As we’ve reported earlier, America’s Most Smartest Model Andre Birleanu has been in some legal hot water lately. However, after the initial reports, there was a strange silence from the Birleanu camp, without a lot of additional details or public comments from the VH1 star in response.
It now turns out this was not his choice, rather direction from VH1, and the grumpy Russian would appear to be pretty unhappy about it.
Andre has said, “VH1 has not allowed me to comment to the press or to clear my name. They tell me not to say anything, but then they don’t stand up for me.”
He wants out of his VH1 contract, set to expire in July, because he feels the show is hindering his public image as well as his public defense.
“I lost a billboard campaign in the middle of Times Square for South Pole. I lost a photo shoot with Target, and a Calvin Klein ad . . . it has been terrible for my career.”
He can see some that some good came from being on America’s Most Smartest Model, but not enough to keep him tied to the show. “I am a model,” he said. “I love the pictures. But VH1 needs to release me from my contract now – I am hot now.
“I had a great career before the show, and now I am losing a lot because of VH1. I made them money and they destroyed me.”
He’s also upset that he was asked to not come to the wrap party because of the allegations. “It is a party for me, and they told me I can not come,” he said.
In response to his comment, a VH1 spokesperson said, “That’s funny. We thought the party was for Sunday’s season finale – not him.”
(Aside: I have thought the way VH1 handles their talent after the show has been markedly better than a lot of other reality venues, but I think this comment is a little off the mark. A contestant like Andre makes a show like America’s Most Smartest Model. If they didn’t want to invite him, that’s fine, but they shouldn’t forget that the major draw for reality television are the interesting people behind the show. Sure, editing and story sculpting play a part, but Andre’s loose cannon, Soviet-obsessed, model-choking weirdo persona seems to be all his own and he should get some credit for being kind of mesmerizing.)
And as to the allegations, Andre’s lawyer has this to say, “We have witnesses who will testify and clear his name in court, and prove these allegations are entirely unfounded.”
– Leslie Seaton, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: New York Post
(Image courtesy of VH1)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
