Jersey Shore star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro has spoken out after his concerning woozy behavior during a recent interview with the cast. In a now-viral video, the reality star appeared to doze off during the Stars on Sirius get-together with his fellow cast members, including Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, Sammi Giancola, Deena Nicole Cortese, Angelina Pivarnick, and Danny Murphy.
Ortiz-Magro blames depression
Ortiz-Magro, 40, who didn't receive much sympathy from Sorrentino, seemingly blamed his conduct on depression in a series of posts on his Instagram story on Monday. 'High functioning depression is waking up each day with a face that works but a heart that doesn’t, doing everything you’re supposed to do while feeling nothing inside, and most days it’s like being trapped in your own life, forced to keep moving even when every part of you wants to stop,' he wrote, quoting a message from an account called Ticus Poetry. Next came a notice that said: 'May is Mental Health Awareness Month: 1 in 4 people will suffer from some form of mental illness in a given year.'
Later, he shared a clip of NBA star Kyrie Irving being interviewed and stating, 'It's okay to be human. Like, I don't have to be perfect for anyone here nor do I have to be perfect for the public. So I'm not here to dispel any perception. I'm just here to be myself.'
The incident during the interview
On April 23, the cast had gathered to promote the ninth and final season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation when Ortiz-Magro’s eyes began to close and his shoulders slouched. It happened as Cortese, 39, was speaking about MTV being 'our home.' 'We are so grateful to them, now it's time to move on. We're just kind of finding a place to park at this point,' she said as fans noticed Ortiz-Magro struggling in the background.
Ortiz-Magro swayed on his stool as Sorrentino, who was sitting next to him, said, 'I think we're all very grateful like Deena said. Maybe we'll follow in the Kardashians' footsteps as they went from cable to streaming.'
Fan reactions and Sorrentino's response
The fan account @HousewivesHub re-posted the clip on X, writing, 'Oh Ronnie does not look well… the nodding off.' Meanwhile, fans speculated about what could be going on with the former MTV personality. 'Is he on heroin to be nodding out like that?' one person asked, while another pointed out: 'Mike is looking healthier, man. He should help him!'
The fan reaction compelled Sorrentino, 43, to speak out. Taking to his Instagram story on Friday, he wrote: 'I want to be clear that I am not responsible for the actions of any other cast member. At the same time, my heart is heavy seeing what Ron, a grown adult, chose to present during press. The situation is still developing, and while I do not know the full extent of what he may be going through, I do know it is separate from my path,' he concluded.
Ortiz-Magro's past struggles
In 2021, Ortiz-Magro halted filming on the Jersey Shore reboot after a domestic violence arrest. He was placed under a three-year protective order from his ex-girlfriend Jenn Harley and ordered to take parenting classes. The following year, in 2022, he announced that he was one year sober. This past March, TMZ reported that police were called to his Miami home to help his ex-girlfriend Kirsten 'peacefully' remove her belongings. A rep for the reality star later told the outlet, 'He was in the process of separating from his long term girlfriend, and it was at his request for her to call the police to ensure that the separation/moving out was peaceful... Because he's been the recipient of falsehoods in the past, and is in a really good place and didn't want there to be any unnecessary drama.'
