-New York Post
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi is facing further headaches in her legal battle with licensing company SRG Ventures over an e-mail sent by her dad describing her as “the hottest thing on the market.”
The pregnant power gnome partnered with SRG to launch a litany of Snooki-related merchandise in 2010, but she filed a suit in October 2011 to end her contract with the company alleging it didn’t fulfill its obligations to land her enough dough or branding deals. In return, SRG filed its own $7 million counterclaim against Snooki and her management company, which says she sabotaged the deal by negotiating with other brands behind SRG’s back, and dragging her plastic heels on the deals SRG brought her.
But in new paperwork filed this week, attorneys for SRG insist Snooki’s boozy behavior and arrest for public intoxication in 2010 left several brands with a sour taste. The papers say SRG approached many brands including Disney, Macy’s and Target, but they “had no interest in associating their brand with the plaintiff’s [Polizzi] name.
And, in what will be a blow to Snooki’s case, they have included an e-mail they say was sent from her father, Andy Polizzi, praising SRG — sent in May 2011, just a month before they were fired.
The e-mail, sent to SRG’S Steve Goodman and Larry Heyman as her dad joined her management team, reads, “I as Nicole want to thank you for all that has been done to this point . . . I feel we have a good team, and I just want to make it a better one so we all prosper along with nicole gaining fortune and fame. I think she is the hottest thing on the market right now, and we need to gain all we can with that so I can set her up for life if this ever ends, which I hope it doesn’t.”
SRG’S attorney Robert J. Hantman told us the e-mail proves Snooki had no grounds to fire them. He said,“Father knows best; even Snooki’s dad knows what she did was wrong.”
“Ms. Polizzi recently filed claims for fraud and breach of contract against SRG. The court papers allege that SRG lied about their connections in the industry and failed to secure licensing agreements in accordance with the parties’ written contract. We intend to litigate this case aggressively. SRG’s attempt to take advantage of Ms. Polizzi will not be tolerated,” said Snooki’s attorney Brian Procel.