Abercrombie & Fitch's “Situation” Slam Draws Fire

In what could either be a sign of the overwhelming power of the "Jersey Shore" fanbase or an incredible coincidence, clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch had its stock drop 10% after a Wednesday that saw them release a statement saying they'd pay Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino to stop wearing their clothes, as well as their earnings report.

Obviously, the 10% dip probably has more to do with the latter than the former, but there's no denying that A&F is catching some well-deserved heat for their anti-"Jersey Shore" stance. Why? Because it's a tad hypocritical, as both Sorrentino and castmate Paul "Pauly D" Delvechhio were eager to point out.

Sorrentino cited the fact that A&F sold "The Fitchuation" T-shirts in an obvious attempt to capitalize on the popularity of "Jersey Shore."

"'The Situation' -- my name, or my character -- is known worldwide now. Abercrombie & Fitch, their most popular shirt, they told me, is 'Fitchuation.' I mean, where did they get that from? Obviously from myself," Sorrentino recently told New York Magazine.

Meanwhile, Pauly D tweeted some snark about A&F's "GTL" shirts - which reference the "gym, tan, laundry" ethos of the "Shore" crew.

“Hmmm if They Don’t Want Us To Wear Those Clothes Why Make GTL Shirts #yourPRsux,” writes Delvecchio.

The furor was stirred up after A&F released the following statement: 

"We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino's association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image. We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans," read the statement. "We have therefore offered a substantial payment to Michael 'The Situation' Sorrentino and the producers of MTV's 'The Jersey Shore' to have the character wear an alternate brand. We have also extended this offer to other members of the cast, and are urgently waiting a response."

Sorrentino is not shy about showing off his A&F apparel - particularly their briefs, which are clearly visible whenever he is shirtless and/or pantless (which is often).

There is no word on exactly how much A&F was willing to pony up to keep their clothes off the rental beach house floor.

Selected Reading: The Hollywood Reporter, USA Today, Wall Street Journal

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