If you were watching E! back in 2016, you probably remember the absolute whirlwind that was Pauly D and Aubrey O’Day. It was the crossover nobody saw coming. The fist-pumping King of Jersey Shore meets the Danity Kane star who basically invented the "difficult" reality TV persona. Honestly, on paper, it looked like a match made in tabloid heaven—or a total disaster.
It turned out to be both.
They met while filming Famously Single, a show literally designed to help "notorious daters" fix their love lives. Spoiler: it didn't work. For nearly two years, the pair stayed locked in a cycle of breakups, makeup selfies, and some of the most intense reality TV reunions we’ve ever seen. But why does everyone still talk about them in 2026? Probably because the fallout was so messy it makes Jersey Shore look like a PBS documentary.
The Famously Single Spark and Those 20-Minute Rules
When Pauly and Aubrey first went public, they didn’t just date; they obsessed. Aubrey once famously told Entertainment Tonight that they talked every 20 minutes. Twenty minutes! You’ve got to wonder when they actually found time to, you know, live their lives.
Pauly was smitten. He called her "the one." He even introduced her to his daughter, Amabella, which for him was a massive deal. Remember, this is the guy who spent years dodging anything that smelled like commitment on the boardwalk. Aubrey was looking for the ring immediately. She wasn't shy about it, either. She told anyone with a microphone that she was ready for the "wife and mom" chapter.
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But the red flags were waving from day one. They lived in different cities—he was a Vegas resident with a grueling DJ schedule, and she was based in LA. Aubrey later admitted that they spent most of their relationship on a cell phone, which explains the 20-minute check-in rule. It wasn't about romance; it was about control.
Why Pauly D and Aubrey O’Day Actually Blew Up
The official breakup happened in July 2017, but the "why" depends entirely on who you ask. If you listen to Pauly, he just wasn't ready to get married as fast as she wanted. He claimed he "dodged a bullet." Then there’s the Don Jr. of it all.
While they were together, news broke about Aubrey’s alleged 2011 affair with Donald Trump Jr. Pauly later told Page Six he found out when the rest of the world did. Talk about an awkward Tuesday.
The "Torture" Allegations
Aubrey didn’t go quietly. After the split, she went on a media tour using words like "toxic" and "torturous" to describe their time together. She claimed there were "rules" she had to follow and that she felt "punished" when she didn't obey them.
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Pauly’s response? He called her dramatic. He basically said, "If it was so bad, why did I have to be the one to break up with you?" It was a classic case of two people living in completely different realities.
- The Squalor Factor: One of the weirdest details to emerge was Pauly complaining about Aubrey’s lifestyle. He’s a notorious neat freak. He alleged she was a "slob" and even claimed there was dog poop left around the house. For a guy who cleans his sneakers with a toothbrush, that’s a dealbreaker.
- The Cheating Rumors: Aubrey accused him of constant gaslighting and cheating. Pauly denied it all on Double Shot at Love, saying he doesn't "do that whole cheating thing."
Marriage Boot Camp: The Final Nail
If you want to see a relationship die in real-time, go back and watch their season of Marriage Boot Camp. It was painful. They were already technically broken up when they filmed it, trying to see if there was any "hope" left.
There wasn't.
By the end of the show, Aubrey actually wanted to give it another shot. She was the one asking to stay together. Pauly, however, had reached his limit. He said no, and that was the last time we saw them as a "unit." Since then, he has completely scrubbed her from his life.
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Where Are They Now?
Fast forward to today, and the contrast couldn't be sharper. Pauly D has been in a stable, long-term relationship with Nikki Hall since 2020. They live together in Vegas, and he frequently talks about how she "changed his mentality." He’s done with the "ratchet life," as he puts it. Nikki is the complete opposite of the high-drama Aubrey era—she’s private, stays out of the Jersey Shore drama for the most part, and seems to actually ground him.
Aubrey, meanwhile, has spent a lot of time in Bali seeking "healing." She still drops the occasional bombshell interview—like her appearance on Call Her Daddy—where she continues to claim Pauly was insecure and controlling.
The Reality Check
Most fans have picked a side by now. The "Pauly Posse" thinks Aubrey is just bitter because she didn't get the commitment Nikki has. On the other hand, some viewers point out that we only see the "fun" side of Pauly on TV, and Aubrey might be the only one who saw the "real" him behind the DJ booth.
Regardless of who you believe, the Pauly D and Aubrey O’Day era remains a fascinating case study in reality TV burnout. It was a relationship built in a pressure cooker that was never meant to last in the real world.
Moving Forward: Lessons from a Toxic Split
If you're following the lives of these stars, the best way to keep up is through their current projects rather than digging through the 2017 archives. You can see Pauly’s growth on the latest seasons of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, where his relationship with Nikki is often a central (and much calmer) theme. For Aubrey, her music releases like "Couple Goals" offer her perspective on the trauma she says she endured. To get the full picture, look at the "after" shots: one found peace in domesticity, the other is still searching for it in the spotlight.