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Nicole “Snooki” Polizziis dispensing pearls of wisdom to fellowJersey ShorestarVinny Guadagninoahead of hisDancing with the Starsdebut on Monday night.
On Sept. 8, it wasannouncedthat Guadagnino, 34, will partner up withKoko Iwasakifor season 31 ofDWTS. Nearly 10 years after she took to the dance floor with proSasha Farber, the 34-year-old calls her ownDWTSrun “literally, the best time in my life.”
“I still talk to Sasha and everyone. It’s just such a nice environment. Everyone is so nice. They literally become your family. You become best friends with the cast. It’s just the best experience,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE while promoting herCheez-Itpartnership.
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Given her own experience with the show, Polizzi — who appeared on the show after herJersey ShorecostarMike “The Situation” Sorrentinodid in 2010 for season 11 — believes Guadagnino could fare well in the competition. But she also gave her longtime pal some advice to further aid in his success.
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“I feel like Vinny will definitely be amazing just because I feel like, out of all of us, he’s the best dancer because it comes naturally to him,” she says of Guadagnino, who previously embarked ona month-long Las Vegas residency with Chippendales. “But I was like, ‘Vinny, this is going to be the best time of your life.’ I’m like, ‘I would go back in a second on that show. It was stressful, but it was amazing.’ I was like, “Enjoy it, have the best time, but know that it is stressful and it’s fun.”
She adds, “I was like, ‘Vinny, you better be top five.’ We got to vote for him. People got to vote for Vinny.”
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“Cheez-It is celebrating their 30 years of reality and I was so excited because Cheez-It is my favorite snack. My kids love it,” she says. “There’s always a couple boxes in the pantry. So they were like, ‘Listen, we’re celebrating reality. Would you like to be on the box?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes. Are you kidding?'”
She continues, “So I got the box, the ‘100% Real Original,’ and I’m on the box and my kids think I’m so cool. They just can’t wait to show their friends because my kids love Cheez-Its. So they’re like, ‘Mom, there’s no way you’re on the box.’ It’s literally all in my pantry, in my kitchen. I’m showcasing it. I’m really proud. I’m excited.”
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Also speaking to her own influence in the reality space, Polizzi has important advice to those seeking to expand their reach: “Don’t say yes to everything.”
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source: people.com
