Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino admitted he had it better behind bars than some other prisoners might have experienced.
The Jersey Shore star reflected on some fortunate aspects of his previously-served sentence while promoting his memoir, Reality Check: Making the Best of The Situation – How I Overcame Addiction, Loss, and Prison — which was released in November 2023 and detailed the 41-year-old's dependency on prescription pills, as well as an eight-month jail sentence he served after pleading guilty to tax evasion in 2018.
"I think when I entered into the prison system, everyone liked me," Sorrentino revealed to a news publication while promoting his memoir at a Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles, Calif. "The guards liked me. The people doing the processing liked me."
While Sorrentino acknowledged workers "knew [his] story," the reality star was certain the hit MTV series he starred on from 2009-2012 hadn't been the reason he was favored.
"They sensed someone who was trying to turn over a new leaf. They sensed someone that was trying to do the right thing," the television personality claimed.
"They were like, 'Wow, this guy is trying to do the right thing.' People started to look out for me," Sorrentino reiterated. "I got extra food. I got extra TV time. I got the better mattress. I was able to sit down in the cafeteria room where most inmates didn't have a seat."
He continued: "I'm not going to say that I got any special privileges, but because I was well-liked, I was taken care of."
While Sorrentino might have had a slightly better experience than others serving time behind bars might have dealt with, the soon-to-be dad-of-three assured it wasn't all fun and games, as he noted the food still tasted bad and the "better mattress" still wasn't at the most comfortable.
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Most of all, Sorrentino struggled to be away from his wife, Lauren Sorrentino, whom he tied the knot with in November 2018 — just two months before starting his nearly year-long sentence in January 2019.
"Prison is a bad place. You're not able to take care of your family or pay your bills and it's a very uncomfortable situation," Mike concluded in an attempt to remind fans a cell is not some place they want to end up despite his story about being "well-liked."
The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star was released from prison in September 2019. He and Lauren went on to welcome a 2-year-old son, Romeo, a daughter, Mia, 8 months, and they are expecting another baby girl in March.
Mike previously said he's been sober for eight years after entering rehab in 2015.
The Messenger spoke to Mike about his time in prison.
