The production team did not search talent agencies in Manhattan or Los Angeles when casting began in early 2009. Doron Ofir Casting circulated flyers targeted at self-identified "guidos" and "guidettes" across New York and New Jersey nightclubs. The search did not prioritize formal dramatic training. It prioritized unrestrained bravado.
Every prospective housemate submitted a raw reality show audition tape showcasing their weekend routines. Paul "Pauly D" DelVecchio sent casting agents home footage of his customized tanning bed, his extensive sneaker collection, and his daily hair sculpting ritual in Johnston, Rhode Island. DelVecchio was working as a local disc jockey, not hunting for stage roles. Nicole Polizzi was a veterinary technician student in Marlboro, New York, who turned up to her audition in an oversized floral dress, visibly hungover, and danced on a table.
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino worked as an assistant manager at a fitness center in Staten Island after losing his position at a mortgage firm during the 2008 financial crash. Jenni "JWoww" Farley ran a graphic design firm on Long Island. None possessed acting resumés. The audition footage captured real, uninhibited subcultural pride, which producer SallyAnn Salsano recognized as pure broadcast dynamite.
