Getty Image / John Lamparski
There have been very few TV shows in history, Reality TV or scripted, that hit with a cultural impact as powerful as MTV’s Jersey Shore did back in 2009 when Snooki, The Situation, and the others showed up. To this day, you can still say ‘GTL’ to almost any millennial and they’ll know what you’re referring to.
One of the biggest stars on the Jersey Shore was Snookie, Nicole Elizabeth LaValle, who was even immortalized in an episode of South Park. At 4’8″, Snooki was larger than life from the moment she showed up on Jersey Shore and she became an overnight celebrity despite only getting paid $200/week during the show’s first season.
How Much The Jersey Shore Cast Got Paid For Season 1
She revealed how the cast got paid such a small amount while sitting down with Steve-O this week. Nicole said they didn’t receive any compensation from MTV for appearing on the show and the cast members actually worked at that t-shirt shop and got paid $200/week for working there.
Steve-O contrasted that to how his first Jackass! payments from MTV worked where he’d get paid $500/stunt if it was dangerous and $200/stunt if it wasn’t. Steve-O said he made “less than $1,500 for the first season.”
Then the show came out they were told “it’s a hit” and MTV ordered 16 more episodes at a whopping $2,000/episode for Steve-O. He thought he was rich!
Similarly, after Jersey Shore blew up MTV wanted to fly the cast to Los Angeles in First Class. Their first stop in LA was going to Ashton Kutcher’s house where he showed them how to get on Twitter (which just came out) and Snooki says it was at that moment that she and the other Jersey Shore! cast members knew the show was “going to change their lives.”
Season 2 was filmed in Miami Beach was is a spectacle. The streets are crowded every night. Toss in a camera crew everywhere they go and the cast members were being mobbed by paparazzi. By season 3, they were making $100K/episode and working at a pizza shop.
Who Is The Richest ‘Jersey Shore’ Cast Member: Snooki or DJ Pauly D?
Nearly 14 minutes into the episode, Snooki discusses who the richest Jersey Shore cast member is. The answer isn’t all that surprising: DJ Pauly D.
He has had a wildly successful career as a DJ with residences in Las Vegas. Back when the show was blowing up, Snooki says Pauly went on tour with Britney Spears. He has a rumored net worth of around $20 million and was earning $150K/episode like the other cast members in the later seasons of the show.
Snooki is making money though. She says during the show’s time in Miami she was “getting all these crazy endorsements.” But says they were endorsements “she knew” she would regret later in life like e-cigs and condoms and turned those down because she believed her future self wouldn’t be okay with it.
After Jersey Shore went on a long break, Snooki opened a clothing store. After having kids she launched a line of strollers and leaned into being a ‘momfluencer.’ Interestingly, Snooki says she doesn’t have any businesses with JWoww and they only had the show together but never business entanglements beyond that.
They then run through who is sober (Mike ‘The Situation), Ronnie (says he is), and conversation jumps to mental health before Pauly D discussion of “killing it, he’s the richest out of all of us.” Interestingly, Steve-O compares Paul to Bam on Jackass! and how their sidehustles (DJ’ing and skating) exploded because of their reality TV success.
Later on, they discussed how neither Steve-O or Snooki authenticity on social media and how neither really do sponsored posts. It’s an interesting take from two famous celebrities who could be making fortunes from sponsored posts.