The official Jersey Shore Instagram account shared a throwback video showdown between Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Angelina Pivarnick , which occurred during filming for Season 2 of the series. The twosome became entangled in an epic fight that would spell the end of their friendship.
The clip began with the stars in the living room of the home shared with Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, and Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola during the sophomore season of the series. It was filmed in Miami, Florida, not at the iconic shore house in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, where Season 1 took place.
Tensions between Mike and Angelina came to a head due to what he felt was her unhygienic behavior. She was seated with her friends when Mike personally attacked her.
Angelina asked Mike not to speak disrespectfully of her in front of her pals. In response, Mike stated he could say whatever he wanted because it was his house. She told him to get out of her face. He called her “a dirty little hamster.” Angelina responded by slamming Mike’s looks, saying he looked like “Popeye on crack.”
After the fight, their relationship was never the same. Angelina would eventually exit the house and the show after filming just 10 episodes of the season.
She would later reveal in an interview with Hollywood Life that in hindsight, she realized that Mike was going through a lot himself at the time, referencing his addiction to drugs during that period. She said she was uncomfortable with the way he acted toward her and decided that it would be best for her to leave the show behind.
Despite the clear issues between the duo, fans loved the throwback clip and left their own comments regarding one of the most epic showdowns the series had ever aired.
“Popeye on crack was one of the best insults on the show,” remarked one fan.
“That is one of the most classic scenes from the entire series ever!” commented a second viewer.
“That’s disrespectful to a hamster,” joked a third Instagram user.
“Ah, the good old days of Jersey Shore ,” wrote a fourth follower of the show’s social media account.
Angelina would return to the series in 2018 via a prank begun by Pauly. He called her and asked her to surprise Mike as the show filmed its reboot series Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. The two mended their relationship over the show’s subsequent three seasons.