Snooki Attempts a Re-brand

Far tougher than a crotch-flashing cartwheel, is renaming oneself at the peek of stardom.  Snooki, the sun-roasted runt from MTV’s Jersey Shore told the Daily News she wants to be known by her birth name, Nicole Polizzi.  She’s ‘The Rock’ of 2011.

With her new “legit” boyfriend, less drinking, less sleeping in garbage cans, and more dieting, could it be that “Nicole” is upping herself from the downmarket?

The brawling baller published a novel, and issued a necklace to commemorate her giant gerbil ball New Year’s stunt, all right before the third season of the show airs tomorrow night.