Page Six reports that Nick Lachey opened up to Rolling Stone about the sad disintegration of his cherished reality show marriage because he was promised the story would run on its cover. But wily RS publisher Jann Wenner pulled a C-list bait-and-switch on Lachey, demoting him to the cover of his other publication, glossy rag US Weekly. What's more, Nick appeared on US shirtless and engaged in the classic gay personals photo cheat stance: arms crossed and folded, thereby inflating manboobs to maximum capacity.

"At the end of the day, Rolling Stone said he needed to dish more on Jessica and Joe Simpson," our source said. "Nick said no . . . in the dark of the night, Jann gave the photos and the interview to Us Weekly."

A source added: "The Us Weekly issue [with an oiled-up, shirtless Lachey on the cover] sold really well in Chelsea, but that's about it. It was the gayest cover in years." Lachey's rep declined to comment; Wenner's rep didn't return calls.

It's yet another tough lesson for Lachey, who keeps finding himself in the unenviable position of being reminded of his second-tier celebrity status. But we can't help but feel the biggest loser in this PR slight is the public. Sure, the Us cover served up some tasty inked beefcake, but the real money shot was on the Rolling Stone cover that never went to press, featuring the titillating image of the "Ex-Househusband of the Year" pushing a Swiffer Wet Jet in nothing but a wife beater, white panties and a pair of hot pink pumps.

• COVER SWITCH ENRAGES NICK [NY Post]

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