This reality star owes his survival to ‘The View’

The cast of “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” got sentimental on Tuesday’s episode of “The View.” While reflecting as a group on their 14 years of reality TV stardom, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino revealed Whoopi Goldberg to be an intricate member and supporter of the “Jersey Shore” family since the beginning.

“I’m very grateful that my life story might one day be someone’s survival guide,” Sorrentino, 41, said. “My book [‘Reality Check: Making the Best of The Situation – How I Overcame Addiction, Loss, and Prison’] that’s coming out in the fall — how I overcame addiction and loss in prison. I believe that book is going to save a lot of lives.”

He continued, “Believe it or not, Whoopi’s in that book.”

With a grin plastered on her face and the camera pointed at her, the Oscar winning actress recalled her early connection to the cast.

“When they first came [to ‘The View’], they were getting a lot of heat from people, and I was so glad to see you, because they were fresh and they were just ready to do stuff,” Goldberg said. “I said to them, ‘Listen, they’re going to come for you, you’ve just got to stay strong, no matter what.’ “

Sorrentino emphasized further the kindness he remembers Goldberg specifically showing him after the first season of “Jersey Shore” in 2009.

“Whoopi would pull me aside every time I’d come to the show. The glasses were tipped, the pupils were dilated. She knew, and it wasn’t what she said, it’s how she said it, and I’ll never forget that. So, thank you,” he said.

Goldberg responded: “I just want to say I’m so proud of y’all, because you did not let them define you, you all defined yourselves, which is everything.”

Sorrentino has talked openly of his struggles with an opioid addiction that started in college.

In 2021, he revealed that he was celebrating five years of sobriety.

In 2018, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

The upcoming season of “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” premieres Thursday on MTV.

Returning cast members include Sorrentino, Vinny Guadagnino, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio, Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola, Angelina Pivarnick and Deena Nicole Cortese.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Giancola’s ex, will also make appearances throughout the season, although he is not on the official cast list.

All nine of the original cast members will reunite for the first time in “Jersey Shore” history.