Entertainment

Judge: ‘Sitch’ suit irregular

Former “Jersey Shore” cast mate Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino learned a thing or two about nicknames from a US Magistrate.

A federal judge in Florida ruled in favor of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., saying that the clothing company did not violate trademark rules by producing a shirt that contained the phrase, “The Fituation.”

Sorrentino sued the company for $4 million in 2011, claiming that the shirt in question violated his nickname, one derived from the sterling condition of his abs.

US Magistrate Judge John O’Sullivan stated, “Although the word ‘situation’ is not a word that was coined or made up by the plaintiffs, or a word that is obsolete, totally unknown in the language or out of common usage, the Court can discern no relationship between the word ‘situation’ and the apparel or entertainment services that the plaintiffs provide.”

The judge added that Sorrentino’s company did not start selling its own rendition of the shirt until later.

“A&F used only so much of the plaintiff’s name as was reasonably necessary to respond to his wearing A&F’s brand on ‘Jersey Shore,’ and did not do anything that would suggest Sorrentino’s sponsorship or endorsement,” the ruling stated.

Abercrombie & Fitch once offered Sorrentino $10,000 to stop wearing its clothes on “Jersey Shore,” which ended its MTV run last December.