DJ Pauly D has become what he set out to be when the world first met him on MTV’s viral hit Jersey Shore almost ten years ago—a headlining club favorite touring the country and an instantly recognizable star. In Las Vegas, the city the Providence, Rhode Island native has called home for the last six years, his headquarters is Drai’s Beachclub, the rooftop dayclub at the Cromwell where Pauly commands some of the biggest pool parties on the Strip. He’ll be spinning there all summer long, including Cinco de Mayo Sunday.
You’ve been playing Drai’s for a while but really become the face of Drai’s Beachclub this season.
I love that. I love my name to be synonymous with this place. Lots of people all over the world see me DJ because I come to their (cities) on tour, so when they come to Vegas it’s like, “When’s Pauly D gonna play?” And I’m here all the time. It’s my home base.
Has your set changed a lot over the years? Do you notice musical tastes shifting?
It’s a little bit of everything. What you notice about my crowd specifically is it’s a huge mix of people. It’s hip-hop, it’s dance, it’s rock, they’re older, they’re younger, they’re all over the place. It keeps me on my toes. I don’t have to stick to one genre all day. All the pool parties are good vibes, positive music, a lot of dance, and then I go into the hip-hop and I like to surprise them with the rock songs.
That’s why Drai’s is such a great fit.
Being a DJ, you have to please all these people who spent money to buy tickets. It’s a new crowd every time I’m here and they rely on me to play the stuff they like. I’ll be that guy.
Does it feel like you’ve lived in Las Vegas for six years?
It doesn’t. It has flown by. I think I was in my house one day last month, on the road for Spring Break. But there’s no place I want to be more. Look at that rooftop. It’s lit.
Tell me about your new dating show, A Double Shot at Love.
It’s really dope that I was able to do it with Vinny (Guadagnino, also from Jersey Shore), my best friend, and get to show that aspect of our lives. I hear it a lot: “How could you ever have a girlfriend? Look at those crowds!” I actually go in-depth on that in this show. You can see I’m not for everybody, but I’m for somebody.
Is it tough to be sincere about dating when it’s all on TV?
I’m not an actor. I can’t act. I’m genuinely there looking for love with an open heart, but of course I have to watch out for their intentions because these girls are trying to be on TV. It’s the same for me in real life. I go out there and there are a lot of girls and I’m just trying to find the ones that are trying to date me for me. It’s tough. I always say, being in the public eye has its good and bad and I feel the good outweighs the bad, but not in relationships.
If only you could turn off your celebrity.
Like a switch. But I’m not mad. I’m happy.
