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- [00:00]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
Public Podcast Advertiser / Sean Duffy
Guaranteed Human support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available@public.com this is Bowen Yang
- [01:06]
Bowen Yang
from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein Shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sess, it's just for life. With the wide variety of flavors from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. There's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more Find your favorite flavor@premierprotein.com that's P-R E M I-E R protein.com or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers. Spring into deals with stay green premium
- [02:07]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
2 cubic foot mulch 5 bags for
- [02:10]
Bowen Yang
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- [02:29]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Visit your nearby Lowe's.
- [02:34]
Public Podcast Advertiser / Sean Duffy
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- [03:13]
Danielle Fishel
Give me money for cigarettes.
- [03:17]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I'll never leave your filthy bed.
- [03:22]
Danielle Fishel
I stay the night and one night
- [03:25]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
we can two or three years the
- [03:27]
Danielle Fishel
kids are not all right but that
- [03:29]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
that's okay cause no one here is
- [03:34]
Danielle Fishel
hello Tities. Nope. Producers. Do do we have to bleep that now? Oh no. Okay, well, I'll just keep workshopping it. Welcome to Teen Beat. I am your host Danielle Fishel, the recent Dancing with the Stars hopeful, current American Idol Additional Content host and former child star who spent every landmark moment of her teenage years on t no matter what awkward phase I entered, it was in front of a live studio audience in a programming block with a teenage witch and a talking cat. So on this show, I have flipped the script. I'm talking to interesting people about their childhoods, their pre adult existence where a crush felt like life and death and weekends just meant more time on the home phone or a few extra minutes polishing up that aim away message. There's only so many My Chemical Romance lyrics you can quote. I look at it like I gave you my childhood. It's time we heard yours. When the history books are written about the rise of reality tv, our grandchildren will start at chapter one, an analytical breakdown of the first foray in the docuseries format, the Real World. But I'll be nearby, lounging in my rocking chair, popping Werther's originals and sipping on some Metamucil, laughing. Oh, forget that textbook, Emmanuel. Yeah, that's my grandchild's name. Emmanuel. I'll say. Sure, real world was first, but it didn't get good until 2009 because that's the true modern birth of Unscripted. It's the premiere of MTV's Jersey Shore. The Real World may have been the mole, but Jersey Shore was the traitors. It took the original formula and perfected it so that decades to come, we're now emulating the product of evolution. Influence becomes inspiration, imitation becomes innovation, and everything in between became Italian. Only a handful of TV stars from the past two decades have affected the medium. Quite like my guest this week. She became the unforgettable scene stealing human beanie baby on the cultural phenomenon that is Jersey Shore. One of the few franchises that doesn't have Real Housewives in the title. That continues to be a modern day cable tentpole. There's celebrity and then there's celebrity. Marked by things like most popular Halloween costume of the year or recurring impression on SNL. It would have been hard to find someone in 2010 who didn't know her name. Yet somehow she turned getting wasted in her 20s and the assumption of only having 15 minutes of fame into a full fledged empire. Transitioning into a mom of three, a multi time bestselling author and a beloved, beloved entrepreneur. And now she's decided to share even more of her life with the public facing stage one cervical cancer and hoping her diagnosis can push those who grew up watching her to get those yearly checkups. I know the feeling. So this week I am thrilled to welcome to Teen Beat a true story of perseverance. Nicole Pizzi, professionally known as Snooki.
- [06:54]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
That is the cutest intro I think I've ever heard.
- [06:58]
Danielle Fishel
You are such a wonderful, inspirational person and I'm so happy to talk to you. And I already complimented your hair, but I have to do it again. I think this is the cutest haircut.
- [07:08]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah. Thank you. I mean, I definitely didn't do anything with it this morning. It was in a bun. I just put it down because the kids are home from spring break. I'm a mess over here, but thank you. Yeah, I wanted to do like a bob, but not too bobby.
- [07:22]
Danielle Fishel
Right.
- [07:23]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
This is a bob for me because I've always had long hair and extensions, and I'm just over it. I'm too old to, like, take care of myself like that.
- [07:31]
Danielle Fishel
Listen, I understand. I have also wanted a lob, but all can't seem to get myself to cut my hair anything shorter than, like, boob length.
- [07:39]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So you'll get there and then you'll love it.
- [07:42]
Danielle Fishel
Okay, great. Well, I. My instinct is to call you Snooki, but I also want to respect Nicole. So you tell me. I'm gonna follow your lead. What do you like to be called?
- [07:53]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I'll do both. I mean, I always said that Snooki is the brand. I feel like when I started to have kids, I was like, all right, like, I know, you know, doing these interviews and they're calling me Snooki, but I was like, kind of like in the transition of, like, Snooki's, like, the party girl. And now I'm a mom, like, a six month old. So I, like, I don't want to be known as a party girl anymore. But, like, party girl turned mommy.
- [08:15]
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
- [08:15]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So I kind of was. I had a dilemma with it for a little bit, but now it's just like, whatever. Like Snooki Nicole. It is what it is.
- [08:22]
Danielle Fishel
Right. So I want to talk to you about young Nicole, before the Snooki brand. What were you like as a kid? Did you always have a big personality?
- [08:34]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
When I was comfortable and cozy around people, I feel like I was super shy until I really hit, like, my teenage years, like, 13.
- [08:42]
Danielle Fishel
Oh.
- [08:43]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
But, yeah, I was, like, shy to meet people. I was shy to, like, get out there, meet new friends. So my mom really had to push me because I was, like, wrapped around my mom's leg all the time. Um, then I think once, you know, I hit, like, middle school and puberty, that's when I was like, okay, like, social butterfly. I want to hang out and, you know, meet everybody. So I wasn't always outgoing and, like, bubbly how I seem.
- [09:06]
Danielle Fishel
Oh, that's so interesting. I. I would often think that people would usually not blossom in maybe what a lot of people consider to be the most awkward years of adolescence, you know, like, 12, 13. And yet that's really when you felt like you found your stride in your personality. What do you think it was about that time of your life that just made your personality blossom?
- [09:29]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I don't know. I grew up as an only child, so I was adopted, and I was just, like, attached at the hip to my mom. Like, anywhere we went, I was just like. I don't know. I just always wanted my mommy. I was a. I was, you know, the only child, like, just wanting to be with her, her parents, all the time. Yeah. But, like, once, you know, I was making friends and, you know, teenage years, you're starting to go to parties and, like, out and do things. Go to the mall with your friends. I was like, okay, mom, I love you, but, like, I think I'm gonna, you know, spread my wings and, you know, hang out with my friends now. So I think it was just that.
- [10:03]
Danielle Fishel
What were you into as a kid? Did you have any specific toys that you loved?
- [10:09]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Oh, my God. Pogs. Oh, yeah, Pogs. I got the pog maker. So, I mean, all my Pogs, like, I made instinct Pogs. Backstreet Boy Pogs. I still have them.
- [10:18]
Danielle Fishel
Oh, my gosh. I love a boy band. Poggio.
- [10:21]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yes. And then Beanie Babies, of course. Of course, Beanie Babies. I collected the Mary Kate and Ashley, like, all of their movies.
- [10:33]
Danielle Fishel
Do you still have your Beanie Babies?
- [10:35]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I do, yeah.
- [10:37]
Danielle Fishel
Do you think being raised an only child gave you. I mean, you said, like, when you were really young, you were obsessed with your parents and maybe a little shy, but do you think that having that security of being an only child and being close to them for all your young years gave you any sort of, like, main character energy as a teenager?
- [10:57]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yes, absolutely. Because when I met Jenny. So Jenny on the show. J. Wow. She's an only child, too. So once I started to, like, hang out with all the cast, like, everybody had siblings. Me and Jenny were the only one. So if it, like, wasn't about us or we weren't the number one, we were like, what's this? What is that? So it's kind of like we had to get used to, you know, having. Having siblings, literally when we all lived into the house, because it's like, we're sharing things and it's not on our time and it's not our world. So, yes, it definitely just like, a shock, like, you know, when you're an only child, it's literally like you're spoiled. It's all about you. And. And then when you know you're living with other people, it's like, oh, my God, like, I hate this. I want. I want it to be all about me in my space and being alone. So, yeah, it was definitely a shock to both of us, but I ended up, you know, eventually I ended up, like, getting a genealogist to, like, look at everything, because it was a close adoption, so my mom had, like, a certain amount of papers, and then she. She took that and, you know, found my birth family. So I do have one sister and one brother.
- [12:02]
Danielle Fishel
Wow. Okay. So you.
- [12:04]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I do have siblings.
- [12:05]
Danielle Fishel
You do have siblings. Okay. You have a brother and a sister. Have you met your biological mother?
- [12:11]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
No. So I'm. I'm still in the process of, like, doing everything, and I did everything on the show, you know, so, like, the fans can see it, and it's. It's a huge thing for me. I never. I never thought that I wanted to do that. So I did every single process on the show of, like, meeting with the genealogist, her finding out the information, giving me the binder so I see what they look like and where they live. And the first. The furthest thing I got to was doing a phone call with them. So we started doing, like, a text and it was through Facebook because they're on Facebook. So I had a translator and she had a translator. But then like, the texting was like. It was just so hard. Yeah. Like, can we call you so then you can hear our voice and it'd be easier. And then that was crazy because I didn't think I would get so emotional with hearing her voice.
- [12:58]
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah.
- [12:59]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So that, that was crazy. And I think now the next step would be FaceTime and then eventually, you know, going to see her. But I don't know. We'll. We'll. We'll see what happens.
- [13:11]
Danielle Fishel
One step at a time. I know most people are surprised to learn what OCD really is because pop culture has spread the idea that it's just about being super neat and organized. But that's not accurate at all. My husband has ocd and I can tell you it is so much more than that. Real OCD is a serious condition where you get unwanted, distressing thoughts called intrusive thoughts. They're stuck on repeat in your mind, often focusing on people or things we care about like relationships, identity or character, making them hard to ignore. And then you feel driven to do certain behaviors called compulsions to try to make the anxiety stop. This obsession and undying desire to make it go away can completely derail you for decades. Jensen ruined his own life and the happiness of those around him purely because he couldn't make the repeated worry go away. But he'd eventually learn it doesn't have to be that way because OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions. Once you get the right kind of specialized therapy. OCD needs ERP therapy. That's exposure and response prevention, which has proven to be the most effective treatment. Regular talk therapy isn't recommended and can actually make OCD worse. NOCD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider and all of their licensed Therapists specialize in ERP therapy with NOCD is 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 138 million Americans and includes support between sessions so you never have to face OCD alone. To learn more about starting OCD therapy with no CD, you can go to nocd.com and book a free call with their team. That's no c d.com support for the
- [15:01]
Public Podcast Advertiser / Sean Duffy
show comes from public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor supply, growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosure is available at public.com disclosures
- [16:01]
Bowen Yang
this is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein Shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite flavor@premierprotein.com that's P R E M I E R protein.com hey
- [16:39]
Kal Penn
everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary Massive Sci Fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.
- [17:02]
Ray Porter
I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like, okay, yo yo yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah dude, me too.
- [17:34]
Kal Penn
Listen to Irsay, the Audible And I heart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [17:49]
Danielle Fishel
You called yourself the Princess of Poughkeepsie, though you. Though you technically grew up in Marlboro, So may I suggest that you now adopt the mama of Marlboro?
- [18:01]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I mean, yeah, I'll take mama of Marlboro. Okay.
- [18:03]
Danielle Fishel
I like that.
- [18:05]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I literally. So I always went out in Poughkeepsie, and I feel like I didn't want to see Marlboro, like, where I was from, because it's just small town. No one's gonna know it on a map. And Poughkeepsie is, like, across the bridge across the river. So I always went there to, like, go out like that. That was, like, my nightlife. Like, going to the bars and the clubs, and everywhere I went, like, people knew, like, oh, here she is. Gonna be a crazy night. So, yeah, Princess of Poughkeepsie. Like, I thought that was so cool. Now I'm like, ugh, French.
- [18:33]
Danielle Fishel
We all look back at our things we thought were back then and cringe. Now, what did you do for fun as a kid in Marlboro? You were. Were you a cheerleader?
- [18:44]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yes. So I grew up on an apple orchard, so it's literally, like, all apples everywhere.
- [18:49]
Danielle Fishel
Beautiful.
- [18:51]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah. I graduated with, like, 120 kids, so it was a small town. But, like, I loved it, and I miss it so much. I wish I could go back. But, yeah, I grew up, like, quading. I grew up doing competitive gymnastics from, like, 5 to 12, and I did that for a while, and then, like, once I got older, I was like, this is too much. It's not fun anymore. It feels like work, and it feels like I don't want to be here anymore just because I knew, like, I got to the level and that was it. Like, I'm not elevating. I was, like, scared to do the bars. I was only good at tumbling the beam. I sucked. So I'm like, I'm not gonna get anywhere else, right?
- [19:31]
Danielle Fishel
You didn't see a future for that?
- [19:33]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I didn't see any future. I'm like, I hit my max. So then I was like, I still wanted. I love tumbling. I love, you know, doing all that. So let me try cheer. So my first year cheer was in sixth grade, and, you know, tried out for the cheer team for the school, and I ended up just taking everything over. I was teaching people how to tumble. I was, like, the coach teaching people how to tumble. I made all the. The dances for, like, the pep rally. So I really fell in love with cheer. So I wish I did cheer from the beginning, but no. Competitive gymnastics, it's a beast.
- [20:03]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, it is. My cousin was in competitive gymnastics and she was incredible. But it's also very hard on your body.
- [20:10]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yes, very hard on your body. And I feel like it stunt my growth a little bit. But no, I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be small anyway.
- [20:16]
Danielle Fishel
But yeah, I, I'm only. I. I actually just told somebody last night. I say I'm 5:1, but I'm pretty sure I've already shrunk at, at, you know, 44 years old. So I don't even think I'm a full 5 one yet.
- [20:27]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah, it happens. We're gonna shrink. We're gonna be like Nonna's when we're old.
- [20:31]
Danielle Fishel
Exactly. We're just gonna be so tiny. And now your daughter is following in your footsteps, right? You're a dance mom. Oh, really?
- [20:41]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So she actually does competitive cheer? I only did like school cheer. So it's like town cheer. You just show up to like the football games and, you know, just cheer on the sideline. I didn't do all star cheer until I was like 20 and that was like an open cheer, so you could be 18 to 40. And that's when I like, did the back tuck basket tosses and all of that. And I loved it. But then I tried out for the show and then I just stopped doing it because I was busy with the show.
- [21:08]
Danielle Fishel
Right.
- [21:08]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So I always said if I had a daughter, I was gonna push her into cheer and if she liked it, she liked it. If not, then, you know, we'll do something else. So I took her to an all star cheer gym at 3 and like, had her run around. And ever since then, she never left. So the gym has known her since she was 3. She's now going to be 12 soon. She's been there for years and she's. She's killing it. She's way better than I ever was.
- [21:33]
Danielle Fishel
That's amazing. And it's so smart that you were like, okay. You looked back on your own experience and thought, I wish I would have just started with cheer instead of going the gymnastics to cheer route. And so with her, you just like started there and now she's got that foundation.
- [21:47]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Oh, yeah, she's awesome. She's incredible. She's everything that I wish I was growing up. And I'm just so proud of her and she works hard. She's my little mini me, my best friend. And I mean, I'm hoping She continues it, like, forever, because now she has the talent to the point where, like, you can get, like, a little scholarship for cheer, because cheer is, like, a big thing in college now. So let's keep at it. Because you work so hard, like, don't quit.
- [22:11]
Danielle Fishel
Exactly. Yes. Wow. That will be amazing. Imagine where does. Where. If you had to pick, like, your dream place for her to go to school, where would she go to college?
- [22:22]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I haven't thought about it. I mean, obviously, my. My favorite team in college is Navarro.
- [22:31]
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
- [22:32]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
They're incredible. This year, they're insane. But that's only, like, a community college, so she would go there for, like, two years.
- [22:39]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [22:40]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
But, I mean, I don't want her to live my dream. I want her to go wherever she wants to go and live her life. But, like, I'm always like, keep with cheer.
- [22:49]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [22:50]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Credible. That is your sport. You work so hard for it. So, you know, whatever she wants to do, I'm going to be a very proud mama.
- [22:57]
Danielle Fishel
Is there anything different you do than maybe your parents did with you pertaining to being a cheer mom? Is there any, like, any sort of way you're raising your kids, where you go? I didn't love this when I was a kid. I'm going to do it differently for my own.
- [23:15]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah, I think probably how strict they were because I wasn't comfortable talking to them about things. And if I was somewhere where I was uncomfortable and I called them and say, like, I had a few drinks and, you know, I was in high school. Like, I. I wasn't comfortable calling them because I knew they would scream at me. Like, I wasn't allowed to swear in the house. Like, they were very strict. Like, even. Even when I was, like, 19, I would say a bad word in front of my mom, and she would be like. And I'm like, oh, my God. Over. So that's why on the show, I'm like, oh, my parents are really gonna see who I am now, right?
- [23:49]
Danielle Fishel
The. The mask is off.
- [23:51]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah. So. And I was 21, so I'm like, come on. So now raising my kids, I just want, like, full transparency. Like, you can come to me with anything. I'm not gonna scream at you. I'm not gonna yell at you. I'm gonna be there for you. Not. Not. Not necessarily. Like, I want to be just, like, friends, you know? But I. I am here for, you know, for you to talk to me about uncomfortable things. I'm not going to be mad at you. I'm not going to yell at you. I'm Just here to talk. But, like, also, if something does bother me, I won't yell at you in the moment, but then we're going to have a serious conversation, and you might get in trouble. Yeah, a little bit.
- [24:26]
Danielle Fishel
Doesn't mean there are no repercussions.
- [24:28]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Exactly. But I don't want to be. I don't want them to be scared to tell me things, and that's how I felt with my parents, and I hated it. So I don't want that with my kids. So I'm trying to have an open communication with them about everything, and I think I'm doing a good job with that so far.
- [24:44]
Danielle Fishel
Good, good. I'm happy to hear that you've talked about the origin of the name Snooki, that it's from the movie Save the Last Dance, and it's because you were the first in your friend group to kiss a boy. I want to hear all about this first kiss. How old were you? Who was the boy? Tell me all the deets.
- [25:02]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I feel like I was 12 or 13. But it wasn't like a crazy kiss. It was just like a. Yeah, yeah. But my. So our. Our best movie was Save the Last Dance. At the moment, like, we love Save the Last Dance. It was the thing. And my best friend Katie, she. She decided to call me Snooki. And she was the only one that called me Snooki in my entire life, like, ever. Like, she would call me Snook. Like, she never called me Nick. So my friends call me Nick, Nick, or Nicole. Like, she never. She never called me that. She always called me Snook. And on say the Last dance, it's Snook the coochie crook. And I think I'm gonna call you that now because you're the first one to kiss a boy. I was like, okay, whatever. So she was the only one that called me that in my entire life. So when I was doing the applications for Jersey Shore, they were really harping on, like, we want everybody to have a nickname. So they're like, does anybody call you, like, another name? And I'm like, oh, well, one of my best friends calls me Snooki. And then it just stuck.
- [26:02]
Danielle Fishel
So unbelievable. How does Katie feel about that now?
- [26:06]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
He's like, where's my paycheck? Yeah. She's like, that is insane. I'm like, I know.
- [26:12]
Danielle Fishel
That is so funny. So getting back to your first kiss. Who was the boy? And do you. Are you still. Have you ever talked to him again?
- [26:23]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah. So the boy was in my grade. I'm he was my first, like, real boyfriend. And then once we broke up because we were, you know, kids. We were best friends in high school. We're still friends on Facebook. He's married, two kids, but he was, like, in high school, we had, like, core best friends, like, guys and girls, and he was a part of it, and we just became best friends. So. Yeah.
- [26:51]
Danielle Fishel
That's so cute. Did you know what you were doing? Did it just, like, what led up to the moment of the big kiss, like, was this was obviously your, you know, your first boyfriend. You're 12 or 13. So what does a boyfriend really mean at that. At that age? But leading up to that first kiss, are you nervous? Do you know what you're doing?
- [27:10]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So I remember we were at my friend's house, and he had, like, a little get together. So we were all in the basement and everybody was in couples.
- [27:19]
Danielle Fishel
Okay. You know, of course.
- [27:21]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And then couples started kissing, and we were like, what do we do? We be doing this? So once he left, it was just like a peck goodbye. And then we were just like, we did it.
- [27:32]
Danielle Fishel
Congratulations. Our first kiss. Check that box. Your skyrocket to fame is probably something that should be studied by historians. Jersey Shore was an overnight phenomenon, and you became a brand name immediately. When and how did you realize this was a big, big deal?
- [27:56]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Well, it was crazy because when we shot the show, we had no idea what it was going to be called or what it was. I was just excited to, like, finally do reality because I always wanted to. I was a huge reality fan of, like, Real World Road Rules, and I just wanted to try it out, and I knew I was going to have fun and would love it. So we ended up doing it that summer. But then, like, a whole year went by and we didn't hear anything. So we were like. Were we awful? Yeah. Not like it. We're like, I guess we just did that for nothing. But, you know, it was fun. We had a free shorthouse, and it was great. So then we started, you know, seeing the previews, and it came out and just everybody was talking about it and the fact that it was so controversial, like, everyone hated us off the bat, like, without even watching, I'm like, oh, my God. I was like, we're just here to have fun. Like, we're not trying to kill anybody. So the fact that it was controversial, I was like, okay, I think we have something here. And then I think once the episode aired where I got punched in the face that everybody was talking about it, and then everyone started watching the show. And I think that's the episode that really got people talking and tuning in.
- [28:59]
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
- [29:00]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So, yeah, once I started going, because I used to work at the mall at Forever 21, and I would always go to, like, you know, the mall to, like, you know, see. See my old coworkers and shop. And after that episode air, like, a few weeks later, I went to the mall to go shopping, like, thinking nothing of it. And I couldn't walk anywhere. People were like, oh, my God, you're that girl. And I was. There was a line to take pictures that I'm like, oh, my God. Like, is this my life now? Like, I can't go to my mall now. So once that happened, I was like, all right, things are definitely going to change.
- [29:28]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, my whole life is different. I want to talk about that punch because it is one of those moments where I look at it now with a 20, 26 lens, and I can't believe it is pop culture fodder. Like, it is aggressive assault, just a man cold cocking a woman. And it aired unedited, originally, then over and over again, but at that point, censored. Were you privy to anything with the process of them deciding to air it and how they were going to do it?
- [30:01]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Well, mtv, I had a meeting with mtv, and they were like, listen, we know this happened. What do you want us to do? Because we want you to be comfortable, okay? And at the moment, like, it was just so fresh, and I was still, like, traumatized over it. I was like, can you please, like, not air it, but, like, black it out, like, if you keep the audio, but, like, don't show it yet until, like, I'm over it. So they ended up airing it blacked out. And then eventually I was like, all right, it's fine. Like, you know, you put it on the DVDs, and because it was DVDs, right? I was like, yeah, just put on the DVD and it's fine. Like, I'm over it. It's okay. So then it was on the DVDs, and then everyone finally saw it. So I, I love the fact that, you know, the network was very respectful and, like, my feelings over it, because that was insane. And it took me, like, two years to get over it because it was so scary. But then it's just like, all right. Like, I'm fine. Everything's fine. Like, it was a shitty situation and, you know.
- [31:01]
Danielle Fishel
Oh, I, I, yeah, it's. It's very shocking. It's shocking to see. It's shocking that it happened. I. I mean, I Can't believe it only took you two years to get over it. Did you have then a fear of, like, being in public spaces? Did you. Did you ever then have a fear of men?
- [31:18]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
What was the.
- [31:18]
Danielle Fishel
What was the immediate aftermath of that kind of trauma?
- [31:24]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Not like a fear of men. But I feel like when I went out, I was more. I was more aware of my surroundings now. And, like, I was. I wasn't gonna, like, stick up for myself with men. Like, the whole point was he was stealing our shots. Yeah. And we ordered shots. He stole them. Ordered shots again. He took them by the fourth round of shots that we. I was ordering. And he took again without paying. We were paying. I was like, all right, man. Like, enough is enough. Yeah. So I think, you know, if that were to happen, I would just walk away instead of, like, speaking up and that, you know, it just changed how I went out a little bit, like, being around men and around people that I didn't know.
- [32:05]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Who had. You spent a lot of time on the Jersey shore before the show aired. And how many novelty T shirts have you purchased over the years?
- [32:17]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah, so I grew up going to Point Pleasant, so that's like another. Another beach. It's probably, like, you know, 25 minutes from Seaside. And it's more, like, family oriented.
- [32:27]
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
- [32:28]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So I would go there with my mom and my best friend. We would go there for a couple nights. But then once I got older, like 18, 19, we would drive down to Seaside and stay in, like, the cheap seaside motels and, yeah, just enjoy the beach because that's, like, where all the young kids went. So. Yes, I did go before the show. And I was so excited that I was going to be in Seaside. Cause I'm like, oh, my God. I'm with all my friends. I know where to go, like, all the hot spots. And so I was super excited for that. And what about the shirt?
- [32:58]
Danielle Fishel
How many novelty T shirts have you purchased over the years?
- [33:02]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Oh, my God. Well, I would say stolen. Definitely stole some things.
- [33:09]
Danielle Fishel
What's your favorite thing you've ever stolen
- [33:12]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
from down the shore or in general? I stole Crocodili. Yeah. The machine was open, and I was like, oh, my God, I want that. And I. Crocodili has been stolen. I kidnapped him.
- [33:25]
Danielle Fishel
Okay. You kidnapped Crocodili. All right.
- [33:28]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah. I don't think anyone knows that.
- [33:31]
Danielle Fishel
Podcast exclusive. I love it. Make sure you have a tag now, like an air tag on Crocodili, because I do not want crocodile to be stolen.
- [33:39]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Nobody comes steal him now.
- [33:40]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, exactly. It's yours. I know most people are surprised to learn what OCD really is because pop culture has spread the idea that it's just about being super neat and organized, but that's not accurate at all. My husband has OCD and I can tell you it is so much more than that. Real OCD is a serious condition where you get unwanted, distressing thoughts called intrusive thoughts. They're stuck on repeat in your mind, often focusing on people or things we care about like relationships, identity or character, making them hard to ignore. And then you feel driven to do certain behaviors called compulsions to try to make the anxiety stop. This obsession and undying desire to make it go away can completely derail you for decades. Jensen ruined his own life and the happiness of those around him purely because he couldn't make the repeated worry go away. But he'd eventually learn it doesn't have to be that way because OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions once you get the right kind of specialized therapy. OCD needs ERP therapy. That's exposure and response prevention, which has proven to be the most effective treatment. Regular talk therapy isn't recommended and can actually make OCD worse. NOCD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider and all of their licensed therapists specialize in ERP therapy with no CD is 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 138 million Americans and includes support between sessions so you never have to face OCD alone. To learn more about starting OCD therapy with NOCD, go to nocd.com and book a free call with their team. That's nocd.com support for the show comes
- [35:30]
Public Podcast Advertiser / Sean Duffy
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- [36:30]
Bowen Yang
Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein Shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more Find your favorite flavor at Premier Prote. That's P R E M I E R protein.com hey everyone, it's Kal Penn.
- [37:09]
Kal Penn
I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up, wake up alone, very far from Earth.
- [37:30]
Ray Porter
I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like, okay, yo yo yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply emotional emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great cuz it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah dude, me too.
- [38:02]
Kal Penn
Listen to Earsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [38:17]
Danielle Fishel
So this cast, you are thrown into it honestly, very much the same way I was, you know, thrown into a cast on Boy Meets World. And you're like, okay, now go be family. How many of the Jersey Shore cast members would have been your actual friends in real life had you met out in the street instead of just on the show?
- [38:38]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
First impressions? Yeah, or well, walking into the house right away I was like, what is this Vinnie guy doing here? He's not a guido. Like he's boring and he Looks like a wannabe rapper. Like, who is that, Wally? Right away, I was like, yep. I would hang out with you, Ronnie. Yep. Mike maybe. Because every. We all had the same look except Vinnie.
- [39:02]
Danielle Fishel
Right.
- [39:03]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So I would see everybody in the house except Vinnie stuck out like a sore thumb. We were like, what are you doing here?
- [39:11]
Danielle Fishel
Obviously, a lot of that first season centered around drinking. Had you been a big drinker before the show?
- [39:19]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yes. I loved going out. I love having fun. And, yeah, that was the first summer that I was legally 21.
- [39:26]
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
- [39:27]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
I was like, I'm going out. I was like, I just broke up with my boyfriend. I was, like, sad at the time. So I was like, I'm gonna go out and enjoy myself, and I'm young. And. Yeah, I was. I was ready to go that summer.
- [39:39]
Danielle Fishel
Did you ever feel out of control with your drinking? And what is your relationship with alcohol like now?
- [39:48]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
No, I never thought it was, like, a problem. Just because I was so young and we were all doing it. And when I was, like, tired, I rested. I was like, I'm not gonna force myself. I don't feel like drinking today. Like, I'm gonna take it easy. So I never thought it was a problem. It was just, like going out and partying and having fun. And now, I mean, of course, I still like my cocktails, but Mommy, Mommy, Judy's are first. And I plan. I plan my life first. And then I'm like, okay, so, like, for instance, if. So tomorrow I have a flight, and I have to go to work for a couple days. And, you know, knowing that I have to do that, like, I'm not gonna have a glass of wine tonight for dinner. I'm not gonna do that if I know I have something to do the next day or, like, that week. I just, you know, I don't have anything. So I'm a social drinker now. If I go out, absolutely. Martinis, some wine. But, like, if I'm just hanging out at the house, like, no, there's no drinking. I have no desire to do it. I think it's more of just a social thing now.
- [40:49]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [40:50]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
You know, when I'm out for dinner or out with my mom, friends, or, you know, on dates with Gianni. It's more of, like, a social thing now. But I do like my martinis. Yes.
- [40:59]
Danielle Fishel
I love that for you. Thinking about the fact that you have kids now. Your oldest is almost 12, right?
- [41:05]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
13.
- [41:06]
Danielle Fishel
They're 12. Wow. Almost 13.
- [41:07]
Kal Penn
Wow.
- [41:09]
Danielle Fishel
How much do your kids know about your history, your fame? Do they know about the punch like, how much do they know about what you are known for?
- [41:21]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Well, my two oldest, Lorenzo's 13, Giovanna's 11 and then six. So Angelo knows nothing. Like, he'll see me sometimes when I put the TV on like that, the. The Fire 6 screen. Sometimes the show will pop up on Paramount. And he's like, mom, that's you. And I'm like, I know, honey. Like, that's mommy's job. Because he's when I work and he doesn't understand what my work is, right. So I'm like, when mommy leaves for work, like, that's what I'm doing. I'm on tv. And he's like, how do you get into the tv? It's like, right, right, Yep. So now he understands. Like, you know, when mommy goes to work, she's going to be on TV eventually. But my oldest, you know, 13, all of his friends, you know, watch Jersey Shore now. I feel like now the kids, they see clips on our TikTok. They see clips on Jersey Shore, like TikTok, like all the crazy scenes and then they start binging the show. So it's like, I feel like the show is never going to die because like the younger generations just keep watching it and then they fall in love, you know? So Lorenzo, I don't know how much he's seen, but I mean, he's seen enough to be like, what was that? I just tell him that was scripted. Yeah, it's acting. And they told me to do that and it's not real.
- [42:33]
Danielle Fishel
I love that. That's very smart.
- [42:35]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Eventually I'll be like, yeah, honey, that was mom for you. And don't do what I did. Right. Yeah.
- [42:42]
Danielle Fishel
I mentioned SNL in the opening. Bobby Moynihan played you a few times. What did you think of that at the time?
- [42:49]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And awesome. I was like, oh, my God, snl. Like, we made it, we did it. And I never got offended. I don't know. I just feel like I was always comfortable in my own skin and I knew I was crazy and dramatic. So when people made fun of me, I'm just like, I made it like south park thing. I was like a big fat rat. And the whole episode was based on me. And growing up, I was a huge self south park fan. Yeah. I was like, oh, my God, I
- [43:12]
Danielle Fishel
got my own episode.
- [43:13]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So insane. And then, yeah, snl, Bobby. Bobby kept doing it. And then for New Year's one year, we did a skit together and it was just awesome. It just, it made me feel great about myself.
- [43:25]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, good yeah, good. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. One of the things that I love so much is that that anonymous email you and jwoww wrote to Sam about Rani kissing another girl. Lived lives in meme infamy. I will always remember the line. Also was grinding with multiple fat women. Did you ever expect that would be a thing that 20 years later people would still obsess over?
- [43:58]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
No. And everyone's always like, oh, the producers told you to do that? That was all our idea. So we wanted. So we were friends with Ron and Sam at the moment. And I didn't. We didn't want Ron to hate us for, like, ratting him out, but also, like, our girl, like, what are you doing? So we didn't want to cause drama. We wanted to make it anonymous. So in the house, we're not allowed electronics. We're not allowed to go to a computer and print something. We can't even write anything. There's no pens and paper. Like, all communication has to be face to face.
- [44:29]
Danielle Fishel
Right.
- [44:29]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So I went to the producer and I'm like, listen, Sam needs to know this, but, like, we don't want Ron to kill us. So are we able to, like, go to, like, a cafe and, like, print something and just anonymously leave it for her?
- [44:43]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [44:43]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And we knew eventually, like, you know, the cameras were following us. We knew eventually that she was gonna find out it was us. But we had, like, a good two years. Yeah. Until she would find out and it aired. So, yeah, that was all our idea because we just didn't want. We don't want Ron to hate us. But now looking back at it, I would have been like, ron, you're freaking idiot. Like, why would you do that? Like, Sam, what happened? So, yep. Yeah, I would do things way differently now, but, like, in the moment, I mean, we were living in that house for, like, a month and a half together, and me and Jenny did not want the drama in the moment.
- [45:17]
Danielle Fishel
I remember those feelings of being a teen and being friends with both people and it being very clear one of them is in the wrong, but you still don't want to rat on that person. Like, you have a sense of loyalty to them, and you feel like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place of like, well, I want my friends to know who she's dating. But also, like, I'm still friends with that guy. So it's funny because now, in hindsight, I feel exactly the same way. I'm like, no, you're the one who's screwing up. I'm gonna just say the truth. But at the time, it's a very big deal to make that decision.
- [45:48]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah. And we knew nobody was gonna tell her, and we weren't even there to witness it. Everyone else was telling us. So I'm like, I feel awful for her. Like, you know, they're totally fine, but she has no idea what's going on, and no one's telling her. We did the best that we could in the moment, but we had no idea that it was gonna blow up the way that it did.
- [46:06]
Danielle Fishel
And people still talking about it this many years later, you are still working with these former roommates 20 years later. The final Jersey Shore vacation season will air in May. You guys have all been through so much together. How do you explain your feelings for these friends of yours that you've known for so long?
- [46:29]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Oh, my God. They're literally my brothers and sisters, like, best friends. I'm sure you can relate. It's just, like, something that no one will ever understand. But you guys, it's just like, have these memories and going through things and your life changing overnight, and only we know about it and how, you know, it's just. It's just our memories, and it's our corporate memories. So, yeah, it's kind of like. It's kind of like that. And we'll always have each other. And we're literally best friends. We talk every single day. We have our group chat, and I think we'll be best friends forever, you know, and even though this is our final season, so this is, I think, season nine. I don't know. We filmed. We filmed this season that's airing in May, like a year and a half ago. So I don't even remember where we were, what we did. But, yeah, it's going to be the final season on mtv because, you know, networks change and they rebrand, do different things. So I. I'm blessed, you know, that we had all those years on MTV. We've been with them since 2009.
- [47:33]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [47:33]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So reality shows don't really stay that long. So, you know, we are blessed that we had all those years, you know, with mtv, but we knew eventually, you know, we were gonna end up, you know, not doing the show on MTV and going somewhere else.
- [47:47]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [47:47]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So. So, yeah, I think the transition now, because we're definitely not done filming, and we always film until we're in nursing homes, like, killing each other.
- [47:55]
Danielle Fishel
I love that Jersey Shore retirement home, literally.
- [47:58]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And I feel like the fans will still watch it. So now we're just Figuring out, you know, what our next move is, the next show, where we're gonna go. So, yeah, we still. We still have a lot to offer with our show, but, yeah, it's the final season, and it's. It's bittersweet.
- [48:14]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Well, it's the final season in this iteration, I'm sure. I can't wait to see what you guys continue to do next.
- [48:19]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Next chapter.
- [48:20]
Danielle Fishel
I reached out to you privately around the time of your cancer diagnosis, knowing firsthand, it is quite a journey, and you face a wide array of emotions. So I wanted to ask you, how are you feeling now? And where are you in the journey of dealing with a new diagnosis?
- [48:38]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah, no, I definitely appreciate you reaching out. That made me feel nice and cozy because I know you've been through a lot of stuff. Stuff. It was definitely scary, and I feel like it's a very common thing that no one really talks about.
- [48:51]
Danielle Fishel
Yep.
- [48:51]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Because I was freaking out, like, oh, my God, like, what is this? I never. I never heard of this. Like, what am I to expect? Like, what do I do? And then, of course, I went on tick tock and I put in cervical cancer.
- [49:04]
Danielle Fishel
Yep.
- [49:04]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And so many tiktoks of women, like, this is what happened. And I had to do this and I had to do that, and now I'm fine. And, like, no one talks about it. Right. So. So I'm like, you know what? Eventually, when I get comfortable talking about this, I'm going to make a TikTok and just be like, listen, no one's talking about this. This is what I'm going through. Everything's going to be fine. But, like, get your pap smears, get your checkups. Because what happened to me was I always had this, but it was never precancerous or it was never, like, scary. My doctor was just always like, you have to come every six months so we can keep an eye on it and make sure nothing happens. Because you're supposed to go, like, every one to two years, I think. But, like, I had score for six months because there was always abnormalities in my test. But then, like, I would go every six months, and he would say, you have to come back to do, like, more. And it's just so uncomfortable. And I hated it, and it hurt, and I just. I didn't see him for two years, and I ignored him, and I was like, I'll be fine. It's all right. And then he ended up. He ended up calling me and, you know, left voicemails, like, you really need to get in here. Like, we have to stay on top of this to make sure nothing happens. I was like, all right. So then I would go to, like, the appointment, and he would see pre cancerous cells, and I would have to go back. So that's when it started, right? And I was like, that's fine. So then I didn't see him for another year. So then the doctor's office is, like, sending me letters. Like, you have to schedule your appointment. Like, what are you doing? And I don't know. I think I was just, like, I didn't want there to be an issue, or I didn't want to deal with it, so I ignored it. But then also, like, I hated going to it. Like, it's just uncomfortable and it's not fun, and just being a woman is not fun at all. Yep. When it comes to appointments and your body and babies, and it's just not easy, and it's scary. So I just put it in the back of my mind. And then eventually, my doctor. And this is the doctor who, like, birthed all my three kids. Like, I've known him for years. And he's like, you have to get your ass in here.
- [51:09]
Danielle Fishel
Right?
- [51:11]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Screaming. And I'm like, oh, my God. So that's when I went in, and then I had to. That. Then he was like, there's severe pre cancerous cells. Like, you have to come back for a colposcopy. And I'm like, great. So I just. I scheduled the appointments. I went in, he did it. Which is very uncomfortable, by the way, because they don't give you any pain meds or anesthesia.
- [51:33]
Danielle Fishel
And it says it's literally a scraping of. Of your cervix.
- [51:36]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Right?
- [51:38]
Danielle Fishel
Oh, like a biopsy?
- [51:40]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yeah, it's a chunk of biopsy on both sides. So I was like, oh, my God. That's very uncomfortable. So did that biopsy came back. Hi. You have cancer. So let's. So let's do the. Then I did the comb biopsy.
- [51:55]
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
- [51:55]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
So that was, like, a couple weeks later where I had to get put under. And then he put, like, a. He. He took out a cone shape with a knife where all, like, the real cancerous cells were, like, at the top of my cervix. So the next step I did was the PET scan to see if, like, spread to my lymph nodes, because I guess I have the cancer where it goes to your lymph nodes.
- [52:17]
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
- [52:18]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And that was good. That was good. Spread anywhere, which is good, because now I don't need, you know, chemo. Next step. Is just to get the hysterectomy and then hopefully everything is good. So I, I still have to get that done. I've just been so crazy with work and traveling and, and yeah, everyone's yelling at me, so screw work. Like you need to pick your health first. But I'm like, I know, but these dates are already scheduled and I'm like, it's very hard to shut down production. Yeah. You know what I mean? And it's in another country and I'm just trying to get it done. So yeah, eventually I will get the hysterectomy and everything will be good to just where I have to like go to the appointments and make sure I'm okay. Yeah. You know, like the follow ups and everything. So it's always going to be in my body. But the good thing is that I caught it early and it's very common. And yeah, now like my PSA is just like, do your, do your appointments, don't do what I did and wait and let it fester. I mean, stress makes it worse. Like try not to be stressed and just go to your appointments and get it done. Because I'm an idiot and ignored my doctor for like two years.
- [53:21]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I remember that was one of my PSAs as well because I, I knew I was so happy I didn't ignore my appoint appointments because in hindsight, don't you look back and think, as annoying as those doctor's appointments were, having a hysterectomy is 10 times more annoying. Now you've got to schedule that.
- [53:42]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Like now I'm terrified. But I heard it's like, it's easy breezy, it's not terrible. I think it was more of a shock that like, oh wow, like I can never have kids again. It's like I'm, I'm done. Like I don't want any more kids.
- [53:57]
Danielle Fishel
Right.
- [53:57]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
But the fact that knowing that I don't have that, I think that's where I had like the mental breakdown. Like, I don't know, like I'm going to feel like less of a mom or a woman. I don't know. I had really, really weird thoughts and crying shower about it.
- [54:11]
Danielle Fishel
There are definitely strong emotions attached to all sorts of things that have to do with our health and you know, like you said. Yeah. It's like having that choice taken away from you is a different feeling than just knowing you're done having kids on your own own volition.
- [54:26]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Exactly.
- [54:26]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Yeah, I get that. Has opening up about your diagnosis publicly overall been A positive experience for you. Have you felt the love from people?
- [54:35]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Yes. I'm like, oh, my God, if I ever pass away, all these people are just gonna be so sad because I had no idea how many people, like, loved me and reached out to me. Even, like, people that I haven't talked to in years, like, they wrote me, like, these beautiful text messages, and I just felt really loved. Loved. Which was great because that, you know, that made me feel good. But yeah, I think, you know, the more of people, like, like fans and, like, random people DMing me.
- [55:02]
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
- [55:03]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
And saying, hey, I work at a gynecologist office. And we got so many calls because of your video. Thank you so much. So, like, everyone was just booking their appointments. I'm like, thank you. Like, that was. That was the whole point of why I was explaining my journey and what was going on. So I'm glad it worked. And everyone there, you know, everyone's booking their scans. Yeah. No, the fact that, like, I'm still getting DMs of people. Like, I finally went to my scan and now I'm going through what you're going through. They caught it early. And, yeah, I'm getting a lot of those messages, and I'm like, you got this. Like, I'm the biggest scaredy cat in the world. I do not like pain. I don't like jewels. I don't like anything. So the fact that I'm just going and getting this done, like, you could do it.
- [55:44]
Danielle Fishel
I love that. I love it. I'm not letting Snooki get off that easy. She's sticking around for a bonus episode, dropping this Friday where we will hear a listener's awkward childhood story and get to know more about our newly crowned mama of Marlboro. Make sure you are subscribed to Teen Beat wherever you get your podcasts. That way, you're on top of all of our new releases. And I'd love to hear your tales of terror. Just record a voice memo of your most embarrassing story and send it to teenbeatpodmail.com and I just might play it in a future episode. Teen Beat is an Iheart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Sudbaksh. The theme song is by Mark Hoppas. Yes, that Mark Hoppus. Follow us on Instagram teenbeatpod.
- [56:42]
Bowen Yang
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- [57:41]
Danielle Fishel
At CVS, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it. It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night. And we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded. It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescriptions and here to fill your craving for a tasty and, yeah, healthy snack. At cvs, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters. So Visit us@cvs.com or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you. Store hours vary by location.
- [58:17]
Kal Penn
Hey everyone, it's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [58:46]
Public Podcast Advertiser / Sean Duffy
I'm U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. We all get distracted when we drive, whether it's from our phones or kids in the backseat bickering.
- [58:58]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
But how we handle these distractions can
- [59:01]
Public Podcast Advertiser / Sean Duffy
be a matter of life or death.
- [59:03]
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi
Before you get on the road for your next road trip, please put your phones on silent and take a mental note to focus on driving.
- [59:13]
Danielle Fishel
Paid for by NHTSA this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.