Some celebrities have an iconic look that, despite the passing of years, doesn't change. Steve Harvey has his moustache, Samuel L. Jackson has his Kangol hats, and Jersey Shore Family Vacation's Pauly D gels his hair to the point that it looks like it would break against a hard surface. One would think that alone would define his signature look, but it turns out keeping his face clean and free of facial hair is also a vital part of his image.
This was evident when the MTV celebrity took to social media with a picture that showed that he's growing a beard. While it's a far cry from any ZZ Top situation Pauly D could have on his face, there's no denying it does give the reality star a different look:
Pauly D looks fine with a beard, though many think he doesn't resemble the Pauly D that's been on television for well over a decade. While a good deal of people are in agreement that the Jersey Shore Family Vacation star doesn't look like his normal self, there's some disagreement as to exactly why.
Almost immediately after the picture hit the internet, folks jumped online to reply with their reactions. While the verdict was out on whether or not the look was a hit or miss, many agreed that the man in this photo does not look like Pauly D:
Much like Superman when he wears glasses, there were some who felt like the person in the picture couldn't possibly be Jersey Shore Family Vacation's Pauly D. Of course, many were probably being facetious in that they literally couldn't recognize him, but rather just pointing to the radical change a beard brought to his "situation."
The new look was so drastic that some lamented that he looks like an entirely different person. All of a sudden, the "prank war champion" resembled a look-alike who charged less so he wouldn't have to shave that day:
Personally, I think the difference really shines through when taking the hair out of the equation. If one were to just see the bottom part of this picture without Pauly D's signature blowout to tip them off, I'd think quite a few would struggle to determine who he is.
There are some who think the beard is only part of the reason Pauly D looks so different. Some on Twitter believe that while Pauly may have grown a beard over the past couple of days, he may have also had some work done in between filming for Jersey Shore Family Vacation as well:
No one seems to know exactly why Pauly D's face looks so different when a beard is slapped on it, but it's hardly the first time this has happened. Many celebrities go through transformations on a fairly regular basis, so perhaps the reason this one feels so significant is because Pauly D has looked the same since audiences saw him on Jersey Shore.
The real question fans should be asking is whether or not this beard will be around for the future. While there were many jokes to be had about Pauly D's facial fur, there was also a group of people who wanted to see it stick around:
Pauly D's beard is far from the most radical change a Jersey Shore castmember has gone through in recent years, so it wouldn't be insane if he kept it. That said, I'd be surprised if the guy who hasn't changed his look since the late 2000s is only holding onto this beard to go viral, and it disappears rather quickly once Jersey Shore Family Vacation goes back into production.
Jersey Shore Family Vacation airs on MTV Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on what's happening with reality television, and for entertainment news in general.
