Jenni Farley (a.k.a. JWoww): I worked at a nightclub in Long Island. We held casting calls all the time. They were casting for a VH1 show called Paris Hilton’s My New BFF and my best friend wanted to be on it so bad. He kept trying out, and I was like, “Listen, try out at my club one night. I’ll try out with you.” They called me a couple weeks later — “We really think we would love you for this Number One Guido show.”

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro: I had a shore house with my friends already in Belmar. I was out one night, doing whatever I do — I guess being a creep, if you wanna say — and a lady approached me. She was like, “Listen, you fit the criteria of somebody that we’re casting for a show. Would you like to try out?” Then I did a video audition. Of course, I acted like a complete crazy person. Took my shirt off, fist pumped. You know, what we do best — acting like maniacs.

I was gonna tag this 90s90s90s but a 2009 debut doesn’t count as “long 90s” by any definition

be aware that this is a promo for a reunion series and things in blogs you recognize framed as “oral histories” are promos in 2018 publicity