Angelina Pivarnick Is Finally Returning to ‘Jersey Shore,’ But Where the Heck Has She Been?
It was the "Um, hello!?" heard 'round the world.
Angelina Pivarnick was destined for reality TV notoriety the moment she strutted onto our TV screens in 2009 declaring herself the "Kim Kardashian of Staten Island." Alas, the Jersey Shore OG wasn't meant for co-op life in Seaside, New Jersey: she quickly pissed off her castmates with her nonstop barrage of drama and fighting; got fired when she refused to work her shift after breaking up with her boyfriend; and, just three episodes in, left Season 1 for good.
Though she returned to have another go at the Shore in Season 2, her presence didn't last long and her status as a core cast member came to an end once and for all. Unlike Snooki, The Situation, Vinny, Pauly D, JWoww and Ronnie, Pivarnick didn't gain the same level of fame due to her short time on the show, though she did gain a fair share of infamy for her vicious one-liners and over-the-top behavior. But it's been nearly a decade since we first met Pivarnick, and with her grand MTV return slated for tonight, we just had to ask: What the hell has she been up to?
Shortly after leaving Jersey Shore for good, Pivarnick gave television another go, appearing on shows like Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, TLC's NY Ink and the first season of VH1's Couples Therapy, along with her boyfriend at the time, Chris Nirschel.
She also tried her hand at launching a post-reality TV pop career, starting with 2010's abysmal "I'm Hot." In 2011, she followed up her debut single with a track called "Gotta Go Out" under the name Miss AP. The song charted at No. 37 on the U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs.
In 2012, Pivarnick came under fire for making homophobic remarks against the LGBTQ community. During a debate with openly gay entertainer Adam Barta, Pivarnick said, "'I don't think gays should be married. If you want to date each other, fine, see what works. In the end, they should marry their other type."
She continued: ''Honestly, I don't believe that gays should be married ... it has nothing to do with gays personally ... but I don't f---ing think that you guys should get married. You want to have your little flings with your gay partner when you're younger and see how it is or whatever, that's fine ... but if you're male, marry a female; if you're a female, marry a male.''
The comments incensed the LGBTQ community, as well as Pivarnick's former Jersey Shore co-star Jenni "JWoww" Farley, who slammed the reality star on Twitter, writing, "I should smack that disgusting pig mouth of [yours] for talking s--- about gay rights."
She later issued a public apology via TMZ, writing, "I apologize to anyone I may have offended … Many of my gay friends reached out to me afterward … to inform me of how ignorant my comments were. I wouldn’t want anyone to tell me that I couldn’t marry the person I loved, and I don’t want to do that to anyone else regardless of sexual orientation." Months later, Pivarnick released a single with Barta called "Serendipity," as a gesture to the LGBTQ community.
But Pivarnick hasn't just changed her attitude. Aside from going under the knife a handful of times ("It's Angelina, like you've never seen her," indeed), Pivarnick also changed career paths, leaving reality TV and music behind (well, mostly) for a greater purpose: public service. She currently works as a certified EMT for the New York Fire Department on Staten Island.
In 2014, Pivarnick appeared on a reality stars special of E! True Hollywood Story, where she revealed her passion for helping others. "Forever I’ve wanted to help people, so I decided to go to school and do it. People really didn’t have faith in me, but I proved them wrong, and now I have a career I want," she explained.
In January 2018, Pivarnick announced her engagement to Chris Larangeira, telling Entertainment Tonight, "I am so excited about becoming a wife and having kids. We are going to work on [the kids] rather quick!"
As for her immediate future, however, Pivarnick will make her grand return to Jersey Shore this evening (Thursday, May 24) with a "surprise" appearance on Family Vacation. A preview for the highly anticipated episode reveals Pivarnick ambushing Mike, Pauly, Ronnie and Vinny at their Miami villa during dinner, as she storms through the front door asking The Situation if she's still a "dirty little hamster." The answer to that question? We'll find out soon enough!
Jersey Shore Family Vacation airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.