Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is the winner of  the August hypocrisy award. The
Ohio-based company has announced it will pay the cast of the bizarre cable TV reality show “Jersey Shore” to not wear its clothes.

“We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans,” the retailer said in a news release.

Yeah, right. A&F is being a bit disingenuous, as The Street reports. The company  previously capitalized on the popularity of the show by selling “The Fitchuation” T-shirts, a play on cast member Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s name.

Hypocrisy usually works. The smackdown should be a winner for A&F.

A&F statement: Abercrombie & Fitch Proposes a Win-Win Situation

Photo: In this Nov. 17, 2010 photo, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino poses at GQ magazine’s 2010 “Men of the Year” party in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)