Jersey Shore star reveals how his Vegas residencies became the “easiest money” he’s ever made while pursuing his stand-up comedy dreams.
Vinny Guadagnino is proving that a little confidence — and a lot of abs — can go a long way.
During a candid conversation on Kayla Nicole’s The Pre-Game podcast on Friday, April 25, the Jersey Shore star revealed just how lucrative his time with Chippendales in Las Vegas turned out to be.
“It’s great. I always tell people it’s not like a strip club. I’ve made, like, over a million dollars doing it,” said Guadagnino, 37, when asked about his stint as a guest host and performer with the famous male revue.
Guadagnino, affectionately known as the “Italian Stallion,” first joined Chippendales for a month-long residency in 2019 and has returned for several additional engagements since.
“They’re called residencies where you stay, and it’s the easiest money I’ve ever made,” he said. “Just go there, live in Vegas, rip your shirt off.”
Podcast host Kayla Nicole, 33, was visibly stunned by how much Guadagnino banked through the experience.
Despite the success and glamour of his Chippendales run, Vinny emphasized that his current career path — stand-up comedy — is a whole different kind of grind.
“What I do now is hard,” he said, reflecting on the years he spent preparing for the comedy world. After Jersey Shore temporarily wrapped, Guadagnino took improv classes and immersed himself in sketch comedy, citing Key and Peele and Chappelle’s Show as major inspirations.
“I always wanted to do stand-up because I knew that was like the more gangster thing to do,” he said. “But I either never had the balls to do it, or I just didn’t have the means.” Living in Manhattan, surrounded by stages and opportunity, finally pushed him to take the leap.
“I’m like, I want this to be in my career for the rest of my life,” he added.
While he pursues comedy, Guadagnino hasn’t entirely left his Vegas roots behind. Ahead of his 2019 Chippendales debut, he told PEOPLE, “I have spent a lot of time in Vegas, I love it there. Now, to be cast as guest host of Chippendales — wow, let’s do this! I guess my ‘Keto Guido’ diet is working!”
His return to Chippendales in 2023 marked his fifth run with the show, complete with extra steamy shower scenes that left audiences raving.
“Vinny’s energy both on stage and off is always infectious — he truly is part of our family,” said Chippendales Director of Operations, Katerina Tabakhov. “His insanely electric charisma takes our show to another level and the audiences can’t get enough of him!”
But achieving that signature Vegas physique came at a cost. Guadagnino admitted that the strict dieting required for the role left him “miserable” at times.
“That time, I’m never eating a carb, never eating any sugar. [My diet is] literally very strict. And I’m miserable,” he said. “But, it looks good in a thong.”
Between his thriving comedy career and his impressive Chippendales legacy, Vinny Guadagnino is showing no signs of slowing down — shirt or no shirt.
