Let us all hail Uncle Nino! All season we've been analyzing the "Jersey Shore" crew's rather eccentric way with words, but it took Vinny's wine-swilling, JWoww-ogling relative to reveal the central truth we've been circling: It's not what you say, it's how you say it.
As Vinny explained, Uncle Nino spits out a slurry stream of verbiage that only manages to make sense when he utters the final two, clear words. And it's this hilarious way with language that allows Nino — he of the wandering eye and bulging belly — to come off as charming rather than crass, a guy you want to sit next to at a family dinner rather than one you avoid at all costs.
The creative use of words to try and get away with crazy behavior — that's what the "Jersey Shore" is all about. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's always entertaining to watch. Take Vinny on Thursday's (September 16) episode. He couldn't find the words to ask out the girl of his dreams and resorted to some truly embarrassing begging. And it worked. Until it didn't, and she stood him up. Or take Pauly D, who became the sweet-natured counterpoint to the Situation's aggressive playa, and ended up bedding his lady. Or take Angelina, who bad-mouthed Vinny only to sleep with him, then convinced her boy-toy Jose that she and her roommate smooched, rather than smushed.
It was a special episode indeed, filled with romantic dates, man grenades and Italian sausage. Vinny's mom cooked up a feast, Snooki found herself a man, and Ronnie and Sammi continued to have the most cringe-worthy relationship on reality TV. And, of course, we were introduced to Uncle Nino. In honor of the original guido, we present another edition of "Jersey Shore by the Numbers."
