Rannazzisi, born in Smithtown, New York on July 4, 1977, briefly attended the Catholic St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, New York on Long Island, leaving after a year in what he called a mutual decision. He went on to graduate from Smithtown High School in 1996. Rannazzisi graduated from State University of New York at Oneonta, where he majored in communications. He is of Italian and Irish descent.