Well, a new season of Jersey Shore is upon us, and to say the show looks different these days would be putting it very mildly.
For starters, Snooki has retired from the show that made her famous, and her absence is already being felt in a major way.
On Twitter, viewers were vocal in their belief that the show is past its prime and probably should have wrapped up last season.
(The decision to kick things off with back-to-back hourlong episodes probably didn’t help with the perception that there’s just not enough storyline there to support a full season.)
Of course, the stars of Shore have been doing this for over a decade, so they’re definitely used to all sorts of criticism.
Still, one bit of trash talk that was posted during the premiere must have really stung.
It came from the only person who fully understands the Shore experience, yet is no longer involved with it,.
We’re talking, of course, about the self-proclaimed “sweetest b–ch you’ll ever meet,” Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola.
“Notes to self: Don’t seek to be relevant or liked, seek to be undeniable,” she posted on Thursday.
“Seek to be compassionate. Seek integrity. Seek humility. Seek light.”
Now, if Sammi had posted that at any other time, it might have been taken as some simple advice she’s decided to share with fans.
But the fact that she posted such a remark right as her former castmates were debuting a new season, well … it’s not hard to see why so many of her followers interpreted it as subtle shade.
At the time that Jersey Shore: Family Vacation (the official title of the show’s current iteration) debuted, much was made of the fact that Sammi decided not to participate in the reboot.
“I have chosen not to join the show this season because I am at a completely different place in my life right now focusing on my businesses and relationship,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
“I am not the same person as I was when I was 22. At 31, I am currently extremely happy in every aspect of my life and want to avoid potentially toxic situations,” she continued.
“I will forever be grateful to Jersey Shore and everything it has brought to me!”
Obviously, Sammi was more than a bit vague in her remarks.
Fans assumed that her decision had to do with her wildly toxic relationship with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, and that Sammi was reluctant to spend so much time with her famously short-tempered ex.
While she’s missed out on a good deal of cash, Sammi’s decision may have been for the best.
These days, Giancola is engaged to Christian Biscardi, and insiders say she’s happier than ever.
And while she might not be a part of the daily drama anymore, Sammi will always be a part of the Shore family.
