Eric Nies (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Eric Nies (born on May 23, 1971 in Ocean Township, New Jersey), is a former male fashion 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 that show's spinoffs and other reality shows, such as The Grind and Confessions of a Teen Idol.

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

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?"

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.

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.

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.

Appearances

• The Real World: New York (1992)
• The Grind (1992) Host
• Hangin' w/MTV (1992) Host
• Days of our Lives (1993) Disc Jockey
• Above the Rim (1994) Montrose
• The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) Hip MC
• The Real World Reunion (1995)
• The Real World Vacations: Behind the Scenes (1995)
• The Real World Reunion: Inside Out (1996)
• The Real World You Never Saw (1997)
• Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Road Rules: All-Stars (1998)
• The Real World You Never Saw: Boston + Seattle (1998)
• The Real World: Tenth Anniversary Special (2000) Host
• Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Seasons (2002) Co-Host
• Dance Fever (2003)
• The Road to Reality (2003)
• Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes (2003)
• RopeSport: Extreme Workout (2003) Host
• RopeSport: Advanced Workout (2003) Host
• RopeSport: Intermediate Workout (2003) Host
• RopeSport: Basic Workout (2003) Host
• Real Hot (2004)
• I Love the '90s (2004)
• Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes 2 (2004)
• Celebrity Paranormal Project - Episode: Wooden Lucy (2006)
• Confessions of a Teen Idol (2009)

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