Jersey Shore

Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola's grand entrance back to the "Jersey Shore" fam is about to go public ... and the moment is just as big as you'd expect!!!

Fans have long awaited Sammi's return and we've got a first look at how it went down when she showed up, without warning for the OG cast and others, on "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

The teaser for the 2nd half of season 6 starts with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro -- Sammi's ex-bf -- talking to The Situation about coming back, then it cuts to Sammi's strolling into the house ... leaving Pauly D, JWoww, Snooki and Vinny in complete shock!

Some of 'em were speechless with their jaws on the floor ... while Pauly D said, "Is this real? Are you a hologram? Is this AI?"

As we reported, Sammi's comeback was a well-kept secret ... producers kept the cast in the dark in order to capture this awesome moment fans are finally getting to see.

As you know, It's been over a decade since she's worked on anything "Jersey Shore"-related, ... she was the only OG cast member not to return to 'Family Vacation'.

Most folks suspected she didn't sign on for 'Family Vacation' because of her past with Ronnie ... whom she dated on and off throughout the original series. He ended up stepping away from the show indefinitely 2 years ago.

And clearly, there's a lot in store -- hence Ronnie talking about his potential return. Remember, we got pics of Ronnie talking to producers while filming at the Margaritaville Resort in Orlando, and we know Sammi was there too.

"Jersey Shore" stars Ronnie and Sammi were in one of reality TV's most toxic relationships, one that forced her away from the cast for years ... and now the two are shockingly back under the same roof.

We got pics of Ronnie at Margaritaville Resort in Orlando Friday -- the same hotel Sammi, Snooki, The Situation, JWoww, Pauly D, Vinny and Deena are all shacked up to shoot the new season of "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

Ronnie's presence is surprising for a multitude of reasons, including the fact Ronnie hasn't been a full-time cast member for several years after stepping away from the show following a string of arrests and domestic violence issues with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Jenn Harley.

Of course, it's also surprising to see him reuniting with everyone while Sammi is around, as she's chosen to steer clear of him for years. Sammi was the only OG cast member who did not return for 'Family Vacation' in 2018 and many speculated she only returned now because Ronnie was no longer in the picture.

It's still unclear if Ronnie and Sammi will shoot any scenes face-to-face or if they'll do parts separately with the other cast, but we do know Sammi's boyfriend is also on the trip ... so it's absolutely not a rekindling type of thing.

Ronnie and Sammi dated off and on through the first 6 seasons of "Jersey Shore" and their fights were explosive -- with furniture thrown from balconies, and one instance where Sammi punched Ronnie in the face.

Jimmy Buffett, meet "Jersey Shore" ... the MTV reality stars are descending on the singer's Margaritaville resort, with a film crew in tow.

TMZ obtained these photos of 'JS' stars Vinny Guadagnino, Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola and Deena Cortese in the lobby of the Margaritaville Resort and Spa in Orlando this week ... and it looks like this is the latest stop on their 'Family Vacation.'

As you can see, camera crews are capturing the Guidos' every move ... and the cast has matching pink shirts that say "Family Fun Trip."

Folks who are staying on the property tell us MTV camera crews have been filming all over the resort ... with the 'JS' cast even renting out a pool for a private party.

There's also video floating around social media showing Pauly D walking through the pool area with Vinny, Sammi and Deena ... but so far there's been no sign of JWoww, Snooki or The Situation.

Florida's been the setting for a lot of filming for the upcoming season ... we previously saw the cast out to dinner in Celebration, FL, shooting a scene at a restaurant.

Here's Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola filming with her "Jersey Shore" castmates ... the first time we've seen her back together with the group since her surprise return.

Sammi looks right at home in video obtained by TMZ ... getting back on the horse with Vinny, JWoww, Pauly D, Angelina, Deena and The Situation for the upcoming season of 'Family Vacation.'

Folks who were there tell us the cast was shooting scenes Tuesday night at Reggiano's restaurant in Celebration, Florida ... and the only one who seems to be missing was Snooki.

As you see, it appears to be a couple's outing for a birthday party ... complete with cake, candles and significant others -- unclear whose birthday it was.

It's interesting ... Sammi's date is a tattooed hunk with a striking resemblance to her reality TV ex, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro.

Remember ... Sammi and Ronnie have an extremely rocky history, and there's speculation she's finally back on the show in large part due to Ronnie moving on from the 'JS' life.

Sammi's return is a huge deal for fans of the MTV show, and it looks like she's happy to be back in the fold.

Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola is coming back to "Jersey Shore" -- a plot twist which didn't just come as a shock to the fanbase, but to the cast itself too ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the show tell us Pauly D, JWoww, Snooki, The Situation, Vinny and all the rest of the stars on 'Family Vacation' had no idea Sammi would be showing up to set this past week ... and that they were just as surprised as the rest of the world.

Of course ... the reactions were wild, or so say our sources. We're told it was truly a shocker for everyone involved -- and the raw, jubilant responses it evoked from people were wild ... laughs, tears and everything in between.

All that stuff was captured on camera, and we're told it will all play out on the second half of this season (the 6th, BTW), which is currently filming. No word on an air date.

Sammi's return is a HUGE deal ... seeing how it's been over a decade since she's been on anything "Jersey Shore"-related, and was the only OG cast member not to come back for 'Family Vacation.' The timing of her presence now, though, might make perfect sense.

Fact is, she's got a very rocky history with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro ... whom she dated on and off throughout the original run. Ronnie has since moved on, but the ups and downs of his life continue -- and he stepped away from 'JS' indefinitely 2 years ago.

The dude made a guest appearance last season, but he's not a regular cast member anymore -- and that could be why Sammi agreed to sign on and return.

Now that the whole gang is back together (sans Ronnie), we'll see what sorta shenanigans they get into. Sammi's always been a big personality and is not one to put up with s***.

Reality television fan favorite Paula Pickard -- the sweet and innocent off-and-on girlfriend of Mike Sorrentino -- was just 21 years old when she made her first appearance on season 1 of MTV's "Jersey Shore" back in 2010.

Aside from accompanying 'Mike The Situation,' Paula joined the rest of the Jersey Shore legends including Nicole 'Snooki Polizzi, DJ Pauly D, Jennifer 'JWoww' Farley, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro.

Although she first appeared on season one of the hit show, Paula and 'The Sitch' did not become a 'situation' until season 6 in 2012.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is single and very much ready to mingle ... because he's back on the nightclub scene, making out with women ... and it's all on video.

The 'Jersey Shore' star looked in his element Friday night at Tunnel in River North Chicago, locking lips with a blonde.

Folks who were there say Ronnie hit up the club with a buddy, and the woman he kissed was already in the joint when the reality TV star showed up ... the flirty duo didn't come together.

Ronnie seemed like a big hit in the club, and not just with the ladies ... he also took a bunch of photos with fans.

We're told Ronnie didn't get too rowdy or anything, and he wasn't seen drinking alcohol.

Remember, Ronnie told us last year he's sober ... and he's only a few months removed from calling off his engagement to Saffire Matos.

Here's a look inside the mansion that was supposed to be the setting for MTV's "Jersey Shore 2.0," and judging from the pics .. the cast is missing out on one helluva summer.

Before production on the reality show was put on ice, producers picked this historic 8-bedroom home in Atlantic City -- a 4,000 sq. foot pad primed for some classic 'JS' moments.

The four-story home, nestled just a few steps from AC's famous boardwalk and its casinos and nightlife, features beautiful ocean views and huge decks to keep the party going. Well, it would have kept the party going.

There's a huge living area for the gang to hang out by the fireplace, plus a dining table with room for 10 ... perfect for those Sunday family dinners we used to watch the OG cast have.

There were plenty of bedrooms for the cast to choose from -- 4 on the second floor, each with their own bathrooms, and then 4 smaller bedrooms on the third floor. One of 'em seems ready-made to be the new "smush room." 😉

The place looks cool on its own, but it's likely producers added some additional touches to the interior ... a la the duck phone from the OG series.

We broke the stories ... the show came to a halt less than a week after production started, and all the filming equipment's already been cleaned out of the joint.

The mansion is a rental that goes for $1,300 a night on Airbnb. It was booked all through July to film the show, but not for nothin' ... come August the home appears to be wide open for rent.

There's still a big mystery surrounding the sudden pause on production for "Jersey Shore 2.0" ... but we've learned it's almost a miracle the show was close to filming at all considering the casting and production hurdles MTV faced in getting it off the ground.

Our sources say the show's new cast was brought into Atlantic City to prep for production last week ... but there were some serious issues producers faced in finding the right group of people.

For instance -- we're told one '2.0' hopeful was 86'd after producers were alerted to some homophobic and racist social media posts from a relative. Nonetheless, our sources say this was not the trigger for putting the production on pause.

As for production woes ... show producers first wanted to put the cast up in the original "Jersey Shore" house, but the city shut that down ... citing the terrible reputation the first show gave Seaside Heights.

Sources connected to the show tell us ... despite the crates of camera gear being removed from the house this week, the show hasn't been canceled. In fact, we're told show honchos are using the next few weeks to re-group with an eye toward resuming production.

MTV is mum on specifically why they pulled the plug -- at least temporarily -- all they'll say is the show is temporarily on ice.

It's becoming more and more apparent ... MTV's "Jersey Shore 2.0" won't resume production for a while -- at least not in the intended house -- as a ton of equipment was pulled from the location.

Sources tell TMZ ... production crews were back at the Atlantic City pad Wednesday taking down lights and removing cameras from the home. Our sources say it only took the production crew about 4 hours to get everything out.

We're told producers were also seen taking down no parking and permit signs that were dated from the beginning of July to August 6 ... and cases were loaded up with gear behind the home. Two security guards were stationed outside the house as producers and crews moved quickly to pack up.

Our sources say even the house next door, where show producers were shacked up was seen getting packed up and cleared out.

Snooki may not have realized a recent Cameo she recorded was for Dr. Oz, but you gotta admit, Oz's opponent was pretty clever in getting the "Jersey Shore" involved in his campaign.

The video starts with a friendly "Hey Mehmet!" -- Oz's first name -- from Snooki before she says she heard he had recently moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to "look for a new job." Snooki says she's confused as to why anyone would want to leave Jersey at all.

If you aren't following along ... Oz is running for Senate in Pennsylvania, even though he's called Jersey home for many years.

Snooki goes on to say she wishes Mehmet luck and says, "Don't worry, you'll be back home in Jersey soon because this is only temporary."

It's pretty clear ... Snooki wasn't aware the "Mehmet" she was recording the video for is the Senate hopeful.

Oz's Democratic opponent, PA Lt. Governor John Fetterman, posted the Snooki video to Twitter Thursday -- essentially confirming his campaign was behind getting it paid for and recorded.

In the words of Snooki ... "Good luck, you got this, Jersey loves you!"

The cast of "Jersey Shore" has done a lot for MTV -- but now, they've pissed the network off ... with a statement denouncing a new, younger version of the popular reality show.

If you didn't know, MTV announced earlier this week it would be adding a revamped version of the classic, with an all-new cast, to the network's upcoming programming -- a cast in the age range of the OG "Jersey Shore" stars when they started out way back in the day.

Clearly, that didn't sit well with The Situation, Snooki, JWoww, DJ Pauly D, Vinny, Deena or Angelina ... who all posted the same statement slamming the new show, saying, "... we are not in support of a version that will exploit our original show, our hard work and authenticity to gain viewers."

We've spoken to high-level sources at MTV who say show and network honchos were not only blindsided ... they're PISSED, calling the cast "ungrateful" and saying, "It's disgusting they'd take a swipe at the network."

Not only that ... they say the cast's claim MTV was struggling before airing "JS" just isn't true, and was an uncalled-for low blow.

We should mention ... the OG cast isn't going anywhere, at least not yet, and their "Jersey Shore Family Vacation" still has a home on the network.

Can't say the cast never had a shortage of drama ... and here's more proof.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro said he's going to return to 'Jersey Shore' for the upcoming season ... but he was nowhere to be found when his reality TV family recently started filming.

TMZ obtained these photos of some 'Jersey Shore' stars shooting scenes Easter Sunday at a winery in Southern California ... and there's no sign of Ronnie.

Here's who was at the Cordiano Winery in Escondido for filming ... Vinny, Snooki, Deena, JWoww and Mike The Situation ... plus some wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends. The other main cast member who wasn't there was Pauly D.

We're told the 'Jersey Shore' cast took over the winery ... shutting the place down for filming, including the tasting room, and forcing everyone else to order food and wine from a separate bar.

It's interesting Ronnie is still missing from the action ... remember, he told us back in August he was sober and planning to return to the MTV show for the second half of the 5th season.

Kevin Ferguson Jr. -- MMA fighter and son of the legendary street fighter turned pro Kimbo Slice -- is stepping into the ring ... but he isn't takin' on a fellow pro fighter, he's boxing former Bachelorette contestant "Iggy" Rodriguez.

Yes, for real!

29-year-old Ferguson -- aka "Baby Slice" -- is transitioning from the Bellator cage to the squared circle ... where he'll duke it out with Rodriguez at a Celebrity Boxing event in March.

Of course, 5'11", 155 lb. Kevin Jr. -- 3-3 as a pro -- has fighting in his pedigree, and it shows. His dad, Kimbo, is the most famous street fighter of all-time. The 6'2", 235-pound fighter transitioned from backyard brawling to professional fighting ... where he had a record of 5-2-1.

As for his opponent? Iggy's claim to fame didn't come from punching guys. Rather, Rodriguez was fighting for love when he made his debut on the 13th season of "The Bachelorette."

In fact, the 35-year-old Californian native and consulting firm CEO became a true household name ... when he was depicted as a "snitch" for badmouthing other competitors on Rachel Lindsay's season.

Rodriguez was ultimately eliminated from the show ... after failing to make the top 12.

But, back to the fight. Ferguson and Rodriguez won't be the only attraction that night.

Lamar Odom's ex-fiancée, Sabrina Parr, will fight Jenn Harley, Ronnie Ortiz's former GF -- in a battle of the exes.

JWoww is the proud new benefactor of a safe space for people with disabilities at the Barclays Center in NYC -- a room for folks with sensory sensitivities ... all inspired by her kid.

The 'Jersey Shore' star broke down what exactly a sensory room is with us on "TMZ Live," and why she thinks it's going to help countless people with special needs in the arena for various events  ... and why she also hopes it's a trend that catches on nationwide.

Basically, it's a designated section of a facility -- like the one she just helped bestow on Barclays -- where people who might need to calm down from all the commotion on the main floor can decompress ... with a variety of activities, all of which engage the senses.

This is something folks with autism often struggle with, and a sensory room -- as JWoww explains -- can provide relief to a variety of individuals with an array of disabilities, like Down's Syndrome, PTSD ... or other afflictions that might require some type of quick stimulus therapy.

Her own son, Greyson Mathews, is the inspiration behind Barclays' new room -- which is now up and running. She's got a sweet story about her own journey with her son ... and hopes this is the start of a new norm at other public venues.

A staple in the "Jersey Shore" franchise is officially no more ... the infamous Bamboo Bar is currently being torn down, and so are all the reality show memories that went on inside it.

Demolition crews were at the site of the infamous Seaside Heights joint early Friday tearing down walls and making way for the new condo complex to go up in its place. As you can see, the place looked pretty worn down to start with, so the tear-down isn't taking much effort.

If you don't remember, the bar served as the location to a legendary "J-Shore" brawl featuring The Situation, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, JWoww and Pauly D.

Bamboo Bar shut down a few years ago after filing for bankruptcy.