Several onlookers crowded around the VIP section at Manor nightclub (642 N. Clark St.) on Friday hoping to get a glimpse of “Jersey Shore” star Nicole Polizzi when she entered her security-guarded area around 11:30 p.m.
The hip club patrons and their camera phones would have to wait, however, as Polizzi, a.k.a “Snooki,” briefly conducted an interview out of the crowd’s sight in VIP with a not-so-hip newspaper columnist, a.k.a. me.
Sorry.
Snooki, who was in Chicago for the first time, told me this is what her life has become ever since “Jersey Shore” became a ratings juggernaut for MTV.
“I did Leno [Thursday]—it was my third time doing it,” Snooki said. “It was another day for me, like ‘I’m going to Leno, whatever.’ Next I’m doing George Lopez again. This is my life.”
On Friday morning, Snooki was in Philadelphia for an appearance at the 18th annual Wing Bowl, an eating contest that I can only hope is as classy as it sounds. She was heavily booed when she appeared on the Wachovia Center big screen and returned the favor by flipping off the crowd of about 20,000.
Keep in mind Philadelphians booed and threw snow balls at Santa Claus during an Eagles game in 1968 and cheered when Dallas Cowboys’ star Michael Irvin lay motionless on the ground with a neck injury in 1999.
“They didn’t warn me about that,” Snooki said. “I was like ‘What the hell?’ I guess my New York side came out and I kind of gave the finger. I regret it. I feel bad. I apologize. I know Philly really wanted me there.”
Before the cast of “Jersey Shore” signed on for a second season of the reality show you either love or hate, there were rumors MTV had replacements on deck if the cast members didn’t agree to its contract offer.
We don’t know who these replacements were (or if MTV was bluffing), but Snooki has a good idea what a show with a new cast would have been like.
“I honestly think if they would have gotten a new cast it would have been fake,” Snooki said. “They would have tried to be us. They would have tried to outdo us. It wouldn’t have worked and MTV knew that.”
Snooki hopes to stay in reality TV for the next few years (“I hope ‘Jersey Shore’ will have a couple seasons like ‘The Hills’ ”) and admitted she would like her own show. She also would like to launch her own clothing line, which she describes as a “cozy look,” but will likely launch a hair line first.
“Because my hair is so infamous, I guess,” she explained.
After Snooki and I took a picture together following the interview, the self-proclaimed “Guidette” asked to see the camera so she could look at the photo.
The verdict?
“Cute,” she said.
