Nine has announced that it has parted ways with TODAY presenter and journalist Alex Cullen after his bizarre on-air shouting out of Adrian Portelli, AKA ‘Lambo Guy’.
Yes, one of the stupidest media sagas (albeit a short one) in recent years has come to an end.
For those unaware, Portelli, dubbed ‘The Lambo Guy’ (though we’re not sure by whom originally), posted on social media that he would give $50,000 to anyone who referred to him as the ‘McLaren Guy’ on-air.
Cullen was daft enough to take him up on the offer. The on-air exchange starts around 25 seconds.
Shortly after the segment, Portelli reportedly posted a screenshot on Instagram showing a $50,000 bank transfer to Cullen, along with the caption: “We have a winner! Well played, sir.”
After ‘standing down’ Cullen on Monday, Nine has now parted ways with the presenter. A Nine spokesperson said:
“Nine has agreed with TODAY presenter and journalist Alex Cullen that he will finish with the network following a review into a recent incident.”
The network’s broadcast journos and on-air talent have a series of policies and procedures relating to third-party commercial arrangements. Cullen’s actions, seemingly, breached these policies.
Portelli has since posted on Instagram showing that $25,000 was donated to the RSPCA and Salvation Army each, on behalf of Cullen who returned the money.
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“I’ve kept pretty quiet about what unfolded with Alex, but even before he’d heard from Ch9, we had a conversation where he expressed his desire to donate the money. That speaks volumes about his character,” he said.
“Alex, you’re an absolute gentleman. If Ch9 let you go (though I really hope they don’t!), I’d be more than happy to collaborate with you on something. True class, mate!”
Portelli has said that he has been frustrated by the media’s portrayal of him, claiming that the nickname “Lambo guy” had been used to “subconsciously degrade” him. “I’ve told them many, many times to stop,” Portelli wrote.
Quite how being referred to as the ‘McLaren Guy’ instead would change that remains unclear. The marque’s cheapest model, the 540C, starts at $350,000. Though that’s positively a snip compared to the Lamborghini Temerario which starts at $613,885.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of legal troubles for Portelli and his company, LMCT+. In December 2024, Portelli faced charges related to conducting an unlawful lottery. LMCT+, under Portelli’s leadership, has been accused of operating a rewards program where members could enter to win cars and properties, including a significant prize for a property from The Block. According to court documents, the lottery violated South Australian law because it lacked the necessary licence to offer prizes over $5,000.
Portelli’s legal battles are far from over, with an Adelaide court hearing on Wednesday confirming that he would plead not guilty to nine charges, which involve incidents related to the properties he purchased in The Block‘s 2024 season.
