Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi Reveals What She Told ‘Jersey Shore’ Co-Star Vinny Guadagnino Ahead of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (Exclusive)

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi has full faith that her Jersey Shore Family Vacation co-star Vinny Guadagnino can bring home the Mirrorball Trophy as he competes on the upcoming 31st season of Dancing With the Stars. Ahead of Guadagnino’s debut on the popular dance competition alongside pro dancer Koko Iwasaki on Sept. 19, Polizzi looked back on her own Dancing With the Stars experience and revealed what she told her Jersey Shore roomie before he took to the ballroom in an exclusive PopCulture.com interview.

The Messyness host joked that she hopes Guadagnino “goes past week seven,” which was when she got eliminated on Season 17 of DWTS in 2013. “I literally told him, I was like, ‘Vinny, Dancing With the Stars was literally one of the best times of my life,’” Polizzi shared with PopCulture. “I cried leaving because I didn’t want to leave, and making all those friendships and just the whole atmosphere was just amazing – the best thing that I’ve ever done. So I’m like, ‘Vinny, you’re going to have a blast.’”

She continued, “It’s very stressful, but I feel like he’s going to kill it because out of all of us [Jersey Shore stars], I feel like he’s the best natural dancer and I feel like everything will just come to him. I’m praying he does amazing.” The Messy Mawma wine creator joked of her co-star’s Chippendales residency in Las Vegas, “I don’t know how far ABC’s going to let that go, but yeah, he’s got Chippendale moves.”

Before Guagagnino makes his DWTS debut, Polizzi was sure to give him plenty of good advice as well. “We were just like, ‘Listen, it’s very stressful. You’re going to be stressed. You’re going to want to quit, but don’t because it’s such an amazing experience,’” she shared with PopCulture. “I can already tell he’s a little stressed … but yeah, I feel like he’s going to put his whole heart into it, and when he does, he’s going to crush it.”

Polizzi and her Jersey Shore co-stars have been through so much together, dating back to the Shore house when the MTV phenomenon first launched in 2009. “I just feel like back in the day, it was just such a different time. I feel like you need to watch everything that you say now. You don’t want to offend anyone. It’s just a totally different time,” Polizzi said of her first taste of reality TV. “Back then, we were just crazy, crazy pants. I miss that time just because it was such an iconic era for all of us. … I just feel like back then, it was just very loosey-goose and real and I feel like now, it’s censored a little bit. It’s still fun. We’re still filming the show. We’re still having a good time and making great episodes for the fans, but I just feel like that the world now is just so different.”

Polizzi’s 100% real status as an iconic reality star is being honored by Cheez-It as the crackers celebrate 30 years of reality realness with two exclusive Cheez-It Reality TV Collector’s Cheddition boxes featuring Polizzi and RuPaul. “Cheez-It is literally one of my favorite snacks when it comes to just me being a mom, but also for my kids,” Polizzi said, noting that there’s “always” Cheez-It in her pantry. “The fact that I got this and I’m like, ‘Oh, my God. This is crazy.’ So celebrating 30 years of reality and they chose me to celebrate and I’m on the box. My kids just think it’s crazy. My kids are so excited,” she added. To get a chance to snag one of these collector’s boxes, visit Cheez-It HQ here.