I recently spent a lazy day reading the various threads at Misc regarding speculation, innuendo, rumor and factual information about g4p / gay for pay in the bodybuilding circuit, and the derogatorily so-called “schmoes” who willingly pay for it all.
I have been gladly paying for muscle worship from top pros and amateur bodybuilders all over the world for my over two decades. So I suppose that makes me a fairly prominent and active “schmoe”. I first heard the term “schmoe” used by a bodybuilder back in 1992 to describe another client who was more well-known, and I was then told that there are schmoes for both male and female bodybuilders; before that, I didn’t know there was actually such an inside term used by some bodybuilders to describe in general what I was starting to get into. “Clients”, “supporters” and in high-finance cases, “sponsor” were the terms I was more familiar with, and the ones I used and to continue to use in my dealings with bodybuilders.
I have always maintained discretion and privacy in my dealings, as I have worked hard in my chosen professional field and become very successful and known with my industry circles; therefore, just as I am not too particularly fond of staining my professional or social reputation, I treat all bodybuilders, athletes and models as if they deserve a similar need for discretion.
I have noticed there’s some truth but many false assumptions and misconceptions about what I know to be both sides of g4p bodybuilding – the bodybuilder and the sponsor, client or schmoe.
So I am starting this thread so that Miscers can ask me – a real life, experienced sponsor / client / schmoe -- ANYTHING. I will try to answer all questions as much as I can, without going past my own personal limits (what those are, of course, are for me to decide).
As I continue to hire / sponsor bodybuilders, pro, amateur and aspiring, and I want to maintain their trust, please note that I am not here on an outing exhibition. That does not necessarily preclude me from naming names when I feel it is relatively harmless, important or necessary.
That all being said, I will give you some more background on me:
Sorry to disappoint some of your comedic intentions, but I’m not some old, fat, out-of-shape queeny guy (although the reality of that stereotype very much exists in the client / sponsor field). I’m in my early 40s, fit and exercise regularly, but I have always, always admired muscle. As mentioned before, I worked very hard and aggressively in my chosen career field starting at an early age working on Wall Street, and did very well for myself. This left me little time to do much else, but I have managed to find time for some renting and sponsoring bodybuilders and muscle escorts, which I still do to this day.
I am still based in the New York City metro area for business purposes, but own a few other properties in warmer clients; I have taken appointments with bodybuilders all over, and have quite often invited them to visit me or travel with me.
Although I do not now, I spent a sizable amount of time in committed relationships with women, mostly due to societal, family and business pressures. This probably only enhanced my need to hire. After a while, I disclosed my penchant for bodybuilders to one lady friend, who for a brief period until our breakup, became very supportive and helpful in my search for bodybuilders. Now, however, my relationships are same-sex only, and I feel there is no need for me for a front. Yet, I still choose to be a somewhat private person.
Although I prefer to maintain a comfortable distance from many other clients – some of which would probably better physically fall into the Misc perceived idea of a “schmoe” – I am socially friendly with a number of others. In a lot of cases, there is a network of shared information, and some are more talkative, braggadocios or loose-lipped than others, while others may share my code of discretion. In addition, particularly in my earlier years; this for me was the late 80s to early 90s. I was fortunate enough to meet older bodybuilding sponsors who were in and out of the bodybuilding circuit or the gay social networking scene. During this time, I also met some older bodybuilders, who once comfortable with me and felt I was legit, gave me further insight into the subculture and told stories.
I have sponsored competitive bodybuilders over the years, from pros to top and promising amateurs. I have also been a client for bodybuilder escorts and rentboys, hiring regulars and hiring one-offs. I am well-traveled and have dealt with bodybuilders all over the planet, in quite a few countries besides the USA. This business relationship happens everywhere, although the approach and expectations vary depending on the culture of the land.
I have done a lot of clever and interesting things over the years to meet potential bodybuilders to sponsor or hire. Sometimes it has been as simple as taking candy from a baby; other times, it was much more detailed, elaborate and long-term.
We all have our “types” / preferences. I tend to go for “the bigger, the better” – meaning superheavies, heavies and sometimes light heavies. Color has never really been a big issue for me, and I have dealt with many bodybuilders of all races, all over the globe. Actually, I probably tend to gravitate to bodybuilders with more color in them. So, in the States at least, that sets me a little apart from other, older schmoes, who tend to prefer to deal with only white guys.
Masculinity is also a huge turn-on to me, and I find that to be a must-have, not just a nice-to-have, when I am sponsoring or hiring. However, over the years, I can without a doubt attest that the manliness of the bodybuilder may have little to do with what is done with the individual client behind closed doors (also, I have found that mileage may vary – often, what one bodybuilder may do with me, they may do something totally different with another “schmoe”, depending on their level of comfort, business arrangement or level of physical attraction / interest in the client. I have had everything from private posing sessions with no or little contact to muscle worship to full-on safe sexual intercourse. It depends on who it is, the arrangement, and the mood I am in.
I do feel that many of the posters here are very naïve. I am attributing that to their lack of travel and worldliness. The g4p relationship happens all over the world, and in varying forms, with men of all shapes and sizes. Bodybuilders are not exempt at all from this practice. Money is often the most enticing factor, but there can be others as well. Also, the concept of “gay” is very much a Western world construct, but that does not mean that homosexual activity between men is not common. On the contrary, it is quite a common practice everywhere; the expression of it, however, is very different here in the USA than it may be elsewhere. Therefore, there are a lot of men everywhere whose sexual behavior is fluid, who would not consider themselves “gay” at all. In many parts of the world, that label is only for out of the closet feminine men, 100% bottoms and/or drag queens and trannies; meanwhile, others are free to discreetly enjoy or get paid for homosex and go back to their straight lives without any interruption. Yes, this applies to bodybuilders as well.
Even in gay circles, my continued attraction and interest in bodybuilders and men with big freaky muscle is probably now, more than ever, considered unusual and odd. The huge look that I love so much was probably most popular in the 90s to early 2000s. However, increasingly much to my disappointment, gay men (and straight women) are more and more attracted to the lean, sinewy types – which is making the sport and culture of bodybuilding even more of a subculture. My friends / colleagues like “model types” that I call “twinks”, and some of them will do what I do for bodybuilders, and yes, there is a circuit for that as well – although I don’t think the clients are derogatorily called “schmoes” (though I do hear “sponsors” as well). I say this to let some of you know that the bodybuilding hardcore fan base is becoming increasingly limited. However, those of us sponsors, clients and “schmoes” who have this interest or fetish in bodybuilding are here to stay, and in most cases, bring major support to the sport.
Think of g4p in bodybuilding sort of like the blatantly obviously gay uncle that was often cast on old TV shows such as “Bewitched” – everyone knew he existed and knew his deal, but no one really talked about it, but still everyone liked him and didn’t ask any questions because he was fun at parties and gatherings, he kept the lights on, worked the church organ, and/or often brought everyone gifts and helped with the financial bottom line.
So, Miscers, with that intro, now it’s your turn….
As a real life bodybuilding sponsor, client, “schmoe”, ASK ME ANYTHING about g4p / gay for pay / sponsoring / schmoeing in men’s bodybuilding. I’ll try to answer as comfortably as I can.
I accept private messages and emails as well, if you would rather not ask me in the public forum.
