For better or worse, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro has become the most interesting part of Jersey Shore Family Vacation. The cast member's on-camera and off-camera drama has dominated headlines surrounding the show and put every move he's made or hasn't made since the show's premiere under heavy scrutiny. For that reason, Ronnie's absence at the VMAs and other events promoting the show have had some wondering if he's left the revival reality series, and speculation had gotten rampant enough that he took to social media to talk about it:
Ronnie isn't going anywhere, and as he states in his Instagram caption, he's just wanting to focus on being a dad. There's no denying the Jersey Shore Family Vacation cast member's love for his daughter Ariana Sky, as pictures of Ronnie's baby girl are plastered all over his most recent Instagram posts. Ronnie explained that he'd rather be present when he can for his daughter's most vital years, and would prefer to see her grow in person than via pictures he sees when he's away from home.
Whether that's Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's real reason for staying out of the spotlight is valid or not, his absences at MTV and Jersey Shore Family Vacation events have the added side effect of keeping him away from the fans and press. This might play to Ortiz-Magro's benefit for the time being, as many have taken notice of the recent Puerto Rico vacation he took with supposed ex Jen Harley. These pictures are coming just a month after Harley was arrested for domestic battery against Ronnie, in a violent car incident that reportedly took place in the presence of their daughter.
If Ronnie is hoping to avoid responding to questions regarding his troubled relationship that was first seen in Season 1, Jersey Shore Family Vacation Season 2 will likely do him no favors. Reports surfaced that Ronnie had to take a break from filming following the domestic battery incident, and prior to that there was already rumored footage of a bar fight between the two that happened while the show was filming in Vegas. With Ronnie apparently down to return to a hypothetical Season 3 of the reality series, one will imagine he'll have to take some time away from his daughter yet again, and possibly be forced to answer some tough questions regarding the current state of his relationship.
Jersey Shore Family Vacation returns to MTV to kick off Season 2 Thursday, August 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET. For a look at what else is coming to television around that time or in the future, be sure to visit our summer and fall premiere guides. For more on Jersey Shore Family Vacation, be sure to check out our list of moments we're excited to see in the new season.
