Eric Nies

Eric Nies (born May 23, 1971) is an American former model and reality television personality. He first gained fame as a cast member on MTV's The Real World: New York, before going on to appear on that show's spinoffs and other reality shows, such as The Grind and Confessions of a Teen Idol.

Eric Nies
Nies in October 2008
Born (1971-05-23) May 23, 1971
Ocean Township, New Jersey[1][2]

Family

Nies is the son of former NBA official Jack Nies and Anna May, a pre-school teacher, and grew up in Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.[2] Nies attended Ocean Township High School, but dropped out before graduating.[3]

He and his older brother John Nies posed nude in Bear Pond (Little, Brown and Company, 1990[4]), an "infamous book"[5] of photography by Bruce Weber.[6] Their cousin, Kenneth John Nies (who "usually goes by KJ"[7]) is also a model and fitness professional.[7][8][9]

Nies is married and has a son. [10]

Career

Nies first gained fame as a cast member on the first season of MTV's reality television program, The Real World. Nies was working as a model during the show's filming, and was sometimes shown on photo shoots. He was known for his impressive physique, often appearing shirtless in episodes of the show. After his exposure on The Real World, he went on to host the MTV series The Grind, which featured a studio audience dancing to popular dance tracks. He has also hosted and participated in a number of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenges.

Nies also appeared on a number of dance workout videos and fitness product promotions. As each workout video progressed, while the other participants remained fully clothed, Nies invariably removed layers of clothing until bare chested. He also promoted the videos on daytime television shows such as The View and Donny and Marie, similarly attired. He also regularly presented The Grind dance show with no shirt, prompting on one occasion guest Queen Latifah to ask him: "How much do they pay you to show your nipples?"[11]

In 2000 Nies developed an exercise product with his brother John called the 'Abaratus'. It was a long elastic band which when attached to a wall or door enabled the user to do abdominal exercises. However, by his own admission it did not sell well, and quickly disappeared from the market after a failed series of infomercials.[12]

In 2002, Eric Nies joined longtime friend Doug Hertling to develop an entertainment guide called Glide Magazine, which was quickly purchased by Viacom and rebranded as MTV Magazine.

In 2008, Nies attended the first ever The Real World Awards Bash, where he was nominated for the "Hottest Male" award.[13][14]

He appeared on VH1's 2008 reality TV series, Confessions of a Teen Idol, in which former teen idols attempt to revitalize their entertainment careers.[15]

Appearances

References
  1. Biography page for Eric Nies at MTV.com
  2. Lynn, Allison (October 7, 1996). "Nies 'n' easy: MTV stud Eric Nies has his life back in shape". People magazine. It is a sunny morning in the spring of 1995, and Eric Nies is fiddling with the sunroof of the stretch limo heading to his hometown of Ocean Township, N.J.
  3. "Real World (cont.)", Asbury Park Press, June 14, 1992. Accessed October 30, 2018. "Nies talked about experimenting with drugs and dropping out of high school.... He was on the front page of the Asbury Park Press in 1990 after he was arrested and charged with participating in a football betting operation at Ocean Township High School. A few months later he was arrested again and charged with selling anabolic steroids at the school."
  4. Green Man Review: Bear Pond Archived 2009-04-02 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Chi Force: John Nies Archived 2009-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
  6. MTV's Eric Nies and the Real World of Weimaraners, Waistlines and "Reality" TV by Diane West
  7. Bay Windows (Monday Jan 12, 2009) Archived 2011-06-12 at Archive.today
  8. GLT 15-Jan-2009
  9. Entertain Your Brain: "One Ocean View" Review
  10. Where are they Now?
  11. Episode of Grind at the Beach, 1994
  12. http://www.observer.com/node/43694
  13. "The Real World Awards Bash: Nominees" Archived March 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. MTV.com. 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  14. "The Real World Awards Bash: Winners" Archived September 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. MTV.com. 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
  15. "Confessions of a Teen Idol's VH1 Page".
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