Gus Smyrnios is frustrated with his portrayal on season four of Floribama Shore, and he's no longer holding back his true feelings about the show. Throughout the series, Gus has been the hothead of the group, and his behavior has only grown worse as the years have gone by. While he started season one of Floribama Shore as a misguided playboy struggling with a fractured family dynamic, his behavior has grown increasingly erratic, causing some fans to question whether he's on drugs. But Gus has a different story to tell, and he now claims the show is exploiting him for entertainment.
Gus arrived to season four of Floribama Shore with a significantly changed appearance. While he was always well-groomed, his season four look boasted shaggy hair, a full beard, and a massive scar across his face. Along with his changed appearance, Gus' personality also seemed to have undergone a massive shift. While he and fellow castmate Jeremiah Buoni were once inseparable, the two men had a falling out and their tension bled into season four, culminating in a physical altercation. Beyond his fights with Jeremiah, Gus has had many outbursts over the course of the season and even ran through the freezing cold of Montana in shorts. Suffice it to say, his behavior has seemed far from normal.
While fans are seriously worried about Gus, Gus himself is more concerned with the edit he's being given on-screen. While Gus has consistently promoted Floribama Shore on his social media, his patience for the show seems to have run out. On April 29, Gus took to Instagram to defend his season four portrayal, calling out producers in the process (via Cheat Sheet). "New episode tonight but I'm done posting about and acknowledging the show," Gus wrote. "They can f*ck with someone else for a change and exploit someone else's mental sh*t while purposely trying to piss them off for entertainment." Gus went on to claim that producers don't focus on the positive elements of his life and that he receives a lot of hate online for just doing his job, which he describes as creating drama for a TV show.
Fans have long wondered about Gus' mental health, and his statement seems to confirm that he's experiencing some problems in that area. Rather than trying to help him with his issues, the producers seem more inclined to throw Gus into a triggering situation. Then, they capitalize on his reactions to create an entertaining show. Gus also claimed his attempts to defend himself are shut down by the network. While he has previously gone on Instagram Live to give more insight to fans about what's happening on the show, he has now claimed his actions cause even more problems. "Every time I do that, I get in serious, serious trouble with the network," Gus claimed. "A lot of trouble, actually. So I'm not going to do that because my mouth is a little too much."
It's clear Gus is struggling with his mental health and has been for quite some time. His comments aren't totally out of line, as producer manipulation is a big concern with reality TV. The producers are there to create drama, and they oftentimes throw cast members under the bus in the process, opening them up to social media hate and constant criticism. However, in Gus' case, he also has a personal responsibility to take care of himself. He has hinted at leaving the show for a few seasons, but never follows through. While the producers are certainly exploiting his problems, he has the option of stepping away and foregoing the MTV paycheck in the interest of protecting himself. Let's hope he makes his exit from reality TV soon.
Source: Cheat Sheet