The Situation’s possible compensation pushes the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

Want a bit of news that will make you feel like shit?  Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino of “Jersey Shore” fame could earn upwards of $5 million this year.  And this is during a recession, when millions of people are out of work because companies are supposedly so strapped for cash.  Here are the particulars:

The abs-flaunting Sorrentino is raking in close to $60,000 per episode in salary, and between $15,000 and $50,000 per event for appearances. He also has endorsement deals with Vitaminwater, Reebok and an unnamed vodka brand; will front a clothing line with Dilligaf and a line of chewable supplements with GNC; has released his own fitness video; and has partnered with Gotham Books to write his autobiography. (People.com)

First off, let me just say more power to Sorrentino for taking advantage of a situation (no pun intended) that is uniquely tied to the current pop culture atmosphere: people can get paid for doing nothing.  Sorrentino’s show is little more than a reality TV crew filming him on a glorified vacation.  He can’t sing, he can’t dance (fist pumping doesn’t count), he can hit a slider, he can’t play point guard, he can’t act, he can’t…

That being said, it’s still more than a little strange that an outfit like Reebok would pay Sorrentino to hock its wares.  The company retains Peyton Manning as a paid endorser because he’s attained stardom based on a high level of accomplishment within his field.  Now compare that scenario to the Situation, whose skills appear to be limited to doing a ton of sit ups and complaining about the lack of good looking women in whatever club he happens to be in.

It just goes to show you that ability and talent are by no means prerequisites for raking in endorsement cash.  If a company feels that you, no matter what you do, can help them better connect to some segment of the marketplace, then you’re in a commercial by the end of the week.

That’s not so much of an indictment of the company doing the hiring as it is the consumers they’re targeting.  What does it say about the person who makes his or her choice of footwear based on an endorsement from the Situation?  And what kind of person would actually READ this guy’s autobiography?  I can only wonder what the titles of the chapters might be:

Chapter 3: I discover chicken parm

Chapter 5: Sit ups, sit ups, I love sit ups

Chapter 8: The Gap can suck on deeze for firing me

Chapter 10: How “GoodFellas” changed my friggin’ life