MEREDITH VIEIRA, co-host:
We are back at 7:50. Bad behavior has meant big ratings for
MTV
's hit show "
Jersey Shore
," but the antics of one of the most popular cast members,
Snooki
, landed her in court on Wednesday.
NBC
's
Jeff Rossen
has the details.
Jeff
, good morning to you.
JEFF ROSSEN reporting:
Hey, Meredith. You just like saying
Snooki
, I can tell the way you said it.
VIEIRA:
Yeah.
ROSSEN:
Well, she was arrested back in July. She was drinking, where else, on the
Jersey shore
, and then she stumbled into people. Wednesday, just before the judge sentenced her, he gave her a verbal smackdown, calling
Snooki
a
Lindsay Lohan
wannabe. On "
Jersey Shore
" Nicole "
Snooki
"
Polizzi
, let's it all hang out.
ROSSEN:
But in court Wednesday, she buttoned up, armed with her designer handbag and her lawyer,
Snooki
was facing
90 days
in jail.
Police
in
Seaside Heights
arrested
Snooki
in late July. While taping the show "
Jersey Shore
," she was drunk on the beach, yelling and stumbling onto people.
Ms. NICOLE POLIZZI:
I would definitely like to apologize to the
Seaside
cops. When I saw what happened and everyone told me what happened, very embarrassed. This is not like me. I've never been in this situation before, so I definitely would like to apologize to anybody that I hurt.
Judge DAMIAN MURRAY:
I have concerns about how much of this episode was scripted by your show. I mean, if this was scripted, only you can determine if it's worth trading your dignity for a paycheck.
Ms. POLIZZI:
It was not scripted, sir.
ROSSEN:
And Judge
Damian Murray
was just getting started, getting even more harsh.
Judge MURRAY:
You seem to be acting like a
Lindsay Lohan
wannabe in this matter. Going through life rude, profane, obnoxious and self-indulgent, it's not the way you want to live your life.
ROSSEN:
Snooki
stood there and took it. Her lawyer jumped to her defense, saying she's lived a good life, with a love of animals and charity work.
Mr. RAYMOND RAYA (Nicole "Snookie" Polizzi's Attorney):
This was a
bad day
. I think we all have those days
from time to time
, Judge.
ROSSEN:
In a plea deal with prosecutors,
Snooki
slipped away without jail time. She plead guilty to a local ordinance called "interfering with the enjoyment of the quiet use of the beach by others." Her punishment? A $500 fine and two days of community service, with one day already served at a nearby zoo.
Snooki
, forced to give back to the town that made her famous. As part of that plea deal, the other charges were dropped. By the way,
Meredith
, late last night,
Lindsay Lohan
's mother
Dina
weighed in telling us she's disappointed in what the judge said about her daughter.
“ ”