Vinny Guadagnino has the distinction of being both the youngest 'Jersey Shore' cast member and quite possibly the wisest. He's seen a lot in his time on the MTV reality show ... and that may be the understatement of the century.

After a season in Italy in which he had sex with Snooki, visited his ancestral homeland in Sicily and, for the most part, managed to steer clear of the Situation's bizarre antics, Vinny's now found himself back in the States trying to expand his reality fame into an acting career, all while dealing with the strange, relentless celebrity that swirls around the show.

AOL TV spoke with Vinny about the enduring appeal (so far, anyway) of the 'Jersey Shore' phenomenon, and he offered his thoughts on why America has yet to grow tired of the over-tanned gang. He also admits that they were treated like "gods" by nearly everyone they encountered upon arriving back in Seaside to shoot Season 5 ... except for New Jersey's governor Chris Christie.

Our discussion turned political from there, as Vinny revealed his support for the Occupy Wall Street protests and his disgust with Republicans who will stop at nothing to bring down President Obama. Check out more after the jump ...