BY DC CUEVA
One year ago this month, MTV's comeback into the public limelight became complete when Jersey Shore returned to a warm welcome back from cable land for the first of their two Family Vacations. We rejoined Snooki, J-Woww and the rest of the gang at a different spot than they were when they left Seaside Heights one last time six years earlier: older, with kids & wedding rings and a greater outlook on life, and a little bit of drama with one of them as he went about new life as a dad. But they didn't forget about what made them rock stars: partying up in Miami and Las Vegas, revisiting the iconic summer share house on the boardwalk and enjoying each other's company once again, along with a famous prank helping change the course of history along the way too.
And as Mike the Situation continues to serve his prison sentence having just hung out with the man who started the Fyre Fest fiasco, the ladies and Ronnie balance new lives as parents, and Angelina and Sammi begin planning their wedding days after getting engaged last year, the focus shifts to the two remaining bachelors of the Jersey OG's, who also double as the greatest bromance on this planet. Everyone who's watched the eight overall seasons of Jersey Shore know about the strong bond of DJ Pauly D. Delvecchio and Vinny Guadagnino... just seeing them together partying and being in the houses they've lived in sums up a lifelong relationship that has seen them travel the world and do so much together in the course of the past decade.
Now comes the latest chapter for this iconic bromance: a dating show starring these two icons as they will turn their attention to searching for love. Pauly D. and Vinny are the objects of affection for 20 beautiful single women competing to score their hearts while also staying in a house. And the Jersey icons will choose which ladies they want to keep and will ditch, while the ladies themselves will pick which of the two guys they want to date. And when we get down to the finale by summertime, the duo and those lucky ladies who make it to the end must choose who they want their chance at making either of these two their "ride or die."
It's A Double Shot At Love, as MTV's most notable reality dating experiment of a decade ago returns in the age of TV reboots for both a new generation and which stars two of MTV Reality's biggest names. Once again, Pauly and Vinny will occupy Thursdays - aka Jerzday - for those latest romantic experiment. And for a lot of you, it's your first chance to see a show that came on well before the terms "Truth Booth" and "Shack of Secrets" joined our modern day vocabulary.
Jersey Shore may be the magnum opus of powerhouse reality producer Sally-Ann Salsano, but her partnership with MTV and Viacom began two years before Pauly and Vinny moved into that national cultural landmark in Seaside.
As it was for Jersey Shore when it began, A Shot at Love ignited considerable controversy over the amount of sex that was beamed to everyone, especially with someone who appeared in Playboy and Maxim and later got slammed by the social verse for her racial and conservative views and got kicked out of the Celeb Big Brother UK house for those antics. But nonetheless, the two seasons of A Shot at Love and the original Double Shot at Love spinoff with bisexual twins Rikki and Vicki enthralled the country for a show ahead of its time before romantic reality television blew up into a big time genre. In fact, the Season 1 finale which aired before Christmas 2007 had record MTV series viewership when Brooklynite Bobby Banhart was named the last one standing.
It seems like a perfect time for A Shot at Love to return, when all the rage in the reality-verse being dating shows with the Bachelor Nation franchise and MTV having Are You The One and Ex On The Beach. Double Shot will come shortly after the reboot of another romantic classic in Temptation Island, and the international franchise Love Island which has blown up in Britain and will make its way to America this summer, with two of those from the UK version being on War of the Worlds.
As for the cast, they come from all over the country from the big cities to the Midwest, all hoping to land Pauly and Vinny's hearts. One of them is familiar to us as she was one who went for love last year, and got her heart broken in the AYTO house. And because a handful of the girls trying to score the guys' hearts are well past the age of those we'd usually see on AYTO or The Real World - and since the bros are ten years older, we don't expect to reach the level of debachery of the original A Shot at Love, though memories of past celeb dating shows will come back as we watch this revival.
But nonetheless, there will still be plenty of competition and some lovin' with the guys and the ladies, and plenty of fun as we always expect with those whose careers started by the Shore. And the bios that MTV.com has written of the twenty suitors below range from a Texas Tomboy and a lookalike of Pauly's Famously Single ex, to a few from the guys' Northeast digs and someone who has experience dating some well-knowns in La La Land.
MEET THE CAST
(Bios Courtesy MTV.com, names linked to suitors' Instagram
accounts; follow my Twitter list for cast interaction)
accounts; follow my Twitter list for cast interaction)
♥ ALLI Adams - 28, Nashville: "Alli loves to flirt, drink whiskey and tell it how it is. She also bears an uncanny resemblance to Pauly's ex Aubrey O'Day. She's most guys' dream woman, but her relationship experience has been challenged by a constant string of cheaters. She is over being treated badly and wants to find a confident guy with a big personality whom she can settle down with. Will her Aubrey O'Day looks be a blessing or a curse when it comes to catching the guys' eyes?"
♥ ALYSSE Joyner - 24, New York City: "Alysse is beautiful and shy is what everyone thinks when they first meet her, but get to know her a little, and she comes alive. She is a professional backup dancer looking to make the right moves and ready to fall in love. She's dated mostly athletes who have only cared about her model height, pretty face and dancer's body -- and never really cared about her inner beauty. Will Pauly D and Vinny see past her shy exterior and discover Alysse's inner fire?"
♥ ASHLEY Lands - 24, Houston: "Ashley is an adrenaline junkie who loves to model for the car racing industry, climb skyscrapers and take risks. Despite being a badass who's not intimidated by anyone, she's a softy at heart. Although she is very close to her parents, she has never brought a man home to meet her family. Ashley prefers finding a guy with a good personality instead of a hot body and wants to date someone who enjoys taking risks and will take charge. Will Ashley be able to find love in the fast lane?"
♥ BRITTANI "B-LASHES" Schwartz - 27, Lake Grove, NY: "Brittani is known for her Long Island attitude, over-the-top style -- and lashes. She has worn false eyelashes every day for the past 10 years, hence her nickname B-Lashes. Her loud and extra personality hides the pain of losing her first love in a tragic accident, and she has a hard time finding a guy who can live up to him. Will Brittani be able to find a love up to her standards, and, if so, will he be able to handle her larger-than-life personality?"
♥ BRITTNAY Dawson - 33, Norfolk, NE: "Now that her daughter has turned 16, Brittnay is excited for her second chance to live her life out loud. As a local reporter, she's a bit of a hometown celebrity, so Brittnay understands what a celebrity bachelor endures. As a family woman who is ready to see the world and live the life she missed out on while working and raising her daughter, Brittnay is a total catch. But will Pauly D and Vinny be ready to take on her family and Midwestern values?"
♥ CATE Lapera - 27, Staten Island, NY: "Cate is from Staten Island and never lets you forget it. She is a living leopard print: loud, loves to be the life of the party and demands to be the center of attention at all times. Cate is super picky about the guys she dates and hates when they don't man up to the situation. Even the sound of his voice could be enough to annoy her. The truth is: Cate only wants to be in a relationship as strong as her parents' and won't accept anything less. Will this Staten Island hothead be able to look past the superficial to find that real love she's looking for?"
♥ CHRISTINA Lawrence - 29, Los Angeles: "Christina is a uniquely free-spirited ex-ballerina with a passion for fitness, staying healthy and being wildly competitive. Having recently moved back to Los Angeles from New York, she has dated DJs, NBA players and movie directors, but she is ready for real love, not just something superficial. Guys constantly approach her for the way she looks on the outside, not who she is on the inside. Will Pauly D and Vinny be able to see past Christina's looks and find her true inner beauty?"
♥ DERYNN Paige - 25, Franklin Lakes, NY: "After years of struggling with her weight, Derynn has found her confidence. She created a new identity, makes heads turn in every room she walks into, is now the social mayor of Hoboken, NJ, and is also ready for love. Derynn is very competitive, especially when it comes to other women trying to move in on the man she's interested in. Also, she's an admitted cat lady -- focused on her cats to the point of obsession. Will having a personality that is too big and too loud be too much for Vinny and Pauly?"
♥ DESEREE Flores - 37, Scottsdale, AZ: "Deseree is close with her family, and when a family member of hers became sick, her other priorities took a detour. She went to every appointment and checkup and put her family first. Now that the health scare is over, she's ready to focus on herself and find love. Deseree's main issue is she enters long-term relationships knowing the man isn't the one but is too afraid to break up with him. Can Deseree put herself first, or will she continue to stay for all the wrong reasons?"
♥ ELLE Wilson - 25, Philadelphia: "Elle is a Kardashian look-a-like out to prove her brains are just as powerful as her beauty. She has a degree in political science, worked for a Pennsylvania senator after college and is also a dedicated personal trainer. Looking for the perfect combination of confident and caring, Elle wants to be courted and expects her suitors to make plans and take her on proper dates, which has been a turnoff for some men in her past. Will Pauly D and Vinny recognize Elle for the complete package she is, or will they be intimidated by her fierce independence?"
♥ HOLLY Gurbisz - 25, Matawan, NJ: "Holly is a high-maintenance woman with a phobia of fruit who also happens to be Pauly D's number one fan. She is an emotional open book and is looking for a relationship after being single for five years, but she still lives at home with her family and has to sneak boys into her basement when she wants to cuddle. Will Holly find true love with her celebrity crush, or will she surprise herself by catching feelings for Vinny?"
♥ MARIA Elizondo - 22, Secaucus, NJ: "Maria tried to find love on TV once before, but it ended with a broken heart. This "Are You The One?" alum is ready to give love another shot -- even if she is a bit scared to open up again. One thing she isn't afraid to do is confront anyone who's causing problems. Maria isn't just another pretty face, she's a college student who loves to nerd out on strange topics. Can this Jersey girl make the most of her second time on TV and win the heart of either Pauly D or Vinny?"
♥ MARISSA Lucchese - 22, Massapequa, NY: "Marissa is a feisty and outspoken woman who has been unlucky in love and feels like every guy she ends up with is a "loser." After dating someone who was leading a secret double life, Marissa has a hard time trusting men. She calls herself the FBI because she will find out everything there is to find out about someone based on the smallest piece of information. Will Marissa be able to trust that Pauly and Vinny are genuine guys, or will she self-sabotage a connection by digging for dirt that's not there?"
♥ MISH Gao - 22, San Clemente, CA: "Mish is a princess looking for her Prince Charming, literally. When not spending time with her siblings (including a younger brother with special needs), Mish was a Disney princess at Disneyland parks. As one would expect from a princess, she always wears her heart on her sleeve; however, her oversharing can be a bit of a turnoff. Despite romantic setbacks, she's an eternal optimist and isn't afraid to try to find love again. Will her real-life Prince Charming be a fist-pumping bro from the Jersey Shore?"
♥ NADYA Erazo - 29 - Pomona, CA: "After ending a six-year relationship, Nadya has very limited dating experience. On top of that, her dedication to her career as a makeup artist has made it difficult to get back into the dating world. Nadya is definitely ready to take a relationship to the next level but is decidedly not interested in guys who already have kids, which could be a problem for Pauly, whom already has a five-year-old. Will Nadya be able to find love with Vinny, or will Pauly be able to win her over despite already being a family man?"
♥ NIKKI Hall - 26, Los Angeles: "Originally from Jamaica, Nikki lives in L.A. craving the family she never had growing up. She is a total catch, but she's never been in a relationship longer than six months. Because of her inexperience in love, Nikki feels like she hasn't had the opportunity to create a lot of beautiful memories. She is extremely attentive -- bordering on the point of clinginess -- which she thinks makes it easy for her to fall in love with just about anyone. Will Nikki's passion for a relationship draw Pauly D and Vinny in -- or push them away?"
♥ SHIRA Tran - 27, New Orleans: "While Shira plays the "goofy card," this hairdresser is still recovering from a painful breakup after being dumped by a doctor, but that hasn't stopped her Vietnamese parents from constantly asking her when she is going to find a proper boyfriend. They have even talked about setting up an arranged marriage for her, but she steadily refuses to find love that way. Shira has a short attention span and loses interest quickly, but she is competitive with other women, especially when it means going after a prize. Will Shira bring Pauly D or Vinny home to mom and dad?"
♥ SUZI Baidya - 29, Irvine, CA: "With her high-pitched laugh, it's easy to write Susan off as a ditz, but this full-time nurse is anything but an airhead. Raised by strict Indian parents who want her to marry a doctor, Susan chooses to follow her heart. If a guy does not give Susan butterflies, then he simply is not the guy for her. Her last relationship was on and off for six years, and when it ended, it left her with difficulty trusting other guys. Will Pauly D or Vinny be able to give her butterflies, or will they turn her stomach?"
♥ VICTORIA Fryer - 25, Chicago: "At 5 feet 11 inches, Victoria stands heads and shoulders above other women, but don't for a second think she's self-conscious about that; Victoria is 100 percent confident in herself. When she was in high school, many of her classmates bullied her, but today, those same bullies are in her DMs trying to get with her. Victoria is ready for a romantic relationship in which she feels not only loved, but wanted. Will Pauly D and Vinny feel the same way?"
♥ ZULJEILY Andino - 30, Miami: "Zuljeily is a real-life beauty queen who moved to the U.S. from Puerto Rico with her boyfriend, then got promptly dumped. Despite her heartbreak, she learned how to live on her own without needing a man. Now successfully living her life in Miami for four years and pursuing her dreams, she realizes she doesn't need a man -- but she wants one. She is kind, sweet and gets along with everyone but is still hurt from being betrayed. Will this hostess's kind heart and beauty-queen looks be enough to convince Pauly D or Vinny she's the one?"
Besides Maria, there is another suitor of this cast who has appeared on MTV before, and it was just in the week before tonight's premiere. Those who watched Teen Mom 2 last week saw Marissa help out backstage at Kailyn Lowry's New York launch of her haircare line that was infamously put on fire by vendetta Jenelle in a viral social media post. She helped to apply makeup to the mom's half-sister who joined with her to launch the Pothead Hair product in the Big Apple, and now she will try to win over the hearts of two other MTV icons in Pauly and Vinny. Let the fun begin.
Featured doing what I LOVE tonight on @TeenMom @MTV for @KailLowry launch party @potheadhair ! 💄 @mikailashelburne @jdonovanpr @johnnydonovan pic.twitter.com/dmVbUPQJCv— Marissa Patricia Lucchese (@MarissaLucchese) April 2, 2019
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
No comments:
Post a Comment
Got something on your mind? Let us know! But please be mindful and do not post spam or negative comments (due to that, all comments are subject to blogger approval... and we reserve the right to disable these sections if things get way out of hand).