Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is setting the record straight after fans saw him appearing to nod off during a recent interview with his castmates to promote the upcoming (and final) season of Jersey Shore Family Vacation.
As The Ashley reported last week, Stars on Sirius posted (and later deleted) a clip from an interview with Ronnie and his roomies, in which Ronnie could be seen in the background closing his eyes, seemingly nodding off and leaning forward as his co-stars fielded questions.
On Tuesday night, Ronnie took to social media to directly address the recent incident, which he began by thanking those who have reached out to him to show their support or share their own “stories of mental health struggles.”
“It shows that we are not alone,” Ronnie wrote. “Even though everything may look perfect on the outside, every day I battle my depression, bipolar and anxiety in silence.”
Ronnie– who posted a series of quotes and images to his Instagram Story on Monday in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month– went on to reveal that, while he participates in weekly therapy and takes prescription medication to help manage his symptoms, he acknowledged that, “these are ongoing measures and not a finite/permanent cure.” He told fans that he tries “very hard” to not let his symptoms impact the way he shows up for both his ‘Jersey Shore’ castmates and fans of the show, but that what fans saw in the Stars on Sirius interview “was evidence of [his] ongoing struggle.”
“Some recent emotional events had begun to wear on me,” Ronnie wrote. “Medication had helped me manage my symptoms, but it can have side effects. Typically, I can work through the effects in private. Wanting to be with my castmates for a press tour celebration at the same time as carrying this weight required me to work through the effects in a public setting. As a result, I was taped nodding off, which started rumors and accusations.”
As The Ashley told you last week, after the Stars on Sirius clip was posted to social media, fans were quick to express their concern for Ronnie’s wellbeing and sobriety, with some even calling out Ronnie’s co-stars– particularly Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, a recovering addict who now owns a rehab center– for not helping their troubled roomie.
Presumably fueling the recent concern among fans was Ronnie’s 2019 stint in rehab for alcohol dependency, as well as his decision in 2021 to step away from ‘Jersey Shore Family Vacation’ to seek mental health treatment. (Ron ultimately returned to the MTV series in 2024.)
While addressing his concerning behavior on Tuesday, Ronnie insisted that during last week’s interview, he was “trying to battle through one of [his] toughest moments” and pushing himself to show up for others when he “just needed to show up for [him]self.” Ronnie said the incident has taught him to put his mental health first and prioritize his own care, which he vowed to do moving forward.
“It means the world to me that everyone has rallied for me and has seen past the rumors … ,” he wrote.
While Ronnie directly addressed the Stars on Sirius interview clip in his Instagram Story on Tuesday, he has yet to comment on the fact that, a week earlier, he was allegedly kept from participating in interviews at the ‘Jersey Shore Family Vacation’ premiere party because he was “too messed up.” A source told The Sun that while Ronnie took photos on the red carpet with his co-stars, he was then “taken away while everyone did the press line.”
“Ronnie was wasted, so the team made the decision not to let him talk to anyone,” the source went on to claim.
Days before the premiere party, Ron was also reportedly pulled from a press interview with Complex, in which the rest of his roomies– sans Jenni “JWoww” Farley– participated. Ronnie has not addressed his absence from this event either.
Read Ronnie’s full statement below.
The final season of ‘Jersey Shore Family Vacation’ premieres May 7 on MTV.
RELATED STORY: Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Posts About Mental Health on Social Media Days After ‘Jersey Shore’ Star Was Seen Nodding Off in Interview
(Photos: MTV; X; Instagram)
One Response
Didn’t have to read the article, Ron’s problem is he is a alcoholic and drug users. That was seen over and over since day one of Jersey Shore. Throws in depression so he won’t lose his job.