Why Gus Smyrnios From Floribama Shore Got Banned From Instagram

Due to the massive success of "Jersey Shore," MTV sought to expand the franchise with two spin-offs, per ScreenRant. The more recent of these is "Floribama Shore," which premiered in 2017 and hones in on the shenanigans of 20-somethings living on the border between Florida and Alabama (hence, the name). As Deadline reported, the show follows the "Jersey Shore" formula by filming the antics of a group of young Southerners living together in a beach house on the Gulf Coast, in Panama City Beach. Per the outlet, Season 1 introduced audiences to cast members Jeremiah Buoni, Candace Rice, Codi Butts, Aimee Hall, Kortni Gilson, Kirk Medas, Nilsa Prowant, and Gus Smyrnios. Each one "is armed with incredible life experiences and standing at a crossroads, whether it's ending a relationship, tasting independence for the first time, or trying to escape the past," as the show's producers told Deadline. 

And, while producers did not necessarily mention the arrests or binge-drinking that went along with this road to self-discovery, it did not take long for the series to make its mark. Shortly after premiering, "Floribama Shore" was spoofed on "Saturday Night Live," and several seasons later, it continues to resonate with fans who tune in to see what the hard-partying cast will do next. Of course, no reality show would be complete without its controversies, and in this case, it's the polarizing figure of Gus who has made waves both on- and off-screen.

Throughout his time on "Floribama Shore," cast member Gus Smyrnios has used social media to share his feelings. Case in point: When he and Jeremiah Buoni were feuding on the set, Gus took to Twitter to share his opinions. However, as of Season 4 in 2021, fans noticed that Gus was posting less online. While promoting an April 29 episode on his Instagram Stories, Gus even admitted that he was "done posting about and acknowledging the show," via CheatSheet. "They can f*** with someone else for a change and exploit someone else's mental s*** while purposely trying to p*** them off for entertainment," he added.

Fast forward to June, and Gus' contentious interaction with a user on Instagram may have been enough to kick him off the platform for good. Per ScreenRant, the reality star offended fans after he made fun of the user's photos and criticized her physical appearance. His aggressive behavior led many to feel he was acting "immature and unhinged," according to the outlet. The user — which was allegedly a husband and wife duo — may have been looking to pick a fight with Gus, but as Gus' manager Joseph Fazio told TMZ, Gus isn't exactly one to back down from a fight. So, what went down after the "nasty war of words" between them?

Following Gus Smyrnios' Instagram altercation, his manager Joseph Fazio told TMZ that, while Gus felt "bullied," he likely should not have attacked fans the way he did. "As we all know, Gus doesn't hold back his thoughts nor does he back down from a fight but he acknowledges that he should've handled this situation differently," Fazio noted. "He is genuinely apologetic for the things he said but is not apologetic for standing up for himself." With that said, the social media spat was apparently enough for Gus to deactivate his Instagram for good — or so it seemed. As of September, Gus relaunched his Instagram, which features pictures of his new girlfriend, Samantha Carucci.

And despite the Insta update, it appears Gus is taking some time away from the 'gram to focus on real life. "As a society we need to stop rewarding those who blatantly and aimlessly attack people (famous or not) simply because they feel like it," the reality personality told TMZ. "There is a double standard and it makes me sick. I just want it to stop. I'm not a violent or negative person by nature, but when someone attacks me, something triggers inside me." Here's to hoping Gus has learned to tame some of his aggression now that Season 5 of "Floribama Shore" is in full swing.