Eric Nies (born May 23, 1971) is an American former model and reality television personality. He first gained fame as a cast member on MTV's The Real World: New York, before going on to appear on that show's spinoffs and other reality shows, such as The Grind and Confessions of a Teen Idol. Nies revealed on the 2000 special The Real World 10th Anniversary Special that three years into hosting The Grind, a business manager stole a quarter million dollars from him, effectively leaving him destitute and ruining his career, after which he contemplated suicide and developed drug and alcohol addictions.