15 Facts About The 'Jersey Shore' Star, Vinny Guadagnino

From Day 1, Vinny Guadagnino was the one member of the Jersey Shore cast that, well, didn't quite fit. In fact, that was part of his whole character! He didn't dress nearly as ostentatiously as most of the other cast members, he didn't have the crazy neon-orange tan, and he was just a little bit more shy and reserved. However, he definitely became part of the family soon enough, proving that sometimes you need different personalities in order to make things work. The relationship between Vinny and Pauly D is probably one of our favorite parts of the show - they're absolutely hilarious together.

Yet, unlike some of the other stars, Vinny's shy demeanor also means he's never been the first one to head to the press or speak his mind to the paparazzi. He keeps a pretty low profile, which makes us even more curious about our favorite Staten Island cutie! So, in honor of Vin coming back to our screens on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, we've gathered 15 things you might not have known about Vinny. But before you ask, no, he doesn't live with his mom anymore.

15 The Day 'Jersey Shore' Premiered, He Was Taking The LSAT

Okay, we have to admit, we would never have guessed that any of the Jersey Shore cast would be on their way to the potential of becoming a lawyer just before the show started. However, it seems that that's exactly the way it went down for Vinny. He confessed to Us Magazine that on the very day Jersey Shore premiered, he actually took the LSAT, pursuing a goal of attending law school. But once the show became the smash hit that it did, he put his legal dreams on hold to carry out a career in the entertainment industry. Who knows, though? Perhaps one day he'll decide to hit the books, head back to school, and become a lawyer after all. There's no age limit on law school - he could certainly decide to attend in his 30s or even 40s.

We can kind of picture Vin as a lawyer, though - while he loves to have a good time, he's also very articulate and intelligent, and could probably figure out his way around a courtroom pretty quickly.

The real question is, which career would his mother prefer him to have? We all know Vinny is a total Mama's Boy who probably asks his mother's advice on everything.

14 He Used To Own About 100 Pairs Of Shoes

Typically, women get labeled as the ones who care about their appearance a bit more than men, always taking long to get ready and wanting to have a new dress for any big occasion. However, that isn't necessarily the case for the cast, nor for Vinny - the guys are just as interested in looking fresh as the ladies are. I mean, who could forget the infamous 'T-Shirt time' ritual, when the guys would swap the T-shirts they were wearing while getting ready, for a new, fresh, clean T-shirt that would be worn to the club.

And we can't forget that the shoes are a major part of the outfit, for sure. The guys want their shoes to look like they've been taken right out of the box. It seems that Vinny has a bit of a shoe obsession, confessing in Us Weekly a while back that he actually owns around 100 pairs of shoes. And, before you start picturing Vinny rocking dress shoes with perfectly cut suits on his days off, think again: he confirmed that when he meant shoes, 98% of them were sneakers. I mean, we're not sure how you even come to own that many sneakers - how many possible color combinations and styles can there really be? (Maybe he has a closet dedicated entirely to his shoes!

13 He Loves To Paint And Can Copy Just About Anything

Okay, we have to admit - we never really would have pegged Vinny as the creative type. We just can't really picture him spending an evening crafting…

But it turns out, he told Us Weekly that he's got a bit of a secret hobby in painting.

Not only does he really enjoy painting, Vinny can actually copy just about anything. That's a pretty impressive skill for someone whose priorities revolved around 'Gym-Tan-Laundry' for the duration of an entire TV show! We wonder whether he recreates his friends' favorite paintings, or if the skill just something he practices for his own amusement. I mean, if he ever decided to give the whole painting thing a serious shot, we'd totally be interested to see what kind of pieces he'd come up with, right? Is he all about landscapes, envisioning stunning ocean views and pictures of the shops bordering the shore? Or is he more of an abstract guy, who would specialize in shocking pieces filled with splashes of color? We don't know - all we know is that we'd love to learn a little more about Vinny's apparent secret love of art. We've never seen him with a brush in his hand, so it seems so strange that he'd keep this secret hobby hidden for so long.

12 He's Super Invested In Climate Change And The Environment

We're definitely not saying that any of the Jersey Shore cast members are unintelligent, but let's be frank for a minute - if you're looking for a celebrity to comment on climate change, these self-proclaimed 'guidos' are probably the last ones you might ask. However, that might differ now that Vinny has made his opinions known. In response to a tweet from the current President regarding climate change, Vinny tweeted "I think climate change is more complex than global warming will make it hotter. It has to do with disruptions of atmospheric conditions, ocean patterns, jet streams and [things] like that."

He's also spoken out about climate change for a Vice video. It may seem a little bit strange to hear Vinny discussing real-world issues like climate change, but hey - sometimes there's more to an individual than meets the eye! We kind of love that lately Vinny is engaging with real-world issues rather than just being the guy who hits the club on a regular basis, living la guido loca. Who doesn't love a more sophisticated, more intelligent Vinny? He even fired back at someone who was making fun of him on Twitter saying "I get the joke but why does having a summer shore house automatically make you stupid?" Why indeed.

11 He Follows A Ketogenic Diet Now (Hence The New 'Keto Guido' Nickname)

If you've been tuning in to Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, chances are you've spotted a whole new Vinny. He's always been cute, but he's transformed from a guy with an average body to a guy with a totally ripped physique. It turns out, he credits a ketogenic diet for his weight loss and new body.

We almost cried laughing while watching the episode of the latest season when he wanted to eat some drunk pizza but was determined to follow his ketogenic diet. So instead, he just ate the cheese off of a few slices, to the disgust of his cast mates.

Hey, it might not be for everyone, but there's no denying that he looks absolutely amazing!

If you want to get all his diet tips (or just check out some steamy photos of a shirtless Vinny), follow his secondary Instagram account, @ketoguido (yes, we're serious - that's his new nickname for himself). If he continues with the whole keto lifestyle, we have a feeling that we'll see him with a keto cookbook (co-authored with a reputable source) at some point in the near future. We'd buy it just out of curiosity, to be honest.

10 He Applied For The Show As Kind Of A Joke

Since Jersey Shore was an unknown show back when the producers were casting it, none of the cast eagerly signed up with the idea that they'd become famous. They were just young 20-somethings who figured it sounded like a fun time at the beach, so why not? Well, except Vinny, that is - turns out he signed up for the show as a bit of a joke. He spilled all the details in an oral history of the reality show, saying, "I actually had a friend, as a joke, send me the application form. They were looking for big, muscular guidos with spiky hair. I wasn't like that. I filled it out, like, 'listen, I like to go to the Jersey Shore, but I don't look like a typical guido.' Then I got a call back a year later. They were like, 'hey, remember you filled out that thing?' and I'm like 'what thing?' Next thing you know I was in the house with those crazy people." Can you imagine filling out something on such a whim and then getting a reply back, a year later, saying that you'd made the cut? We're surprised Vinny didn't flat out reject it!

9 He Was A Political Aide For A New York State Assemblyman

Apparently, in addition to getting a peek into the world of a law student, Vinny also checked out what it would feel like to be in politics. He worked for a period as a political aide for a New York State Assemblyman. It's no wonder that Vinny always seems a little bit more reserved and, dare we say, classy in comparison to some of the other guys on the cast.

He's dabbled in a few different worlds and isn't afraid to check out different career opportunities.

Obviously, he didn't end up pursuing a career in politics, but who knows - maybe if he decides he wants to take a step back from the entertainment business and focus on other pursuits, he'll decide to head back into the political sphere and work his way up the ladder. Can you imagine having a guido in the House? We can practically envision the MTV special now, the whole gang heading to Vinny's new office to see how he's doing in his new political life. We're pretty sure this was just like any internship that college kids pursue, but hey - it definitely shows another layer to Vinny.

8 He's Looking To Break Into Acting

It's not uncommon for aspiring actors to decide to go on a reality television show, hoping that someone will notice them and decide to cast them in a bigger project. While Vinny hasn't ever stated that this was his reason for agreeing to be on the show, we wonder if it may have been the case. Otherwise, maybe his taste of fame caused him to yearn for a career in the industry where he could walk all the red carpet events as a famous actor, rather than just another reality television star. Either way, Vinny has definitely been bitten by the acting bug. He's been taking acting classes and has even gotten a few roles, including a small part on The Hard Times of RJ Berger and a two-episode character arc in the teen drama 90210. Now, he's obviously still better known for his reality television antics than for his acting chops, but who knows? All it takes is one major role in which a big-time director or producer takes a chance on a relative 'unknown' star. Maybe one day Vinny will be walking the red carpet alongside some of the huge A-List actors he admires - stranger things have happened.

7 His Experience With Anxiety Led Him To Write A Book

More and more celebrities are opening up to the public about all their personal struggles, including those of mental health-related issues - and Vinny is one of those celebrities.

He's been candid about the anxiety he started to develop as a teenager, which he struggles with to this day.

He confessed, "when my anxiety starts to interfere with my job, my school, or things that I do in my everyday life, it starts to become a problem." Rather than just staying silent about it, he decided to try to help others who might also be struggling by penning a book, co-authored by Samantha Rose, called Control The Crazy: My Plan To Stop Stressing, Avoid Drama, and Maintain Inner Cool. Sure, it's likely not going to be on any bestseller lists, but who knows - if it helps even one person, who may read it solely because they liked Vinny on Jersey Shore and want to see what he has to say, that's a major win! Plus, given how many celebrities decide to write personal memoirs, we kind of like that he went in a different direction and tried his hand at the whole self-help genre instead - the world really doesn't need another reality television star's memoir, now does it?

6 He Has A Blog Where He Used To Write Music, Poetry, And Short Stories

Okay, this one totally blows our minds. The related Tumblr account seems to have been deleted, and it certainly hasn't been updated in years, but did you know that Vinny had a website where he posted poetry and stories? Yes, we'll go ahead and wait while you run over and read it - you can find his past efforts at vinnyguadagnino.blogspot.com.

Lately, he may be obsessed with his ketogenic diet and workout plan, with his attempts to sculpt the perfect physique. But back in the day, he was apparently quite the artsy guido. To be honest, it kind of makes us love Vinny even more. While all his fellow guidos are trying to work on their GTL, Vinny is harboring secret desires to be a poet or writer. He doesn't seem to exercise the passion much lately, but perhaps one day he'll publish a book of short stories inspired by his time on the shore, the influence fame had on his life, and more. We'd probably pay good money to read that. We're not quite sure he has his craft mastered just yet, but there's time to improve - and you never really know until you try!

5 He Was The Lead In His High School's Production Of 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'

Okay, we know that Vinny is pursuing an acting career now as an adult, but did you know he's always had a bit of a thing for the theatre arts, even back in high school? And no, he wasn't just one of the characters in the background. It turns out, his high school put on a production of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, and Vinny ended up snagging the leading role.

He brags, "the girls gave me more attention because I had a shirtless scene."

The girls are probably giving him even more attention now that he's a super ripped keto guido, but regardless. We're not sure if it was just another club he joined (doing a good enough job to snag the lead), or if he knew even back then that he wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. It's kind of a fun fact either way. We can't even count how many current A-Listers have stories about the drama productions they were in when they were much younger, the impact it had on them and on their determination to pursue their dreams. Perhaps Vinny's leading role bodes well for his future success as an actor.

4 This Italian Prefers Pizza Without Sauce

There's not a single cast member who doesn't love a good pizza every now and then - because, well, who doesn't love pizza? And basically, the entire cast is Italian. Vinny loves pizza just as much as the next guy, but he has a particular preference… Apparently, he prefers pizza without the sauce! We're not sure if he just means he prefers bianca pizzas or pesto pizzas rather than the typical marinara sauce, or if he legit just likes dry pizza scattered with toppings. But either way - we'd be willing to give any pizza Vinny ordered a shot. I mean, even bad pizza is still pretty darn tasty, right?

The only thing we wonder is whether he voiced his preference to his mother because you know she'd definitely have a problem if he started complaining about the type of sauce she decided to put on her pizza. Now that he's living on his own and not living under his mother's roof and eating her home cooking, he can make or order any kind of pizza he wants. (Although now that he's keto, that probably means cauliflower crust pizzas, or similar hacks, rather than the traditional greasy carb-packed stuff that's a thing of the past for him.)

3 He's Fascinated By Quantum Physics (Uh… Who Knew?!)

Vinny the 'keto guido' is just full of surprises. He doesn't really seem like the most science-y guy, especially since so many of his passions involve the arts and creativity, but everyone has multiple facets to their personality, and perhaps there's a scientific side to Vinny as well as artsy and sporty. Now, we're not exactly sure to what extent his obsession goes, but one thing is for sure: he confessed back in 2011 that he's totally fascinated by quantum physics.

The guy graduated from college with pretty stellar grades, so he's obviously quite intelligent - maybe one day he'll take his fascination for quantum physics and actually end up studying it at a higher level.

It's certainly a unique thing to have a passion for, but hey - Vinny is a unique guy. We'd absolutely love to see him interview a professor who works in the field of quantum physics. That would certainly be an interesting conversation! Regardless, it proves that he's a lot different than many of his fellow castmates - we can't really imagine any of his other Jersey Shore cast members expressing an interest in quantum physics at any level. The glasses definitely make us feel like there's a secret nerdy side to Vinny, which we're totally into.

2 He's Apparently A Great Cuddler (Many Women Volunteer As Tribute)

Of all the guys in the house, we'd have to agree that Vinny is probably the least likely to have a girl in the smush room. Sure, he may have done it once or twice, but he wasn't quite as single-minded in his pursuit of shore-loving as some of the other guys. However, it seems like the girls may have been missing out - Vinny proclaims that he's an absolutely fantastic cuddler.

Most of the other guys in the house basically call a cab for their girl the minute their hook up session is over, but perhaps Vinny takes the opportunity to show off his amazing cuddling skills for a while before he sends a girl on her way. His love of cuddling kind of proves that he's never going to be the player type - he totally seems like the kind of guy who does best as a one-woman dude, someone who has a loved-one to cuddle on the regular. Plus, we just love that Vinny is confident enough to brag about his skills at cuddling rather than just his other skills in the bedroom - after all, cuddling is just as important as other forms of physical intimacy, especially in a relationship.

1 He's A Big New York Knicks Fan

We don't really have a chance to hear about the cast's favorite sports teams when they're in the house because, well, they're not allowed to watch television or sports when they're there. So, it's not as if they're going to gather around for the big game and trash talk about their castmate's beloved team. In real life, Vinny is definitely a sports fan, and he has a soft spot for one particular team - the New York Knicks.

I mean, the guy is Staten Island born and bred, of course, he's going to support the Knicks! Given how many of his other cast members hail from Staten Island or somewhere nearby, we wonder if there's ever been a group outing (when they're not filming) to check out a Knick's game. There's nothing quite like the excitement of checking out a live sports game, especially if it's for a team you really love.

Someone managed to capture a shot of Vinny looking insanely excited about whatever's happening on the court in this photo, and it's kind of adorable.

At the end of the day, sports really just end up turning grown men into excited children once again, and there's something sweet about that.

References: usmagazine.com, vice.com, vulture.com