he came out. So because of that I know... the signs.
Snooki: Did you know the whole time that he was gay?
JWoww: Yeah! And it drove me nuts! I'm like, "Be happy with yourself!"
Snooki: Was he like, "No, I'm not"?
JWoww: He had a girlfriend! I was just like, "I would love you more if you could be yourself." I can't confirm or deny with Mike, but if he was, it would all make sense.
Do you talk to him about it?
JWoww: He brings it up. He'll say, "People think I'm gay and I don't know what they're talking about."
Snooki: He told me one time, "[All the talk is] making me wonder."
Do you consider yourselves feminists?
JWoww: No.
Snooki: What does "feminist" actually mean?
It can mean a lot of things. But in this context I was thinking about your approach to sex and sexuality and how bold and unashamed you are about it.
Snooki: Then yes.
JWoww: I thought feminism was derogatory in a sense. Have you ever seen "Borat?"
I have.
JWoww: There were feminists in "Borat" and they were like [to Borat] "You're so stereotypical!"
Snooki: I'm sure it means different things. But to us, we're just strong women.
JWoww: I'm just myself.
Snooki: We're not "girlie girlie."
JWoww: I think we're more like men because we do show our sexuality and burp and fart.
Snooki: When it comes to sex, I'm definitely a guy.
You don't see that from a lot of other women on TV.
Snooki: All women are like us. They're just scared.
Jwoww: Yeah. Filtered.
Snooki: Sam [Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola, another "Jersey Shore" roommate] is a little freak, but she just doesn't say anything. But I know she is.
JWoww: Closeted freak!
Going back to the pregnancy rumor -- how would you either of you feel if your child told you he or she was gay?
JWoww: I always thought my son would end up being gay. I'm like, "Uncle Joey will raise him up to be..." I'd be fine with it.
Snooki: I'd be fine. I would never disown my child.
JWoww: I would be excited.
Snooki: It would be more fun!
JWoww: Can you imagine?
A lot of my friends who are just starting to have kids say the same thing. They jokingly ask, "How can we make this happen?" It's like, "Sorry. It doesn't work that way."
JWoww: It's not a choice, honey.
Is there anything either of your families have seen on the show that they were upset about? Or do you ever worry while you're filming?
JWoww: Do you think we worry? [Laughs]
But is there any kind of filter? There's no time when you think Oh no, my dad is going to see that?
JWoww: Our parents said the best thing: They were us times ten!
Snooki: My mom was innocent, but my dad was really bad.
JWoww: If they had a camera following them in the '70s? Can you imagine?
Snooki: And if I was 16 I might worry about it, but we're grown. So it's like, deal with it.
What will your new spinoff allow you to do that you haven't already done on "The Jersey Shore"?
JWoww: Show the different sides of us that people haven't seen.
Snooki: And more of our relationships.
JWoww: [The relationship between Snooki and me], our boyfriends, our families, our friends -- and also traveling and just experiencing life. We're able to just wake up and decide we want to go to Mexico.
Snooki: And we don't have to rely on all the other people.
JWoww: Right. When we're on the shore we have to get everyone together and it's a process and we end up not doing it.
Snooki: And we'd rather just hang out with each other.
JWoww: Yeah. And now we can do it.
Whose career would you love to have?
JWoww: Angelina Jolie. Not the acting -- but I'm obsessed with her. I know that she gives half her paycheck to charities but she's also knee-deep into it. She wants to make a difference. And I think that's what separates her from a lot of celebrities who just do it all for a write off. She's just so passionate about it. And I want to be passionate like that when it comes to animals and children. I've never experienced what she's experienced and I keep hearing that if you go to a third world country it'll change your life. And that's what I want.
Snooki: I would say Jessica Simpson in terms of her business and her brand. She's a genius and she's a business woman and that's what I want to be. I admire her a lot.
Where do you want to be in 10 years?
Snooki: With four kids, married, with my own spinoff showing my husband and kids and then a big business.
JWoww: You want four? Oh my god -- your poor vagina! But I want the same thing -- kids and marriage. I hope reality TV is still around in 10 years.
Snooki: It will be. And if it's not, I'll just tape myself and put myself on YouTube.
For more on the "Jersey Shore," visit the show's official site. For more from Snooki, follow her on Twitter. For more from JWoww, follow her on Twitter.
See JWoww and Snooki in action:
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First Posted: 02/ 7/2012 9:29 am Updated: 02/ 7/2012 2:22 pm