Good Guys - We got a SITUATION! with Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino

Episode Date: September 23, 2024

CALLING ALL MORONS! It’s time to GTL, cause we’re going to the Shore. This week, we’re joined by reality TV ROYALTY himself, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino! Mike opens up about his time in federal prison, how he *almost* joined the military, and what actually happened in Seacaucas. We’re diving into all things Jersey Shore, from what really goes down in the cast group chat, to breaking his neck in Italy and everything in between. The Situation shares his journey to sobriety and his latest mission to create addiction recovery centers throughout Jersey. Plus, Ben provides a much-anticipated update on Romeo’s recent procedure, and Josh reveals his former drug of choice. This episode is one you WON’T want to miss. Otherwise, what are you nuts?! Or Nah?  Leave us a voicemail here! Sponsors: Get who gets you, on eharmony. Sign up today. Go to FreshDirect.com and use code goodguys to save $50 on your first order. For 10% off your order and free shipping, Head to GetJackBlack.com/GOODGUYS and use code GOODGUYS Sign up at robinhood.com/gold Terms apply, for product specific disclosures visit robinhood.com/gold. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode. Produced by Dear Media See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The following podcast is a dear media production. I'm Josh Peck and I'm Ben Sofer. And we're the good guys. There's a lot of guys out there. And we're the good ones. Mazumorons, welcome back to the Good Guys podcast. I'm sitting here, the father of a newly neutered dog. It's Ben Soffer.

I am. Honestly, I felt terrible for him. Like he came back. You know, they don't put bandages on. They just like rip off his nuts. He comes home. There's no bandage. There's nothing.

What are they do? Freeble. They're like put some ice on it, rub it. I digress. We're here with Mike the situation. He needs no introduction. We'll give it to him anyways. Just absolute famed reality star. So much more than that author, we were talking about prison. I'm kind of jealous. I want to talk about prison. I feel like it's like a great, just like a couple of months to just really reset yourself. I mean, listen, if you're positive, yeah. Right? It could be. Yeah. Right. You go in there. You read a lot of we'd read the Torah. Maybe you read the Bible.

Yes. If you want to read the Torah, we'll show it to you. I'll send you a copy. And yeah, well, we're here with Mike. Josh, how's it going? Is that your what do you not spend? You know, prison. It sounds like Canyon Ranch. It's just like a quick getaway. I think it's all about perspective.

It definitely is all about perspective. Do you guys know what prison I went to? Tell me. I don't know. I went to one of the most high-profile prisons in the country. It is the Otisville prison in upstate New York, and it's strictly a Jewish prison. Wow. Really?

Jewish prison, yeah. So you made some friends. I did. I did. I did. Okay. Oh my gosh. Could you like call the warden and be like, you know, there's a draft. I'm feeling a draft. I actually, funny story, when I was first incarcerated, the first week I shut down the mail room because so many fans had sent, you know, letters of, you know, support. And, you know, Mike, you know, do what you got to do. Pay your dues to society. And now we'll see when you get out, you know. And did people put money on your books? Uh, no, no, no, no, no. And for our sheltered co-hosts here, Ben, putting money on your books is like if you're at camp and you get money for fun, like random sundries, maybe a Snickers bar perhaps. How did you know I didn't know that?

Yes. Because you're sheltered. I could have known that. I could have known prison slang. You know what? I'd have to say that my wife filled up my commissary to capacity, because there is a capacity per per week or biweekly. But when I did enter prison, they were a. waiting me. It was the Italians with sort of like a welcome hockey bag of, it was Reebok

shoes, socks, skinny teas, you know, probably some canned tuna, some snacks, a Snickers bar. I mean, listen, it was it was the who's who of what you want to get when you get into prison, to be honest with you. Any good meats? There probably was beef turkey in there. There probably was some beef jerky. So you weren't cooking anything on a radiator, you weren't drinking toilet wine, None of that. No, no, no. We have a new season of the Jersey Shore, right? Coming out this Thursday.

Josh and I are big, big fans. I know that he's kind of Jersey Shore adjacent. We had Joey Kamasta on the podcast a couple weeks ago. Oh, yes. I just saw him at the awards with Snooky. Yeah. We love Joey. But another season.

Yes. How are we feeling? Amazing. Listen, we got another season premiering this Thursday, Thursday, 87 Central, only on MTV. I mean, listen, we turned 15 minutes of fame into 15 years. The show is always number one whenever it's on on a Thursday night. So I'm very grateful to continue that trajectory and continue our story. You know,

15 minutes of fame into 15 years. Like, I've never really thought about it like that. But it's so true, the longevity of this show and of all of you. And it's a testament to you guys being so much more than just like run of the mill reality stars. I mean, most reality stars don't get more than a season. I mean, it's just a truth. I mean, I don't, you know, depending on what reality show, if you're on a reality show, Netflix, it's usually one season and they get a new cast, usually.

Because they're not entertainers. Like, most of the time they're not. Like, you guys, it's must-see TV always. I agree. I mean, listen, if you have the it factor, there's a chance for you to continue in that career field for sure. Yeah. When, Mike, the cultural impact of the show is so massive. And really, I've never seen a more perfect cast put together ever. I mean, you guys are the Oppenheimer of reality TV. Was there ever a moment, be it when you all started to build families or what have you, were you worried? Like, maybe there isn't more here. Like, how can the storyline progress to keep it going in the way you have?

I mean, usually our feet is at the fire, like, you know, every single year. And we have to perform. And if we are not number one, like any other show, you know, they're going to get rid of you. So we are very aware of that, even when we did the first. season of Jersey Shore back in 2009. I remember just being on the on the roof of the Jersey Shore store and I'm like, I want this forever. And I was, I guess, a young man manifestating, but, you know, we got the extra season. But every single year, we had to continue to prove ourselves. So, you know, I guess you can say there always is that on your mind. You know what I mean? You know, you have to,

you know, sort of pay to play. You know what I mean? You got to show up to work. You might not be around. That's just how it is. What did the, it seems like on this show over the last 15 years, there were some cast members who sort of grew into their greatness. And then there were some who came ready. You seem to have come ready. Episode one situation. What did the six months prior to your first day at the Jersey Shore, like what did that look

like for you? I was a part of the casting process for Jersey Shore. And that started in 2008. I was trying to be a fitness model at the time. My abs were unbelievably shredded. And my father, lived with my father at the time. And he said, listen, he found about a, I believe it was about a half a pound of marijuana in the ceiling of our home. And he said, I'm kicking you out.

You know, Uncle Sam's got to straighten you out. He took me to the military office. And he made me take the asvaps, asvaps, which is the military test. I had about two weeks before I had the sign on the dotted line. I was going to go to the Navy. after that I was going to be a firefighter. And I thought to myself, I'm like, you know what? I always, I don't know if this is what I want to do with my life.

I'm just, I just not sure that I want to do what my father says. I kind of, I don't know if I forgive myself if I don't go for my dreams. And what my dreams were is I always wanted to be in entertainment. So I went on Google and I Googled the top five underwear and modeling agencies in New York City. And I went home and took pictures in my underwear. And I sent them into those five agencies. Within three days, I got callbacks for interviews, and eventually I was signed. That was a sign to me that I was on the right track and that not to go to the military.

And I'm told my father, I'm going to couch surf. I'm going to pursue my dreams. And thank you so much. And that was it. Wow. That's got a- Josh, do you think that if me and you took pictures of ourselves in our underwear and sent to modeling agencies that we would have ended up with a show called the Jersey Shore?

They would have called a mental health facility. to put us in there. I mean, unless, are there brands for Rubenesque men for plus-sized boys? Yeah, like a big and tall. Yeah, I think there is.

Right? We're in an inclusive society now. In 2008, I don't think it would happen. Today, they're celebrating us. Yeah, I agree. They're celebrating us. Plus-sized jersey short. We should cast that.

This is a good question. Mike, where do you wear your underwear? Ben and I wear it, and I'll give you an example, we wear it a little bit high to sort of muzzle the muffin. Where do you wear? I wear it by the V. Oh, yeah, you do. God, that's hot.

Josh, Josh, Josh, you can't smell him from here. He smells unbelievable. Like, it's just, it's incredible. By the V, I don't even have a V. Like, what is, they're called, they're called dick gutters. Yeah. Oh, my God. And at the time when I was doing the, it was a pilot for VH1 at the time, I kept saying I put the VH1

eventually VATOV. VATOM, they obviously owns both MTV and VH1. They gave it to MTV. They developed the concept. And then a year, a couple months later, then they started to do more casting. And they got a whole bunch of other legendary reality stars that you know today, Snooki, DJ Poli, Jenny and obviously Vinny and Ronnie. and eventually Dina came in on the third season.

Who was the first person that you brought into the show? Oh, God. Do you know that answer? No. Okay. If you don't, then we can. Yeah, no. Or who was a early person?

In 2008, when I was doing the pilot, they asked me if I recommended anybody for the show. And at the time, I knew who Angelina was. And I recommended her. Wow. So, yeah. The hamster herself. The dirty little hamster herself. Yeah, we don't necessarily get along today, but it is, you know, it makes for good TV.

She should love that. You gave her her break. Like, I don't. What's at the root of that, Mike? Why can't you and Angelina's get along? I just think that she can sometimes, she can sometimes be nice. You know, she's got a good heart. But then in a snap of a finger, you know, she'll just, you know, turn like that.

And then she's your enemy. And you're just like, oh, my goodness, you know. So, you know, and again, I got to go back to we've known each other for such a long time. It's 15 years. We fight hard, but we love harder, you know? Yeah, of course. I think that's the nice thing my publicity team wants me to say. We'd love to give you an F. Mary Kill, if we could.

And the choices are chicken fangers, diet soda. Oh, wow. Or the ability in which to call Angelina a dirty hamper. Start. Oh, wow. Okay. I would kill diet soders, unfortunately, because it's not good for you. Wow. And I would fuck the chicken tendies. Same here. And I would marry the fact that I can always tell it that you dirty little hamster. Climpy! What an honor.

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and host of Conversations with Camp. This podcast is dedicated to having honest conversations, prioritizing your well-being and reminding you that, No matter what you're feeling, you are not alone. We'll discuss mental health maintenance, the ups and downs of motherhood, the trials and tribulations of life, and have a lot of fun along the way. Whether you're knee-deep in diapers or just trying to keep your sanity intact, this podcast is for you.

Expect laughs, maybe a few tears, and hopefully some breakthroughs along the way. Make sure to subscribe and tune in for new episodes of conversations with Cam every Wednesday morning. Speaking of chicken fingers, I need to know the today's workout regimen. Like, if we want to get ripped like you, what are we doing? I am currently okay because I just I you know this this particular year I've been doing a book tour my book is doing amazing granted I brought four copies for you guys so I can sign them to you and the fam or wherever you want there's second edition which which means that it's just an updated version of the book anyway now that I've dropped the book okay yesterday I put on social media is that I'm opening up treatment centers throughout the country

Okay, now, okay, in 2025, it's time to bring the situation back. And I have plans to have a reveal in 2025 of the newly renovated situation. Okay. And so what are we talking? Are we getting on TRT, roids, peptides, what are we doing? Masha green tea. Oh, matcha green tea. I saw, I've read recently all the good benefits of Macha Green tea.

No, I'm serious. Like, they can't be better than steroids. Also, peptides. There's nothing wrong with peptides. There's nothing wrong with any of it. It's fine. I didn't say it. He said it.

Dealers choice. We're scared. But we have people on the podcast all the time that are avoided. I will definitely say five days a week in the gym. I'm going to be doing cold plunge and so on it at night. And like I said, I'm going to be getting some amazing shape and have a reveal in 2025. That's my plan. Now that the book is done and we got treatments.

center's coming out. And my new nickname is St. Michael, the Archangel. It's happening. Wow. I love that nickname. What's your max cold plunge time? I'll be honest with you. I just got a cold plunge. Okay. And I did it for the first time. And oh my God, it was, it was hard. But how amazing do you feel after? I will say that I did it for, um, I did the sauna for 20 minutes. I jumped in the cold plunge for three. That's good. And I got out and I went back in the sauna for another 20 and did the cold punch for another three. Wow. I finished and I felt like I was high.

Yeah. Yeah. It's the endorphins that rush to your brain after that type. For hours. I felt like I was high for hours. It's amazing. Yeah. It really was.

Josh, we need to cold plunge soon. We're going to bring Mike to the live method. Fantastic facility. We'll go uptown. I want to be shirtless with the both of you. And speaking of, I want to ask Mike, because I'm a sober guy too. I'm sober 16 years. Oh, 16.

Oh, that's amazing. Thank you. It's amazing what you've done. I was a child actor, so I burned out early. But I, you know, now in life, I find that the free passes I get for highs are, Copeland, sauna, a workout, and the occasional romantic interlude with my wife. You? I think I get a high from obviously working out, obviously helping other people.

My accomplishments in life, no other high than trying to help other people. So, and again, like, I think that is my life's purpose. And what's the, what is that meal? I do have a question from my wife, which we've talked about this too much on the pod. What is your last meal? Your death row meal. What's the situation's last meal? Oh, wow.

Good question. It's definitely going to be some sort of pasta. I love pasta. And I'm definitely a foodie. So we'll probably get some chicken tendies, a diet soda, French fries, probably some sort of pasta. Maybe it's ravioli. Maybe it's maybe I'll have some sort of dessert.

Hmm. Hmm. Oh, I love a good creme brulee. Delicious. I love it too. I love a good creme brulee, yeah. But how do you balance a creme brulee with a rock hard body? That's the thing with my personality.

I have like that obsessive personality, you know, that most sober people do. So, you know, I'll go from, you know, working out sometimes once, sometimes even twice. a day, you know, Monday through Friday. And then once that Saturday comes, I start to get into the cheat meals. And then once Sunday comes, it kind of becomes a little gluttonous. Yes. Yeah. That last meal sounds so good. It's almost worth the chair. I would have my, my, my, my last meal would be exactly your last meal, except my dessert would be Percocet. I digress. Oh, my God. Wow. Sounds delicious.

Wow. You know, I mean, listen, I don't, you guys may or may not know, but that used to be my thing. My thing used to be Percocet. Yeah. I used to buy them. I used to sell them. I used to get them in hundreds. I used to smuggle them on sets.

That was my thing. Whose song is that, Mali Percocet? Future is that? Future. Future. Future. Future. What a song.

It's a good song. Yeah. How, how tough were they to kick, Mike? I mean, it makes you feel like you're going to die, but you're not. I have a question. Do you guys know what substance that if you withdraw from, you may die? Do you know? Alcohol.

Yeah, he's correct. Okay. Yeah, alcohol. A lot of people think it's opiates. You feel like you're going to die, but no. It was very hard to kick opiates. It took me a couple years. Again, I went to rehab around four times.

Wow. And every time I went to rehab, I would try a different thing. I'd be like, okay, I got this. I would just get physically detoxed and be like, oh, I'm not like everyone. I got this. And I would go back to the old habits, people's places and things. And then I would eventually relapse months, maybe a year later. Then I would be like, oh, I could smoke Malarana now, you know?

Yeah. And then next thing you know it, a year later, you're back to doing Percocets. And I'm like, ooh, I can probably do cocaine and Molly now, you know, the third time. Yeah. And then you'd be like, oh, that didn't work out. And then, yeah, I think I did it. The fourth time was maybe Adderall. and Valium, and that just didn't work.

The speed was like, I call the speed the dark years because you start seeing things and, you know, hearing things. You're like, wait a second. Am I on the Truman show? Like, what is going on right now? And what do you think, what was different the fourth time? Why do you think that was the time when it worked? I had so many things against me when I hit rock bottom in 2015.

I mean, not only was I dependent and addicted on prescription opiates, but all. Also, credit, the government was coming after me for millions and they were trying to put me in jail for five years with the big United States versus the situation court case. And also my lawyer was leaving me because he's like, I don't think you can afford me anymore. I mean, it was just one thing after another that was against me. And I was like, you know, my life is on the line. If I don't man up right now, if I don't put all hands on deck to try to save my life, it's going to be over for me. Would you say that prison in a weird way is the best thing that ever happened to you? At the time when I went to prison, I was about three years sober.

So I was doing the right thing. And I was a first-time offender. I didn't think that they were going to send me to present, but I used it as fuel for the fire for me to continue on that journey of doing the right thing, continuing my sobriety and continuing to level up. And I did that. I just feel like when I think about the book and all that you're doing, like the element of going to prison is just like another thing that makes you really interesting.

It like almost extends your, not extends your career, but it's another piece of longevity. It's the test and the testimony for sure. It's some of the, some of the really gritty, dark things in my story and in my book, those are some of the best parts because of where I am today. Yeah. You know what I mean? I'm a father of three and nine years of sobriety. I'm opening up treatment centers right now.

The really good part to when I'm jumping out of moving cars trying to go get opiates or I went to prison or all those crazy bad things because I turned it all around. And if people say, if Mike could do it, then I can do it too, you know? Can we talk about these treatment centers because you brought them up a couple of times? So they are like drug rehab facilities? Yes, yes. I've been working about a year now. And about 2018, my manager, when I got out of prison, he's like, all right, let's sit down

and let's do your vision board for the next five to 10 years. What do you want to do? He's like, what's your number one thing? What's your dream? What do you want to do? And I was like, you know what? I want to continue to help people. I'm like, I want to open up my own treatment centers.

I want to be the owner. I want to be the face. And they were like, okay. And now, you know, today I just, I'm opening up my own treatment centers. They'll be opened up in 2025. The name of those centers is the Archangel centers. And the first one being in New Jersey. And I'm, my new nickname is obviously St. Michael, the Archangel.

Amazing. Wow. Love it. Love. Love. I don't know if I can make it to a saint. Maybe. Maybe.

Yeah. You know, I kind of, I knew that was going to happen because I like it. I did it yesterday and people like, oh, my God, did he just sane himself? Yeah. People are like, oh, my God. Did the situation just saint himself? Like, oh, my God, what is happening in this world? I'm like, listen.

I'm like, it is what it is. Okay. I'm dropping these treatment centers. The name of them is Archangel centers. It's going to be in New Jersey. And I am St. Michael. And to be honest with you, I don't want to say something, but I'm say something. We might be working on something underneath.

You know what I mean? Maybe there might be a show involved. I don't know. You never know. We might be working on something underneath. Wow. Well, if you ever need extras, we're here. I might relapse so I can go.

Yo, listen, first of all, 16 years is amazing. I wish I could jump across the screen and give you a big hug. That is amazing, brother. Thank you. Okay. I really connect. I connect with everyone. But again, 16 years is amazing.

God bless. God bless. You too, man. And it's, it's been beautiful to see you. We've sort of gotten this view into your life and to watch you build this beautiful life for yourself with your lovely wife and your beautiful kids. And I'm interested. And if you don't want to answer, you don't have to.

Like, I have two kids, two boys. And there are definitely things about me that I want them to inherit. And then there are some things knowing my pastor. I go, I hope they don't get that part. Do you ever have that thought? Yeah. What I've had problems with most of my life, which, you know, I've had trouble escaping that life of excess. And so I just, obviously, he's a baby, you know, but for me, the best deterrent I can think of is sort of like education.

Dad's celebrating his sobriety like every year. You know, this year, it's nine years. Next year's just going to be 10 years. It's going to be a very prevalent theme in the home of our story and my comeback. And I don't think it's going to be a total deterrent, but I think it will will help. educate, you know, my kids, you know? That's awesome. This episode of the Good Guys podcast is brought to you by E-Harmony.

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