Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi was born in Santiago, Chile, and was adopted by Italian-American parents when she was six months old. Growing up in Marlboro, New York, she was a cheerleader, but also grappled with an eating disorder. Upon graduating, she attended community college, aspiring to work as a veterinarian.
Snooki first appeared on MTV's reality show Is She Really Going Out With Him? but became more popular through another MTV reality show, Jersey Shore. Her notoriety shot up when cameras caught her being punched in the face by a drunk man, a clip of which instantly went viral. That, and her being the show's breakout star, led to appearances in several television programs. She was on Cake Boss, in addition to the awards shows she has been seeing.
In July 2010, Snooki was charged for disturbing the peace in a Seaside Heights neighborhood; she was sentenced to a $500 fine and community service. The following year, she released her memoirs, A Shore Thing.
- Snooki got her nickname in middle school, when she became the first among her circle of friends to kiss a boy. The name was adapted from "Snooky", a character in the film Save the Last Dance for Me.
- She was adopted by her Italian-American parents.
- Back in high school, she was a cheerleader.