Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Coffeed on December 30, 2015, 08:53:31 AM
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I'm not talking about prime time, but maybe even taking the place of one of the nine re-runs of Sportscenter on ESPN 3.
What would it take?
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I'm not talking about prime time, but maybe even taking the place of one of the nine re-runs of Sportscenter on ESPN 3.
What would it take?
Mark McGwire & Sammy Soasa & Barry Bonds & Roger Clemens & A-Rod turned ESPN views again steroids forever
So bodybuilding will never be on ESPN again
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Streamlined physiques that the average gym rat can relate to.
Further, with the advent of crossfit and other workout fads, hardcore bodybuilding will continue to fall by the wayside.
The only way for bodybuilding to get back on ESPN is if A LOT of people decided to becoming interested in competitive bodybuilding. I don't see that happening any time soon.
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They would have a much better chance getting on FS1, NBCSN or CBSSN.
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I'm not talking about prime time, but maybe even taking the place of one of the nine re-runs of Sportscenter on ESPN 3.
What would it take?
not gonna happen, cross fit beats bodybuilding in every moneymaking regard
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The only way for bodybuilding to get back on ESPN is if A LOT of people decided to becoming interested in competitive bodybuilding.
This one statement x 100!
Right now and in recent past years, real bodybuilding has seen a steady gradual decline.
Right now, cross fit games and tough mudder races are all the rage.
Even at bodybuilding events, bikini and MPD have more entrants.
BUT, fear not, bodybuilding is down but not knocked out.
It may never be a mainstream favorite, but that's exactly what makes it go.
Just like Harley's, classic rock and vintage muscle cars, the real bodybuilders will always have a unique appeal.
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I'm not talking about prime time, but maybe even taking the place of one of the nine re-runs of Sportscenter on ESPN 3.
What would it take?
Why bother? The Internet is the best thing to happen to bodybuilding.
When bodybuilding was on ESPN, it usually aired during the wee hours of the morning and the footage was from contests that occurred 4-6 months earlier. You think that's going to fly during the Internet age?
At least with the old WBF, I found out the results of the first championship a week later (thanks to WWF Superstars/Wrestling Challenge).
Under the old ESPN days it'd be at least another two months before you saw any Olympia footage and that would be severely edited with boring commentary and your barely being able to hear the music during the routines. For example, it was spring/summer of 1994 before I actually saw the 1993 Olympia on the air.
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Advertisers need to know people would watch and I almost feel like they have a chance with how popular competing has become but I say why bother. You can watch shows live online if you want and there's tons of content so what's the point
You need charismatic people and also it can't be so boring. There needs to be some flash and pizazz. Also of course the physiques need to change in bodybuilding
Seeing bodybuilding through the general public'a eyes is always eye opening. They don't find it interesting or exciting at all.
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Advertisers need to know people would watch and I almost feel like they have a chance with how popular competing has become but I say why bother. You can watch shows live online if you want and there's tons of content so what's the point
You need charismatic people and also it can't be so boring. There needs to be some flash and pizazz. Also of course the physiques need to change in bodybuilding
Seeing bodybuilding through the general public'a eyes is always eye opening. They don't find it interesting or exciting at all.
Vince McMahon tried that with the WBF. But, thanks to his steroid scandal with the WWF, it didn't work.
The 1991 show looks more like a 21st-century production than the 2015 Olympia did.
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Why bother? The Internet is the best thing to happen to bodybuilding.
When bodybuilding was on ESPN, it usually aired during the wee hours of the morning and the footage was from contests that occurred 4-6 months earlier. You think that's going to fly during the Internet age?
At least with the old WBF, I found out the results of the first championship a week later (thanks to WWF Superstars/Wrestling Challenge).
Under the old ESPN days it'd be at least another two months before you saw any Olympia footage and that would be severely edited with boring commentary and your barely being able to hear the music during the routines. For example, it was spring/summer of 1994 before I actually saw the 1993 Olympia on the air.
I seem to recall Gold's Venice having the O results written in magic marker on a piece of white paper posted at the front desk the day after an Olympia. My how far we've come.
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A mass psychotic event where all men turn gay?
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Advertisers need to know people would watch and I almost feel like they have a chance with how popular competing has become but I say why bother. You can watch shows live online if you want and there's tons of content so what's the point
You need charismatic people and also it can't be so boring. There needs to be some flash and pizazz. Also of course the physiques need to change in bodybuilding
Seeing bodybuilding through the general public'a eyes is always eye opening. They don't find it interesting or exciting at all.
I think this is key. Bodybuilding contests are deadly boring to watch. They need to be livened up.
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A mass psychotic event where all men turn gay?
This, no one cares
what you see on tv now is crossfit or the Spartan Races.
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Me in posing trunks should excite the masses.
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I think this is key. Bodybuilding contests are deadly boring to watch. They need to be livened up.
Let's be honest. The trash talking last year is why a lot of people tuned in and why this year seemed so boring. I think it would be funny to have someone like HHH or the Rock host and go backstage and stir shit up. It would make it way more entertaining. This year's Olympia Men's Open was so boring to watch. The guys didn't even look excited to be on the stage and had no personality or anything onstage. Nobody wants to watch that.
Also they need to change the posing attire. Poofy and Bloated guts in the current style is awful.
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Have celebrity women judges. Like Serena Williams, Halle Berry (who used to go to the 90s, early 2000s shows), Anna Kournikova, and others. Give them the IFBB guidelines. And let them judge. Also try the celebrity MCs again...plus hire sports celeb interviewers.
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Streamlined physiques that the average gym rat can relate to.
Further, with the advent of crossfit and other workout fads, hardcore bodybuilding will continue to fall by the wayside.
The only way for bodybuilding to get back on ESPN is if A LOT of people decided to becoming interested in competitive bodybuilding. I don't see that happening any time soon.
Nope, all we need is the right ESPN affiliate.
You mean to tell me, that pro BB isn't made for "the ocho" at 3 a.m. ?
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I was fairly certain Howard started this thread when I saw the title.
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Have celebrity women judges. Like Serena Williams, Halle Berry (who used to go to the 90s, early 2000s shows), Anna Kournikova, and others. Give them the IFBB guidelines. And let them judge. Also try the celebrity MCs again...plus hire sports celeb interviewers.
That's what we were saying at this year's Olympia. I bet the posing routines would even improve and make it more fun. I have said this for years. I think they don't like this because it would be like admitting that bodybuilding is more a pageant than an actual sport...because it IS a pageant. Trust me I have to hear all the time about how getting up posing butt ass naked is not like getting out on the field, court, or whatever to actually perform an actual athletic feat.
It needs more showmanship and honestly better personalities. Bodybuilding people don't even like Phil Heath so why expect the general public to have interest. Give it to Kai...at least he's putting himself out there for more mainstream opportunities.
Women like bodybuilding under the right circumstances. I have seen it myself whether it's people getting hunted down in gyms, at expos, or even at shows...you just have to market it right.
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Have celebrity women judges. Like Serena Williams, Halle Berry (who used to go to the 90s, early 2000s shows), Anna Kournikova, and others. Give them the IFBB guidelines. And let them judge. Also try the celebrity MCs again...plus hire sports celeb interviewers.
Celebrity MCs aren't worth much. Regis Philbin did the first WBF show. It didn't add (nor detract) from the competition one bit.
Celebrity judges? NOPE!! Way too many complaints from the past about non-bodybuilder so judging shows (Didn't Franco Columbu's wife judge a pro competition?).
Vince McMahon tried everything from dancing girls to machine guns to give "pizazz" to bodybuilding. If that didn't work, then little else will (especially with the Feds breathing down your neck).
The web is perfect for bodybuilding because it doesn't require "mainstream" media acceptance for purposes of broadcasting or marketing. It can reach those niche fans and get them involved, much as it does with fans of old rockers and rappers from decades gone by.
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Obstacle course races are not substitutes for bodybuilding.
Completely different thing.
Pro bodybuilding is just not interesting to most, and a pretty ridiculous endeavor for all the reasons that have been rehashed here.. It's a niche, that has had slight upticks in popularity, but has always been a niche.
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Celebrity MCs aren't worth much. Regis Philbin did the first WBF show. It didn't add (nor detract) from the competition one bit.
Celebrity judges? NOPE!! Way too many complaints from the past about non-bodybuilder so judging shows (Didn't Franco Columbu's wife judge a pro competition?).
Vince McMahon tried everything from dancing girls to machine guns to give "pizazz" to bodybuilding. If that didn't work, then little else will (especially with the Feds breathing down your neck).
The web is perfect for bodybuilding because it doesn't require "mainstream" media acceptance for purposes of broadcasting or marketing. It can reach those niche fans and get them involved, much as it does with fans of old rockers and rappers from decades gone by.
When HHH hosted It went well. You have to get someone like that who understands that bodybuilding is on par with wrestling and to just be ridiculous because bodybuilding is ridiculous
If you had celeb judges chances are they would choose people along the lines of Arnold's vision rather than what you have now. Also the star power would add some sponsor interest
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When HHH hosted It went well. You have to get someone like that who understands that bodybuilding is on par with wrestling and to just be ridiculous because bodybuilding is ridiculous
If you had celeb judges chances are they would choose people along the lines of Arnold's vision rather than what you have now. Also the star power would add some sponsor interest
I would think a celebrity panel of Elton John, Clay Aiken, Nathan Lane, Ricky Martin, and Lance Bass would be appropriate.
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I would think a celebrity panel of Elton John, Clay Aiken, Nathan Lane, Ricky Martin, and Lance Bass would be appropriate.
Good point. Add in Richard Simmons for the fitness part
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When HHH hosted It went well. You have to get someone like that who understands that bodybuilding is on par with wrestling and to just be ridiculous because bodybuilding is ridiculous
If you had celeb judges chances are they would choose people along the lines of Arnold's vision rather than what you have now. Also the star power would add some sponsor interest
And Helmsley's father-in-law (who owned both the WWF and WBF) doesn't know that?
Regis Philbin was as big a star as there was in he 90s. He was the MC for the first WBF championship. He'd just appeared at WrestleMania 7 three months prior to that. And he had WBF bodybuilders on his talk show, leading up to the competition.
Lest we also forget, McMahon pulled a major coup by signing LOU FERRIGNO.
On top of that, you had the "WBF Bodystars" show in 1992 and the week-long "Family Feud" special with McMahon's WWF wrestlers and WBF bodybuilders, raising money for charity. I almost forgot about the tug-of-war between "Team WWF" and "Team WBF".
None of that led to more sponsorship or mainstream acceptance and the WBF folded a month after its 1992 championship (by which time Ferrigno had bailed back to the IFBB).
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And Helmsley's father-in-law (who owned both the WWF and WBF) doesn't know that?
Regis Philbin was as big a star as there was in he 90s. He was the MC for the first WBF championship. He'd just appeared at WrestleMania 7 three months prior to that. And he had WBF bodybuilders on his talk show, leading up to the competition.
Lest we also forget, McMahon pulled a major coup by signing LOU FERRIGNO.
On top of that, you had the "WBF Bodystars" show in 1992 and the week-long "Family Feud" special with McMahon's WWF wrestlers and WBF bodybuilders, raising money for charity. I almost forgot about the tug-of-war between "Team WWF" and "Team WBF".
None of that led to more sponsorship or mainstream acceptance and the WBF folded a month after its 1992 championship (by which time Ferrigno had bailed back to the IFBB).
I think things are a bit different in the sense that competing has become very popular. Not the bodybuilding part but these other divisions have brought more people into the fold and there can be some way to capitalize off of this in some way. I think the IFBB is too stubborn and wants to maintain total control and keep it niche because if they go outside, then they won't be able to monopolize everything. Whoever heard of revoking press passes in a niche sport as it is? Wouldn't you want more outlets to cover it to gain maximum exposure? Bringing in other types of sponsors mean they would have an opinion because they are paying.
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I think things are a bit different in the sense that competing has become very popular. Not the bodybuilding part but these other divisions have brought more people into the fold and there can be some way to capitalize off of this in some way. I think the IFBB is too stubborn and wants to maintain total control and keep it niche because if they go outside, then they won't be able to monopolize everything. Whoever heard of revoking press passes in a niche sport as it is? Wouldn't you want more outlets to cover it to gain maximum exposure? Bringing in other types of sponsors mean they would have an opinion because they are paying.
The other divisions are subsidized by bodybuilding and are basically steps downward.
Figure was for fitness girls who sucked as gymnasts and couldn't dance. And when even they were "too big", we got bikini, where the girls literally bend over and stick out their behinds (a far cry from fitness girls trying to prove they weren't just T&A).
And all of that was a downgrade from the Ms. Olympia which was once a stand-alone show. Twenty years ago, it had to be combined with the Mr. Olympia, just to be profitable. But even that didn't work and now it is no more.
As for the press, I recall when some mainstream press did cover the Arnold Claasic. What resulted was one of the WORST smear jobs I'd ever seen. ESPN may have done it.
The IFBB doesn't need that at all. And it doesn't need to be on ESPN anymore.
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The other divisions are subsidized by bodybuilding and are basically steps downward.
Figure was for fitness girls who sucked as gymnasts and couldn't dance. And when even they were "too big", we got bikini, where the girls literally bend over and stick out their behinds (a far cry from fitness girls trying to prove they weren't just T&A).
And all of that was a downgrade from the Ms. Olympia which was once a stand-alone show. Twenty years ago, it had to be combined with the Mr. Olympia, just to be profitable. But even that didn't work and now it is no more.
As for the press, I recall when some mainstream press did cover the Arnold Claasic. What resulted was one of the WORST smear jobs I'd ever seen. ESPN may have done it.
The IFBB doesn't need that at all. And it doesn't need to be on ESPN anymore.
It doesn't need to be on ESPN and like I said why bother but it would be nice to see them step their game up and now they don't have to. It would be nice to see the benefits of some mainstream sponsorships
The Arnold Classic was on tv 20 years ago when flex won and it was very well produced
The other divisions may be a downgrade but they are what's exploding the industry. It isn't bodybuilding. Sure mens open bodybuilding is the main attraction Olympia weekend but how many standalone purely bodybuilding shows could survive on their own? Not many.
I think mens physique is terrible and pointless. Not showing legs and no routine. Bikini is an absolutel joke but it's bringing in the money
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Celebrity MCs aren't worth much. Regis Philbin did the first WBF show. It didn't add (nor detract) from the competition one bit.
Celebrity judges? NOPE!! Way too many complaints from the past about non-bodybuilder so judging shows (Didn't Franco Columbu's wife judge a pro competition?).
Vince McMahon tried everything from dancing girls to machine guns to give "pizazz" to bodybuilding. If that didn't work, then little else will (especially with the Feds breathing down your neck).
The web is perfect for bodybuilding because it doesn't require "mainstream" media acceptance for purposes of broadcasting or marketing. It can reach those niche fans and get them involved, much as it does with fans of old rockers and rappers from decades gone by.
Not if you have celebs like The Rock or Marcus Allen or even a combo of Ryan Seacrest (cost a lot of money) and an ESPN host.
The goal is to cater to the mainstream and the ESPN/fitness crowd at the same time.
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Not if you have celebs like The Rock or Marcus Allen or even a combo of Ryan Seacrest (cost a lot of money) and an ESPN host.
The goal is to cater to the mainstream and the ESPN/fitness crowd at the same time.
That catering has been tried decades ago, between Lee Haney's ESPN show, Bodyshaping with Cory Everson, and FLEX Magazine Workout, all on ESPN.
Rock's involvement would do as much for bodybuilding as Regis' work did for the WBF (and he repeatedly has guys like Strydom and DeMey on his TV show). Heck, the 1991 show was at Donald Trump's Taj Mahal, with Trump in the front row.
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It doesn't need to be on ESPN and like I said why bother but it would be nice to see them step their game up and now they don't have to. It would be nice to see the benefits of some mainstream sponsorships
The Arnold Classic was on tv 20 years ago when flex won and it was very well produced
The other divisions may be a downgrade but they are what's exploding the industry. It isn't bodybuilding. Sure mens open bodybuilding is the main attraction Olympia weekend but how many standalone purely bodybuilding shows could survive on their own? Not many.
I think mens physique is terrible and pointless. Not showing legs and no routine. Bikini is an absolutel joke but it's bringing in the money
The only Arnold Classic I remember on regular TV was in '99, when the late Nasser El Sonbaty won it. It aired on UPN (now the CW network) but was about as bad as an ESPN production, with generic rock music dubbed over the actual songs used by the competitors. Vince Taylor was pop-locking to some ear-splitting, head-banging mess. It was so obvious that the guys weren't actually using the dubbed music that it was absurd.
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Less thongs and no stripper dancing.
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I remember when ESPN dropped all bodybuilding. They replaced it with billiard competitions. In ESPN found guys playing pool to be a better attraction than oiled up men posing to music in their underwear.
After the movie Pumping Iron with the appeal of Arnold bodybuilding had it's biggest main stream acceptance. Now it just died out. I think 100% of the public know the previous secret of steroids now. It's a sport based on drug use. No drugs equal no contests. Maybe something held in a high school auditorium that the seats are filled up with friends and family.
Most alpha males are interested in performance meaning real sports like football, MMA, baseball, basketball, track and such. Never went to a bar and had a guy say to me Yates had some lat spread in that contest.
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The only Arnold Classic I remember on regular TV was in '99, when the late Nasser El Sonbaty won it. It aired on UPN (now the CW network) but was about as bad as an ESPN production, with generic rock music dubbed over the actual songs used by the competitors. Vince Taylor was pop-locking to some ear-splitting, head-banging mess. It was so obvious that the guys weren't actually using the dubbed music that it was absurd.
I never saw that one. The one I saw was on Nbc in 1993 and Arnold was doing the commentating with someone else. It was the one where flex won.
It was very well produced
The webcasts I've seen haven't been all that great either with the commentary and it's boring.
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Did nobody here see the Espys giving Caitlyn Jenner woman of the year? Good news for bodybuilding and deviancy in general. We are this close ....
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The internet finally finished bodybuilding.
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:) Good post, sums it all up quite well.
I remember when ESPN dropped all bodybuilding. They replaced it with billiard competitions. In ESPN found guys playing pool to be a better attraction than oiled up men posing to music in their underwear.
After the movie Pumping Iron with the appeal of Arnold bodybuilding had it's biggest main stream acceptance. Now it just died out. I think 100% of the public know the previous secret of steroids now. It's a sport based on drug use. No drugs equal no contests. Maybe something held in a high school auditorium that the seats are filled up with friends and family.
Most alpha males are interested in performance meaning real sports like football, MMA, baseball, basketball, track and such. Never went to a bar and had a guy say to me Yates had some lat spread in that contest.
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I think things are a bit different in the sense that competing has become very popular. Not the bodybuilding part but these other divisions have brought more people into the fold and there can be some way to capitalize off of this in some way. I think the IFBB is too stubborn and wants to maintain total control and keep it niche because if they go outside, then they won't be able to monopolize everything. Whoever heard of revoking press passes in a niche sport as it is? Wouldn't you want more outlets to cover it to gain maximum exposure? Bringing in other types of sponsors mean they would have an opinion because they are paying.
Good post.
1. You are correct that the biggest number of entrants is in the NON-bodybuilding divisions, with bikini being the biggest number by far. Obviously, sexy and fit "swimsuit pageants" will always have more mainstream appeal.
2. The current promoters of the biggest shows have been doing it for awhile and make $$.
At this point the IFBB/NPC seem to care more about promoting any form of "contest" then actual bodybuilding.
They can do what they want and others may follow , but my interest has always been bodybuilding.
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That catering has been tried decades ago, between Lee Haney's ESPN show, Bodyshaping with Cory Everson, and FLEX Magazine Workout, all on ESPN.
Rock's involvement would do as much for bodybuilding as Regis' work did for the WBF (and he repeatedly has guys like Strydom and DeMey on his TV show). Heck, the 1991 show was at Donald Trump's Taj Mahal, with Trump in the front row.
That was then. This is now. A different era. Different stars. More action heros, more men and women workin g out. More stars working out. More people on steroids, etc.
Those were cable shows, now you have women on YouTube who could put Corey Everson to shame. More people know the deceased Greg Plitt and Zyzz than Lee Haney. So, it shows you the difference in era and mediums. Regis was ok, but he is know Ryan Seacrest. He is no Rock. more people care about celebrities now than before. Back then, the only Reality show was Cops and maybe The Real World.
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Good post.
1. You are correct that the biggest number of entrants is in the NON-bodybuilding divisions, with bikini being the biggest number by far. Obviously, sexy and fit "swimsuit pageants" will always have more mainstream appeal.
2. The current promoters of the biggest shows have been doing it for awhile and make $$.
At this point the IFBB/NPC seem to care more about promoting any form of "contest" then actual bodybuilding.
They can do what they want and others may follow , but my interest has always been bodybuilding.
To be perfectly honest Howard, I think most fans who attend and aren't family members or friends are mostly interested in the bodybuilding. At the Olympia this year, there weren't that many folks in there for bikini. I didn't even want to waste my time watching that but I wanted to see the fitness because I love the routines. It started filling up when it was time for the men's open.
I thought there would be a bigger crowd for men's physique but many in the crowd left after the women's physique finals. I kinda peeked in on the 212 but they didn't have that big of a crowd either.
IMO I think the personalities play a big role in the way things go. These guys these days aren't very personable or charismatic. Boring. Add that they have those poofy physiques with bloated stomachs and it's just not all that interesting.
These guys these days aren't very exciting. Jay had one of the biggest bodybuilder lines and he's not exactly the most exciting guy on the planet so that should tell you something. Ronnie didn't even have a line...and I thought that was very sad.
A lot of the stupid internet people had lots of people coming to see them.
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Did nobody here see the Espys giving Caitlyn Jenner woman of the year? Good news for bodybuilding and deviancy in general. We are this close ....
Because she was wearing a thong on stage and doing the robot to terminator movie clips mix with ginuwine's pony? ::)
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To be perfectly honest Howard, I think most fans who attend and aren't family members or friends are mostly interested in the bodybuilding. At the Olympia this year, there weren't that many folks in there for bikini. I didn't even want to waste my time watching that but I wanted to see the fitness because I love the routines. It started filling up when it was time for the men's open.
I thought there would be a bigger crowd for men's physique but many in the crowd left after the women's physique finals. I kinda peeked in on the 212 but they didn't have that big of a crowd either.
IMO I think the personalities play a big role in the way things go. These guys these days aren't very personable or charismatic. Boring. Add that they have those poofy physiques with bloated stomachs and it's just not all that interesting.
These guys these days aren't very exciting. Jay had one of the biggest bodybuilder lines and he's not exactly the most exciting guy on the planet so that should tell you something. Ronnie didn't even have a line...and I thought that was very sad.
A lot of the stupid internet people had lots of people coming to see them.
The biggest money maker for most promoters now is national or big regional amateur contests.
I believe the entry fee was 200 dollars and recently increased to $250.
Most national events get at least 500 bikini and figure girls to enter which is $100,000 on entry fees alone!!!
This is yearbook 101 marketing. The only people that buy school yearbooks are the students in it and their family.
If a bikini girls pays her entry fee and has a few friends/family buy tickets to watch her, you don't need BB fans to make $$.
That's fine and dandy for the organization and promoters, but it does NOTHING to promote real bodybuilding.
I'm one who doesn't think bodybuilding needs to be real profitable to be a viable sport. When I started , most serious bodybuilders worked a regular job. Most promoters did it for love of the sport over profits.
You entered a contest to do your best and have a goal to focus your training on.
The idea that bodybuilding should be a career is NOT meant for 99% who compete.
Anyhoo, over in the middle east, bodybuilding IS a big deal. Who knows why?
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Did nobody here see the Espys giving Caitlyn Jenner woman of the year? Good news for bodybuilding and deviancy in general. We are this close ....
I know it ::) WTF, the 1976 Gold medal winner in the decathlon becomes a famous drag queen on estrogen and "she" gets honored.
Meanwhile those men who build muscle and take male hormones get demonized.
I don't give a fuk how many awards Jenner gets, that is some sick , twisted crap in my book.
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centuries of sexual repression = more schmoes.
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Howard . I know several former Bodybuilders who no longer attend shows or want nothing to do with it because they don't want to sit through the bikini, men's physique, and other classes. They also hate the way the physiques look now
to me that's the real problem
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It'd be 1/3 of the miracles you need for sainthood
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Just suck off your best buddy at the gym. It will actually feel less gay than watching a live bodybuilding competition. But it does come close.
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Just suck off your best buddy at the gym. It will actually feel less gay than watching a live bodybuilding competition. But it does come close.
Fuk that was funny ;D
That kind of shit is why is why I had to get back on getbig.
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That was then. This is now. A different era. Different stars. More action heros, more men and women workin g out. More stars working out. More people on steroids, etc.
Those were cable shows, now you have women on YouTube who could put Corey Everson to shame. More people know the deceased Greg Plitt and Zyzz than Lee Haney. So, it shows you the difference in era and mediums. Regis was ok, but he is know Ryan Seacrest. He is no Rock. more people care about celebrities now than before. Back then, the only Reality show was Cops and maybe The Real World.
Rock isn't going to do anything more for bodybuilding than Arnold did back then or does now.
The reason more people know about Plitt than Haney just makes my point: The Internet. There was no YouTube back in Haney's heyday.
I'd argue that Plitt was just an updated version or Bodyshaping's Rick Valente.
The most publicity that bodybuilders (male and female) got back in the day was when they were American Gladiators. The women really got the push: Tonya Knight ("Gold"), Raye Hollitt ("Zap"), Shelly Beattie ("Siren"), Lori Fetrick ("Ice"), Erika Andersch ("Diamond"), just to name a few.
But those bodybuilders got the press, because they weren't just bodybuilders. They were athletes actually doing something with this big muscles of theirs, besides flexing.
Some of the biggest celebrities of the time used the biggest media vehicles of the time to push bodybuilding, none more than McMahon perhaps. Yet, it didn't catch fire.
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Good post.
1. You are correct that the biggest number of entrants is in the NON-bodybuilding divisions, with bikini being the biggest number by far. Obviously, sexy and fit "swimsuit pageants" will always have more mainstream appeal.
2. The current promoters of the biggest shows have been doing it for awhile and make $$.
At this point the IFBB/NPC seem to care more about promoting any form of "contest" then actual bodybuilding.
They can do what they want and others may follow , but my interest has always been bodybuilding.
But if they tried to hold a stand-alone bikini show or men's physique contest, it'd be at a loss.
Number of entrants isn't necessarily a viable stat. Any twig with a halfway pretty face and a boob job can enter a local bikini show.
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I remember when ESPN dropped all bodybuilding. They replaced it with billiard competitions. In ESPN found guys playing pool to be a better attraction than oiled up men posing to music in their underwear.
After the movie Pumping Iron with the appeal of Arnold bodybuilding had it's biggest main stream acceptance. Now it just died out. I think 100% of the public know the previous secret of steroids now. It's a sport based on drug use. No drugs equal no contests. Maybe something held in a high school auditorium that the seats are filled up with friends and family.
Most alpha males are interested in performance meaning real sports like football, MMA, baseball, basketball, track and such. Never went to a bar and had a guy say to me Yates had some lat spread in that contest.
Died out? I beg to differ.
Arnold was the only guy who got paid for winning the Olympia. Now, guys who place LAST earn double what he made for winning the whole thing.
Steroids haven't been a secret of bodybuilding. Nearly all of the criticism about bodybuilders today were made about Schwarzenegger back then. Show someone a pic of the Oak in his prime and you'll get much of the same "that's gross" comments. A cashier said much the same about an IronMan magazine I bought with the 7-time Mr. O on the cover.
Arnold's post-bodybuilding movie career has more to do with his success (and any mainstream acceptance of bodybuilding) than bodybuilding itself.
You'd be pressed to find any major bodybuilding champs with mainstream appeal. The closest one to Arnold would be Lou Ferrigno (and that's because he did The Incredible Hulk).
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The internet finally finished bodybuilding.
There is something to this. If you pose on stage on Saturday then sell yourself to schmoes on Sunday that is not family friendly programming. Especially when everyone can click a mouse and find your ads "looking for sponsors." :-X
Pro BB does not belong on television.
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How is it finished though? Is attendance at shows low? Is the prize money down? Is Phil Heath not making a shit ton of money being Mr. Olympia?
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But if they tried to hold a stand-alone bikini show or men's physique contest, it'd be at a loss.
Number of entrants isn't necessarily a viable stat. Any twig with a halfway pretty face and a boob job can enter a local bikini show.
I agree , but I think you missed my main point.
The main goal of any contest promoter is to make money.
Bodybuilding is still the core , but at $250 per entrant, bikini babes make them $$ before they sell a ticket.
Plus, most bikini / figure babes bring a few friends/family to see them who buy tickets.
That's a great source of guaranteed $$$ and you don't need to have many ads or marketing.
AGAIN for current promoters of national/regional events, the main goal is increasing contest entrants , NOT promoting bodybuilding.
Granted , it's a lazy way to promote shows, but an easy way to make $$.
Sure, they might make more $$ if they really tried to better promote more bodybuilding.
But, that takes some extra work and taking a risk.
Soooooo, they take the sure, steady income stream from hundreds of bikini/figure/mpd entrants and the ticket sales from family/friends that buy tickets to see 'em.
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Crossfit and Spartan races are more interesting because the muscle, conditioning, and hard work are being used in an activity.
Oiled-up drug addicts in thongs is boring and the public is a little better educated about side effects. I'd choose to watch grass grow, while listening to the girlfriend talk about her feelings, over a bodybuilding competition. It's just boring.
As far as the gays go: There's porn on the internet.
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I agree , but I think you missed my main point.
The main goal of any contest promoter is to make money.
Bodybuilding is still the core , but at $250 per entrant, bikini babes make them $$ before they sell a ticket.
Plus, most bikini / figure babes bring a few friends/family to see them who buy tickets.
That's a great source of guaranteed $$$ and you don't need to have many ads or marketing.
AGAIN for current promoters of national/regional events, the main goal is increasing contest entrants , NOT promoting bodybuilding.
Granted , it's a lazy way to promote shows, but an easy way to make $$.
Sure, they might make more $$ if they really tried to better promote more bodybuilding.
But, that takes some extra work and taking a risk.
Soooooo, they take the sure, steady income stream from hundreds of bikini/figure/mpd entrants and the ticket sales from family/friends that buy tickets to see 'em.
The other divisions make the money but they don't have the interest. Do you really think that the Orleans arena would be filled for the bikini and men's physique finals. I can tell you right now the answer is NO. The Men's Physique couldn't even keep interest at the expo.
Howard I really believe the physiques are the biggest issue why you can't promote bodybuilding. Even the former bodybuilding fans think the people look terrible so how can you promote a shit product? They don't even have good personalities to cover for it. The Rock isn't a small guy at all and has visible muscle separation and women go nuts over him...he's handsome and charismatic so that helps a ton. He's also working with Mr Olympia's trainer and his ex wife is an IFBB pro so that could open up opportunities for some cross promotion.
I just don't think the IFBB in its current incarnation wants the mainstream exposure.
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The other divisions make the money but they don't have the interest. Do you really think that the Orleans arena would be filled for the bikini and men's physique finals. I can tell you right now the answer is NO. The Men's Physique couldn't even keep interest at the expo.
Howard I really believe the physiques are the biggest issue why you can't promote bodybuilding. Even the former bodybuilding fans think the people look terrible so how can you promote a shit product? They don't even have good personalities to cover for it. The Rock isn't a small guy at all and has visible muscle separation and women go nuts over him...he's handsome and charismatic so that helps a ton. He's also working with Mr Olympia's trainer and his ex wife is an IFBB pro so that could open up opportunities for some cross promotion.
I just don't think the IFBB in its current incarnation wants the mainstream exposure.
I don't dispute your conclusions , but that's not my main point.
The organization and promoters GAVE UP on increasing interest in bodybuilding .
YES, men's bodybuilding is the main draw for the fans. BUT, they have a consistent stream of revenue with the large numbers of bikini, figure and MPD entrants.
No question , that the vast majority watching bikini, figure, mpd are their close friends/family .
Plus, with so many meatheads dressing and acting like this guy, why try LOL ?!
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Crossfit and Spartan races are more interesting because the muscle, conditioning, and hard work are being used in an activity.
Oiled-up drug addicts in thongs is boring and the public is a little better educated about side effects. I'd choose to watch grass grow, while listening to the girlfriend talk about her feelings, over a bodybuilding competition. It's just boring.
As far as the gays go: There's porn on the internet.
Problem is that 1) most of the people that I see do Crossfit are still out of shape and do the exercises wrong. 2) only the top competitors in the Crossfit Games look like "they lift" or are in shape, which tends to mean "PEDs". 3) The Crossfit Culture tends to have a reckless attitude about Health (Rhabdo). 3) Many People who do Spartan Races tend to take themselves way too seriously (Look at the Name, Spartan), like many in the gym culture do. And everybody wants to be "hardcore" and think that they are "hardcore", when all you are doing is exercises and running around in dirt, ponds, net walls, and mud. Kids do this.
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I'm not talking about prime time, but maybe even taking the place of one of the nine re-runs of Sportscenter on ESPN 3.
What would it take?
It would first have to be considered a "sport".
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3) Many People who do Spartan Races tend to take themselves way too seriously (Look at the Name, Spartan), like many in the gym culture do.
Real question - ever done one? Of course, there's always a bunch (as well as in the gym culture) who take it to the extreme, but on the whole, it's about the challenge, fun and camaraderie .
when all you are doing is exercises and running around in dirt, ponds, net walls, and mud. Kids do this.
Agreed. And it's awesome too.
But, again, I don't think this stuff is a bodybuilding substitute. I just think most think weight training to build overdeveloped muscles that don't do much other than get looked at by gays is silly.
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Real question - ever done one? Of course, there's always a bunch (as well as in the gym culture) who take it to the extreme, but on the whole, it's about the challenge, fun and camaraderie .
Agreed. And it's awesome too.
But, again, I don't think this stuff is a bodybuilding substitute. I just think most think weight training to build overdeveloped muscles that don't do much other than get looked at by gays is silly.
I thought about doing one. There were a couple in my area. But when I see the adverts for them, and people dressed up like Superman, and couples dressed alike and people with this "hardcore" vibe and then our own 333 who was wading in a duckpond, I'd rather spend my time reading books to ostriches or watching a butcher at his craft.
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@ Parker,
GrapeApe hasn't abused me too badly on the Y, LOL!
I'm transitioning more to a crossfit kind of thing and need to do real cardio. No point looking good if you're not in good enough shape to properly lay a boot to someone's ass.
I'm pretty typical looking, anyways. Also, the back and knees can't handle the old weights.
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I don't dispute your conclusions , but that's not my main point.
The organization and promoters GAVE UP on increasing interest in bodybuilding .
YES, men's bodybuilding is the main draw for the fans. BUT, they have a consistent stream of revenue with the large numbers of bikini, figure and MPD entrants.
No question , that the vast majority watching bikini, figure, mpd are their close friends/family .
Plus, with so many meatheads dressing and acting like this guy, why try LOL ?!
I think they gave up on promoting bodybuilding
1. Bodybuilding is hard and people don't want to work that hard. People want to work on their hair and not have to train their legs
2. It's hard to promote a shitty product: I consider myself pretty good at marketing/PR and I am not sure how you would promote the current crop of guys. It's way too hard. They look terrible and are not charismatic.
3. Unwilling to adapt or grow. They are still stuck in the 1980's it seems when it comes to bodybuilding. They could have a workout show on for busy people like Body shaping....but that goes back to not looking like a fat ass in the offseason or being poofy.
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I thought about doing one. There were a couple in my area. But when I see the adverts for them, and people dressed up like Superman, and couples dressed alike and people with this "hardcore" vibe and then our own 333 who was wading in a duckpond, I'd rather spend my time reading books to ostriches or watching a butcher at his craft.
Pretty weak excuse, to be honest. Do you stop going to the gym because of all the jackasses there with their stupid clothes and routines?
The costumes are very rare, don't affect anyone, and are just people having being doofuses. The duckpond things is a goruck, and is very difficult. Few here could do them unless they really dedicated themselves to training.
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Nobody gives two shits about todays bodybuilders because they look fucking terrible.
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Nobody gives two shits about todays bodybuilders because they look fucking terrible.
Hmmm?
I was attended consistently for decades BUT last went to a pro or national show back n 2008.
If lifetime meatheads like me don't care about going now , what shot does it have ?
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(http://giant.gfycat.com/RewardingQuickGuppy.gif)
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At least he has a posing routine. The crap I saw this year was terrible. Who wants to watch a guy stomp around the stage screaming? Howard I think before this latest round the last time I went was 2006 and again it was only bc my friends were competing. It was terrible then and it has only gone downhill since. This year's Olympia was lackluster...
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At least he has a posing routine. The crap I saw this year was terrible. Who wants to watch a guy stomp around the stage screaming? Howard I think before this latest round the last time I went was 2006 and again it was only bc my friends were competing. It was terrible then and it has only gone downhill since. This year's Olympia was lackluster...
This is a posing routine, not the bullshit Kai pulls on stage.
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This is a posing routine, not the bullshit Kai pulls on stage.
Those guys really put an effort into what they were doing.
Nobody even comes close to that these days in the open
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There is something to this. If you pose on stage on Saturday then sell yourself to schmoes on Sunday that is not family friendly programming. Especially when everyone can click a mouse and find your ads "looking for sponsors." :-X
Pro BB does not belong on television.
Judging all bodybuilders by the handful of goofs who do questionable stuff is patently absurd. Why wouldn't you go the route of promoting (past tense) things like Mr. Olympia being a police officer (I.e. Olivia, Coleman)?
Or guys like Steve Kulco who is a firefighter (as was Porter Cottrell)?
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The other divisions make the money but they don't have the interest. Do you really think that the Orleans arena would be filled for the bikini and men's physique finals. I can tell you right now the answer is NO. The Men's Physique couldn't even keep interest at the expo.
Howard I really believe the physiques are the biggest issue why you can't promote bodybuilding. Even the former bodybuilding fans think the people look terrible so how can you promote a shit product? They don't even have good personalities to cover for it. The Rock isn't a small guy at all and has visible muscle separation and women go nuts over him...he's handsome and charismatic so that helps a ton. He's also working with Mr Olympia's trainer and his ex wife is an IFBB pro so that could open up opportunities for some cross promotion.
I just don't think the IFBB in its current incarnation wants the mainstream exposure.
If Arnold couldn't do it after all these years, why would Rock be able to do it now?
Women go nuts over John Cena, too. That doesn't help bodybuilding one bit.
Using wrestlers to promote bodybuilding? Been there; done that. Many WWE wrestlers (including Rock) have graced the covers of FLEX and Muscle & Fitness.
I'll take live and full coverage of bodybuilding on the web over severely edited coverage, aired months after the fact, on ESPN. I certainly don't miss having to channel-surf cable at the end of the month, hoping to catch an episode of "American Muscle".
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This really isn't "rocket science."
99.9% of the population CANNOT relate to the IFBB pros. How many people are going to look at this when they turn on ESPN and say, "Wow, I want to look like that?"
(http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/mrolympia2006/86015_ron1_123_412lo.jpg)
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NASCAR has millions of fans. People would rather watch someone else drive in circles than oiled men in thongs.
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NASCAR has millions of fans. People would rather watch someone else drive in circles than oiled men in thongs.
How about that Yates lat spread, huh?
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How about that Yates lat spread, huh?
I literally believe a tiddlywinks tournament would get more sponsors, viewers, and generate more interest.
Ru Paul has a Drag Racing show, FFS!!
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In bodybuilding's defense, there's plenty of boring shit on television like "Say yes to the dress", "My 600LB life", "Kate plus 8", "Keeping up with the Kardashians", and shit about fucking midgets that people love watching.
Someone has to figure out marketing and target what aspect of professional bodybuilding people would find interesting enough to watch.
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In bodybuilding's defense, there's plenty of boring shit on television like "Say yes to the dress", "My 600LB life", "Kate plus 8", "Keeping up with the Kardashians", and shit about fucking midgets that people love watching.
Someone has to figure out marketing and target what aspect of professional bodybuilding people would find interesting enough to watch.
Conflict, heroes vs villains, and sex all work as storylines with the actual competition as a backdrop since it's so boring. It can be done but not like the IFBB has it currently.
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Conflict, heroes vs villains, and sex all work as storylines with the actual competition as a backdrop since it's so boring. It can be done but not like the IFBB has it currently.
It would need lots of schmoes supporters!
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I think to get Bodybuilding back on ESPN, it would take Kai Green and his white towel several trips to ESPN headquarters in Connecticut...
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In bodybuilding's defense, there's plenty of boring shit on television like "Say yes to the dress", "My 600LB life", "Kate plus 8", "Keeping up with the Kardashians", and shit about fucking midgets that people love watching.
Someone has to figure out marketing and target what aspect of professional bodybuilding people would find interesting enough to watch.
That's already been done. It's called the Internet. And it's worked. More pro shows, more prize money at the Olympia, the Arnold, etc. And bodybuilding shows are actually airing on the day they occur.
Lest we forget, this was bodybuilding on ESPN about 25 years ago.
The problem with this was that the USA was probably done when this preview occurred.
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The public would be interested if it was all "dad bods" and looked like Shizzo.
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Remember this guy? "Mr. Cybrergenics", Franco Santoriello.
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I don't think it's possible because unless schmoes make up the majority of the population, no one really cares about the way the current crop (crap?) of bodybuilders look like.
And besides, everyone knows its all about the drugs and the only genetic advantage is being able to survive the truckload of dope you need to "compete" at any level today. Bodybuilding isn't a sport. Look out at the audience and you will realize its nothing but a booty pageant geared toward the schmoes.
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In bodybuilding's defense, there's plenty of boring shit on television like "Say yes to the dress", "My 600LB life", "Kate plus 8", "Keeping up with the Kardashians", and shit about fucking midgets that people love watching.
Someone has to figure out marketing and target what aspect of professional bodybuilding people would find interesting enough to watch.
This right here, figure out a formula to generate some interest. Maybe a weekly show showing progress up to a contest a la a reverse biggest loser, where each week 3 people are followed around and there is a reveal in the posing room at the end of the weekly episode. Pumping Iron kinda followed this format.
Of course, I also think that if they just stuck on a workout show reboot of that one with Haney and Valenti people would watch it and it'd get similar ratings as the old one. People will watch because it's on.
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Bodybuilding isn't a sport. Look out at the audience and you will realize its nothing but a booty pageant geared toward the schmoes.
Pretty much this. The general public doesn't want to see this garbage.
I've never walked into any store and found a place that sells glittery posing thongs. Nobody knows where come from and nobody really cares either. Of course every weirdo who "competes" in this weird underground subculture knows where to find them and buy them. Its the weird creepy shit like this that keeps it out of the mainstream.
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Something I thought about... it parallels the NASCAR phenomenon where the most viewed portion is the crash.
Now think about this... back in the 90's people were collapsing and dying ON stage or just beyond the drapes. If we brought that back, it may have more of that gore-appeal that the mass public craves.
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This right here, figure out a formula to generate some interest. Maybe a weekly show showing progress up to a contest a la a reverse biggest loser, where each week 3 people are followed around and there is a reveal in the posing room at the end of the weekly episode. Pumping Iron kinda followed this format.
Of course, I also think that if they just stuck on a workout show reboot of that one with Haney and Valenti people would watch it and it'd get similar ratings as the old one. People will watch because it's on.
Again, you're not coming up with anything new. Vince McMahon tried this 25 years ago with the WBF.
Great bodybuilders, excellent production, profiles of the competitors, celebrity MCs, quality judges (all former competitors, including former Mr. Olympia, Chris Dickerson), dancing girls, highest prize money in history at that time (first six-figure prize money for the winner), etc.
WBF Bodystars didn't last six months. Heck, they revamped it to just "Bodystars", with features on everything from rollerblading to Olympic kayaking, with a WBF bodybuilder not featured until the very end of the show.
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Seriously, perhaps a new Arnold would bring it back. Someone that charismatic and aestethic could turn it around. And make other good competitors come out of the woodworks...
But then I am disregarding the current trend which makes it impossible for an aeststhic body to win
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Seriously, perhaps a new Arnold would bring it back. Someone that charismatic and aestethic could turn it around. And make other good competitors come out of the woodworks...
But then I am disregarding the current trend which makes it impossible for an aeststhic body to win
No one man is going to turn anything around. And it is the futile search for such that is the problem. Plenty of people love Arnold but don't give a crap about bodybuilding, just as many wrestling fans who were big Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan but had no interest in the WBF.
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Bodybuilding could be on TV anytime, but it is going to be face some obstacles because bodybuilding defies patriarchy.
Bodybuilding defies patriarchy in that it turns the male body into an object of display subject to scrutiny. Also, the nature of bodybuilding is (homo)erotic whether or not you want to admit it and has been so since day one. It is impossible to disassociate eroticism from bodybuilding because it requires the exposure of the male body almost naked and, as most may know, muscles are secondary sex traits and, an erotic interest on the bodybuilder's part to exhibit his body to others can never be discarded .
For patriarchy, men are not supposed to become objects of any sort; that role has been assigned to women as a way for men to show how much they rule over women and how men are superior.
Also, bodybuilding is much closer to striptease than it is to sports and most heterosexual men have no interest in the male body.
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Very good points made in this thread.
In some ways the curtain has been pulled back on the industry in regards to drug use. People used to think drugs was a part of the whole culture but now everyone believes that's all it takes
Next the guys looks terrible onstage and that is your biggest hurdle. The people on these boards all agree and you would count them as fans. Seeing this past Olympia through the eyes of People with no industry experience was interesting to say the least. The women thought the men looked terrible onstage and weren't impressed ofF. These women also weren't interested in the physique division as well because it was boring.
There has been complaints amongst industry people that the current talent pool is horrible and that's why there's a lack of interest in the bodybuilding division. I'm inclined to agree but you need people who are out there DOING something. What is the current mr Olympia doing besides arguing on Instagram
Kai is doing more than him because he seems to get that you're a personal brand and more exposure = more opportunity.
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Also, bodybuilding is much closer to striptease than it is to sports and most heterosexual men have no interest in the male body.
Exactly. Look at who watches sports on tv or at a bar. Does anyone seriously think that same demographic that watches football, hockey or basketball would be interested in watching tan, greased up men in thongs posing, and then decide which one is best? Even if they did watch, most all would say they all look exactly the same. They don't care who looks drier or more striated.
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Bodybuilding could be on TV anytime, but it is going to be face some obstacles because bodybuilding defies patriarchy.
Bodybuilding defies patriarchy in that it turns the male body into an object of display subject to scrutiny. Also, the nature of bodybuilding is (homo)erotic whether or not you want to admit it and has been so since day one. It is impossible to disassociate eroticism from bodybuilding because it requires the exposure of the male body almost naked and, as most may know, muscles are secondary sex traits and, an erotic interest on the bodybuilder's part to exhibit his body to others can never be discarded .
For patriarchy, men are not supposed to become objects of any sort; that role has been assigned to women as a way for men to show how much they rule over women and how men are superior.
Also, bodybuilding is much closer to striptease than it is to sports and most heterosexual men have no interest in the male body.
Hmmm...so how about combine bbing with krumping...the top 6 will go at each other in a krump contest.
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Seriously, perhaps a new Arnold would bring it back. Someone that charismatic and aestethic could turn it around. And make other good competitors come out of the woodworks...
But then I am disregarding the current trend which makes it impossible for an aeststhic body to win
You're describing Mike O'Hearn.
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Hmmm...so how about combine bbing with krumping...the top 6 will go at each other in a krump contest.
From men being judged by their appearance like objects (and as women are judged by men in beauty contests), the almost naked body to the suggestive poses and moves this is why patriarchy sees bodybuilding as a threat. :)
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From men being judged by their appearance like objects (and as women are judged by men in beauty contests), the almost naked body to the suggestive poses and moves this is why patriarchy sees bodybuilding as a threat. :)
That's where the women judges come in. By them judging men, on who is more masculine to them, they are thereby helping patriarchy. They are signaling who they would want to mate with.
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That's where the women judges come in. By them judging men, on who is more masculine to them, they are thereby helping patriarchy. They are signaling who they would want to mate with.
There lies the problem. Men are not supposed to be judged for their appearance/bodies by either men or women. Men are not supposed to expose their bodies in any way that might make them look like sex objects. Patriarchy says men are superior to women so they must not assume roles where their nature is going to be objectified because being an object means being inferior.
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That's where the women judges come in. By them judging men, on who is more masculine to them, they are thereby helping patriarchy. They are signaling who they would want to mate with.
yep and therein lies one of the problems. They want to pretend this is a sport because they don't want to admit to this being a beauty pageant...which it is. There's nothing athletic about it. It also doesn't help that it's not exactly the most masculine Endeavor or even have masculine ambassadors.
Back in the day pro guys did attract higher caliber women. They attracted models, actresses, cheerleaders, and
Some were getting the same type of women real pro athletes were Getting. This was before things went left and the distended guts. Nobody likes that. Also had to do with the way people carried themselves
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No one man is going to turn anything around. And it is the futile search for such that is the problem. Plenty of people love Arnold but don't give a crap about bodybuilding, just as many wrestling fans who were big Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan but had no interest in the WBF.
Well yeah, that's my point. As I kid I watched wrestling solely because of Hulk Hogan. And Ric Flair happened to be his nemesis.
I didn't really like wrestling when Hulk wasn't in frame.
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You're describing Mike O'Hearn.
Haha, damn it you're right :) he is old though
But yeah, charisma and aestethics are the things that could do modern bb a favor. The top ten lacks any public appeal
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it will never happen again because people are fatter than they have ever been, the last thing the average fat person wants to see is some muscle stud that basically reminds them how fat they are
bodybuilding needs to focus on it's core audience, guys like us that weren't made to feel inferior but were inspired by these male specimens
bring bodybuilding back to what it was before 1994 when guts weren't the norm and contests weren't won by guys with missing limbs, we don't need espn when we have the internet we just need the bodies to be what they were 20+ years ago
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Well yeah, that's my point. As I kid I watched wrestling solely because of Hulk Hogan. And Ric Flair happened to be his nemesis.
I didn't really like wrestling when Hulk wasn't in frame.
The new WWF generation was supposed to usher in the post-Hogan era in wrestling. But my point was that McMahon's calculation that the popularity of his super-muscular wrestlers would have carryover appeal for the WBF missed big time. In retrospect, the steroid scandal may have simply accelerated the WBF's doom.
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How is it finished though? Is attendance at shows low? Is the prize money down? Is Phil Heath not making a shit ton of money being Mr. Olympia?
Exactly!
And for all those, wailing about how special the 90s were, here is big Lou with virtually the exact same criticisms of that crop of bodybuilders that we keep hearing from certain 90s fans about today's competitors.
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it will never happen again because people are fatter than they have ever been, the last thing the average fat person wants to see is some muscle stud that basically reminds them how fat they are
bodybuilding needs to focus on it's core audience, guys like us that weren't made to feel inferior but were inspired by these male specimens
bring bodybuilding back to what it was before 1994 when guts weren't the norm and contests weren't won by guys with missing limbs, we don't need espn when we have the internet we just need the bodies to be what they were 20+ years ago
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I don't know about that. At the expos, shows, and the gym it was those on the plumper side that were the most aggressive in hunting those guys down! lol
But I agree. No more guts and no more poofy people.
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What about something like "Jersey Shore"?.
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What about something like "Jersey Shore"?.
Part of the problem with this is that you don't have the personalities for this. It can work but you need storylines and people to carry it off. You could probably work with Kai to do something like this since he seems to like acting and maybe Cedric McMillan but nobody else is that interesting
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Part of the problem with this is that you don't have the personalities for this. It can work but you need storylines and people to carry it off. You could probably work with Kai to do something like this since he seems to like acting and maybe Cedric McMillan but nobody else is that interesting
If you truly believe those two pieces of schmoe-chum are "interesting"... TV in general is for the LCD of the world.
I seriously doubt that is you.
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Part of the problem with this is that you don't have the personalities for this. It can work but you need storylines and people to carry it off. You could probably work with Kai to do something like this since he seems to like acting and maybe Cedric McMillan but nobody else is that interesting
The scene has tons of weirdos. Finding a new Snookie wouldn't be difficult.
There's no need for it to be on ESPN.
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If you truly believe those two pieces of schmoe-chum are "interesting"... TV in general is for the LCD of the world.
I seriously doubt that is you.
Nope not me but in the trainwreck reality world they would make for a storyline. Reality tv is fake a lot of the times. They just make up scenarios and make you play along. I could see those two doing trainwreck television
Kai did a great job at last year's Olympia and that wasn't even enough to get them on tv because they look terrible and it's boring
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Here's your show, Azure...
"Troll beatdown". Find trolls for asswhoopings or proof that they can back up claims about hoes, money, lifts, real pictures, etc...
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That's already been done. It's called the Internet. And it's worked. More pro shows, more prize money at the Olympia, the Arnold, etc. And bodybuilding shows are actually airing on the day they occur.
The x rated , hardcore porn industry has boomed on the internet and was never mainstream.
Bodybuilding has brief stints and a handful of champs that gained mainstream acceptance.
This is done when they become famous in another field , like movies and TV ( Arnold and Lou ).
Pure bodybuilding alone will never gain ,mainstream appeal. I'm fine with that.
Hardcore bodybuilding will survive just fine thanks to a dedicated audience and the internet.
What's pathetic is the self imposed limits and lack of quality contest web streams that exist.
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The x rated , hardcore porn industry has boomed on the internet and was never mainstream.
Bodybuilding has brief stints and a handful of champs that gained mainstream acceptance.
This is done when they become famous in another field , like movies and TV ( Arnold and Lou ).
Pure bodybuilding alone will never gain ,mainstream appeal. I'm fine with that.
Hardcore bodybuilding will survive just fine thanks to a dedicated audience and the internet.
What's pathetic is the self imposed limits and lack of quality contest web streams that exist.
Minus the porn part, you've echoed my sentiments.
It's not even about the anabolics issue. When ESPN switched to natural bodybuilders (as did MD magazine), the coverage was even smaller.
Here's footage with Skip LaCour and the other Ronnie Coleman.
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Fat people is not what prevents bodybuilding from appearing on TV. That's ridiculous ;D
It's simply that it is not a sport, it is a spectacle pretty much like one you would see at a night club except that bodybuilders don't take the posing suit off at the end of the performance, although I recall a bodybuilder who did it in a competition. ;D
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It's a fucking boring thing to watch.
Long and drawn out, too.
I can just barely tolerate watching it and I'm slightly interested in it so I cannot for the life of me see how a regular hetero espn watcher could possible want to waste his time on that shit.
What the fuck is the point of a dude who is going to get position 20, coming out and sapping a few minutes of your life? Fuck all.
Fact is, solo posing routines are for the homosexuals in the audience. Who else wants to see a guy who is not being compared to others, walk around sweating, flexing his muscles to mostly obnoxious terrible music? There is no context.. nothing to compare him to.
It's very simple - there is only one way you can bring it to the mainstream. It is a mixture of showing reality (where they are training up until the context and maybe doing big lifts / being characters) and then only showing like 30 minutes worth of comparisons and then bang, the winner is announced.
But no, they won't do that. Because most aren't characters and most aren't that adventurous to show their strength.
Don't get me started on "Prejudging".. ::) Make up your mind in 30 minutes of comparisons.
Those who watch a lot of sport and understand what sport is at the core will understand why bodybuilding is rubbish. It has no sub plots, it has no intrigue, it has very little variance, it has very little true competition - in short, it is straight up dull.
I would bet most people who have been around on here for a long time would mostly come here to see anything BUT bodybuilding contest information. IE, who died, and maybe pre contest images.
Nobody gives a fuck about dudes on stage with no context (normal people aroudn them). I'd rather watch 2 hours of ruhl walking around in public than that rubbish.
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It's a fucking boring thing to watch.
Long and drawn out, too.
I can just barely tolerate watching it and I'm slightly interested in it so I cannot for the life of me see how a regular hetero espn watcher could possible want to waste his time on that shit.
What the fuck is the point of a dude who is going to get position 20, coming out and sapping a few minutes of your life? Fuck all.
Fact is, solo posing routines are for the homosexuals in the audience. Who else wants to see a guy who is not being compared to others, walk around sweating, flexing his muscles to mostly obnoxious terrible music? There is no context.. nothing to compare him to.
It's very simple - there is only one way you can bring it to the mainstream. It is a mixture of showing reality (where they are training up until the context and maybe doing big lifts / being characters) and then only showing like 30 minutes worth of comparisons and then bang, the winner is announced.
But no, they won't do that. Because most aren't characters and most aren't that adventurous to show their strength.
Don't get me started on "Prejudging".. ::) Make up your mind in 30 minutes of comparisons.
Those who watch a lot of sport and understand what sport is at the core will understand why bodybuilding is rubbish. It has no sub plots, it has no intrigue, it has very little variance, it has very little true competition - in short, it is straight up dull.
I would bet most people who have been around on here for a long time would mostly come here to see anything BUT bodybuilding contest information. IE, who died, and maybe pre contest images.
Nobody gives a fuck about dudes on stage with no context (normal people aroudn them). I'd rather watch 2 hours of ruhl walking around in public than that rubbish.
I must agree with you on several points. The bottom line is money. If broadcasters and producers believed there was a big enough television audience to attract sponsors, they'd jump on broadcasting bodybuilding competitions. Unfortunately, bodybuilding has a niche audience....not one large enough to pay the costs involved in broadcasting. Even the possible sponsors would only be interesting to a select audience.
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It's a fucking boring thing to watch.
Long and drawn out, too.
I can just barely tolerate watching it and I'm slightly interested in it so I cannot for the life of me see how a regular hetero espn watcher could possible want to waste his time on that shit.
What the fuck is the point of a dude who is going to get position 20, coming out and sapping a few minutes of your life? Fuck all.
Fact is, solo posing routines are for the homosexuals in the audience. Who else wants to see a guy who is not being compared to others, walk around sweating, flexing his muscles to mostly obnoxious terrible music? There is no context.. nothing to compare him to.
It's very simple - there is only one way you can bring it to the mainstream. It is a mixture of showing reality (where they are training up until the context and maybe doing big lifts / being characters) and then only showing like 30 minutes worth of comparisons and then bang, the winner is announced.
But no, they won't do that. Because most aren't characters and most aren't that adventurous to show their strength.
Don't get me started on "Prejudging".. ::) Make up your mind in 30 minutes of comparisons.
Those who watch a lot of sport and understand what sport is at the core will understand why bodybuilding is rubbish. It has no sub plots, it has no intrigue, it has very little variance, it has very little true competition - in short, it is straight up dull.
I would bet most people who have been around on here for a long time would mostly come here to see anything BUT bodybuilding contest information. IE, who died, and maybe pre contest images.
Nobody gives a fuck about dudes on stage with no context (normal people aroudn them). I'd rather watch 2 hours of ruhl walking around in public than that rubbish.
You make some excellent points, but I think it's the contest format that's the real problem here.
For example, watching people play cards is about as boring as watching grass grow.
BUT, thanks to mini cams showing cards dealt and sexy girls throwing cash down on the table, allows it to appear exciting . While I have zero interest in watching poker stars, I recognize just how popular it is.
Here's my 3 step approach to make bodybuilding a more interesting sport :
1. Let the bodybuilders compete as serious bodybuilders.
Notice that in most other pro sports , the athletes play hard as serious athletes .
They are the performers and need to focus on playing the game only.
2. Use the best lights, music, stage venue and promo possible.
Great lighting and sound ( music) with top MC's covering it, should be the expected norm for
all major contests. Look at the top football, soccer and baseball venues with the professional coverage.
Watching a football game inside the new Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium is a very different experience then
sitting inside a typical high school stadium.
3. I agree that the majority of contest time should be spent on posing comparisons.
I'd like to see a lot more 2 and 3 man individual pose comparisons instead of the posing routines.
I also think having them do all the mandatory shots without a break is boring.
Have them get called out just to do a front and back double bicep and maybe repeat it.
Then have 2-3 different guys get called out and only do those 2 poses with some good music and build up.
To me that would be a lot more interesting and exciting .
They could keep a running score of who wins each pose as well.
" Ok we now have Kai against Phil in a back db bi battle. If Kai can get him on this pose, he could pull off the upset."
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You make some excellent points, but I think it's the contest format that's the real problem here.
For example, watching people play cards is about as boring as watching grass grow.
BUT, thanks to mini cams showing cards dealt and sexy girls throwing cash down on the table, allows it to appear exciting . While I have zero interest in watching poker stars, I recognize just how popular it is.
Here's my 3 step approach to make bodybuilding a more interesting sport :
1. Let the bodybuilders compete as serious bodybuilders.
Notice that in most other pro sports , the athletes play hard as serious athletes .
They are the performers and need to focus on playing the game only.
2. Use the best lights, music, stage venue and promo possible.
Great lighting and sound ( music) with top MC's covering it, should be the expected norm for
all major contests. Look at the top football, soccer and baseball venues with the professional coverage.
Watching a football game inside the new Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium is a very different experience then
sitting inside a typical high school stadium.
You mean like THIS?
3. I agree that the majority of contest time should be spent on posing comparisons.
I'd like to see a lot more 2 and 3 man individual pose comparisons instead of the posing routines.
I also think having them do all the mandatory shots without a break is boring.
Have them get called out just to do a front and back double bicep and maybe repeat it.
Then have 2-3 different guys get called out and only do those 2 poses with some good music and build up.
To me that would be a lot more interesting and exciting .
They could keep a running score of who wins each pose as well.
" Ok we now have Kai against Phil in a back db bi battle. If Kai can get him on this pose, he could pull off the upset."
And the difference between your proposal and what the WBF did 25 years ago would be......
Check the footage I posted earlier.
Heck, even in the 2nd WBF show, McMahon had a 900 hotline for the fans to vote for the champion (the proceeds for which were supposed to go to the Special Olympics. It was the first bodybuilding show I saw on the day it actually occurred ($15 on pay-per-view).
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WBF superstars vs. WWF Superstars on Family Feud:
Promo for WBF Fitness Weekend (1992):
Mike Christian on Prime Time Wrestling (1991):
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WWF Wrestling Challenge (WBF clip with "Bodybuilding Lifestyles" Magazine and Berry DeMey promo at 27:18)
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Would male strippers do well on TV?
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Would male strippers do well on TV?
Magic Mike did pretty well.
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There are more gay producers, writers and directors than ever before. One would think Bodybuilding would be all over ESPN with all the different channels ESPN now runs...
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Magic Mike did pretty well.
As a regular TV show?
Both bodybuilders and male strippers are practically the same thing, except one stays clothed till the end. Ironically many many bodybuilders are strippers. :)
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You make some excellent points, but I think it's the contest format that's the real problem here.
For example, watching people play cards is about as boring as watching grass grow.
BUT, thanks to mini cams showing cards dealt and sexy girls throwing cash down on the table, allows it to appear exciting . While I have zero interest in watching poker stars, I recognize just how popular it is.
Here's my 3 step approach to make bodybuilding a more interesting sport :
1. Let the bodybuilders compete as serious bodybuilders.
Notice that in most other pro sports , the athletes play hard as serious athletes .
They are the performers and need to focus on playing the game only.
2. Use the best lights, music, stage venue and promo possible.
Great lighting and sound ( music) with top MC's covering it, should be the expected norm for
all major contests. Look at the top football, soccer and baseball venues with the professional coverage.
Watching a football game inside the new Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium is a very different experience then
sitting inside a typical high school stadium.
3. I agree that the majority of contest time should be spent on posing comparisons.
I'd like to see a lot more 2 and 3 man individual pose comparisons instead of the posing routines.
I also think having them do all the mandatory shots without a break is boring.
Have them get called out just to do a front and back double bicep and maybe repeat it.
Then have 2-3 different guys get called out and only do those 2 poses with some good music and build up.
To me that would be a lot more interesting and exciting .
They could keep a running score of who wins each pose as well.
" Ok we now have Kai against Phil in a back db bi battle. If Kai can get him on this pose, he could pull off the upset."
WTF does #1 mean?
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WTF does #1 mean?
He means he wants to see they posing on stage nude.
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Fortunately, most schmoes are sterile (it's Mother Nature's way of keeping a balance) and the rest of them don't actually breed with women as they are either homosexual or just enjoying getting the poo whooped out of them by she-beasts and then masturbating to the DVD of their humiliation later on.
If capable of fathering children, their sperm count is often too low to impregnate a woman due to incessant fapping to photos of the aforementioned she-beasts or if desperate for material, old National Geographic photo-essays on nude Pygmies.
A low audience count such as this pretty much prevents ESPN from ever putting today's bodybuilding back on the air.
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You make some excellent points, but I think it's the contest format that's the real problem here.
For example, watching people play cards is about as boring as watching grass grow.
BUT, thanks to mini cams showing cards dealt and sexy girls throwing cash down on the table, allows it to appear exciting . While I have zero interest in watching poker stars, I recognize just how popular it is.
Here's my 3 step approach to make bodybuilding a more interesting sport :
1. Let the bodybuilders compete as serious bodybuilders.
Notice that in most other pro sports , the athletes play hard as serious athletes .
They are the performers and need to focus on playing the game only.
2. Use the best lights, music, stage venue and promo possible.
Great lighting and sound ( music) with top MC's covering it, should be the expected norm for
all major contests. Look at the top football, soccer and baseball venues with the professional coverage.
Watching a football game inside the new Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium is a very different experience then
sitting inside a typical high school stadium.
3. I agree that the majority of contest time should be spent on posing comparisons.
I'd like to see a lot more 2 and 3 man individual pose comparisons instead of the posing routines.
I also think having them do all the mandatory shots without a break is boring.
Have them get called out just to do a front and back double bicep and maybe repeat it.
Then have 2-3 different guys get called out and only do those 2 poses with some good music and build up.
To me that would be a lot more interesting and exciting .
They could keep a running score of who wins each pose as well.
" Ok we now have Kai against Phil in a back db bi battle. If Kai can get him on this pose, he could pull off the upset."
Howard, shut up and go to bed.
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Howard, shut up and go to bed.
:D
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:D
If Howard really did get a divorce, I hope he gets a new gf asap and disappears from gb for a while.
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If Howard really did get a divorce, I hope he gets a new gf asap and disappears from gb for a while.
"I'm thinking about doing another bodybuilding show marriage you guys"
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"I'm thinking about doing another bodybuilding show marriage you guys"
haha lol. Yes, you have to love those threads about doing another contest. ::) ::) ??? ???
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What do you call a heterosexual woman who supports a male bodybuilder financially?
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What do you call a heterosexual woman who supports a male bodybuilder financially?
A sybil
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A sybil
(http://godammit.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/arnold-old-ladies.jpg)
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What do you call a heterosexual woman who supports a male bodybuilder financially?
Dumb as fu*k
Having someone eat you out of house and home while going to the gym all day and sleeping is one of the dumbest arrangements ever. horrible ROI.
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Magic Mike did pretty well.
the sequel disappointed
E
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Never. The reason crossfit is even on ESPN is because it is far more mainstream and combines cardiovascular fitness with weight training, which is what most people go to the gym to do (cardio, and general weight lifting). Crossfit isn't even that popular and is delegated to ESPN2 for that reason and the main sponsors are companies like Adidas Reebok, and Under Armor. Bodybuilding doesn't even have close to as big of sponsors as that. 75% of the people on Earth don't even belong to a gym, and the idea of working out to the average person is something "foreign" and "too much effort." Bodybuilding takes working out to the far extreme and when 75% of the entire world thinks the act of even going to the gym is too much effort, they aren't going to be remotely interested in a bodybuilding show.
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haha lol. Yes, you have to love those threads about doing another contest. ::) ::) ??? ???
I guarantee I'll compete next FEB 30th . bank on it baby.
now suck my balls
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The reason any sport manages to maintain any length of time on television is that if it is a sport that has a measurable "quantity" that viewers can follow. That is a key aspect to spectator sport. As a very big sport fan, I can watch pretty much anything as long as there is a performance that can be quantified.
Bodybuilding is just a pageant with judging that nobody really fucking understands unless they are into bodybuilding.
I'd rather watch bovine bearded men vie to catch the heaviest trout.
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Sports like football, tennis or basketball have that expectation factor that thrills most people who watch them on TV. The excitement viewers get from seeing players battling with each other and when they are about to score but fail and then the try once again and finally achieve it is what makes sports so popular.
Bodybuilding, on the other hand, lacks that excitement that football or tennis can provide. There isn't a physical confrontation the same way these aforementioned sports provide, bodybuilders don't go around the stage battling with the other bodybuilders to score by tresspassing their protected territory on the stage or anything similar.
Beauty pageants appeal to other senses and interests, if you know what I mean. ;)
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What would it take to get bodybuilding back on ESPN?
When Jose Canseco makes it in to the baseball hall of fame ...Sports fans won't see steroids as such a big deal anymore....and Bodybuilding will be featured on ESPN
But then again, what are the odds?
WoooSSHHHHHHHH
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I guarantee I'll compete next FEB 30th . bank on it baby.
now suck my balls
Shut up, Howard. Go take your geritol and hit the sack for the night.
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I'm going to go ahead and disagree with a lot of what is said here. You shouldn't just compare it to sports like football or soccer or basketball or tennis whatever. There are plenty of sports/competitions on ESPN or on regular TV with small followings that people have no idea how to measure or judge but still watch. Ice skating or diving are a couple of examples. Ice skating is on tv a lot and people can't really tell much difference except if someone falls. Same with diving, it happens so quick that only the trained eyes of people who have been watching for years can notice the fine distinctions. Another sport on ESPN that is very niche but still people watch is volleyball. Drag racing also.
I think the main thing bodybuilding lacks to get it back to ESPN is credibility. And that is because of the drugs that everyone knows they are on massive quantities of. It detracts from the accomplishment aspect of sport or competition to have this external factor like drugs, which people also know are illegal playing such a big part. Bodybuilding has no credibility anymore due to the massive amounts of drugs that the Internet allows anyone to know about in seconds.
I really wonder whether I'd have gotten into bodybuilding if I had access to all the information about drugs back when I first started.
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Bodybuilding is not comparable to any regular sports, not even to table games which still provide that expectation factor that causes excitement and interest that keeps people watching as it happens with regular sports.
Blaming drugs as the cause for bodybuilding not being on TV is a bit unconvincing given that in regular sports athletes also take a few things from time to time. It's true that people see bodybuilders and think "that size was achieved with drugs", but that is not the main reason why bodybuilding isn't popular and not shown on TV.
Bodybuilding doesn't provide excitement and expectation as regular sports because there isn't confrontation of skills and tactics that will defeat the rival, all the previous work done before presentation is for the sake of looks; not skills "look how big I look, look how veiny I look. Don't look at him; look at me, I look better".
I said it before, bodybuilding puts patriarchy in conflict because men are not supposed to become objects for scrutiny.
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To answer the question... It would take the management of the ESPN branch of Disney to all have a massive brain hemorrhage.
There is no money in it because it is:
1. Not anywhere close to a big enough market
2. Full of drugs. ESPN has been a staunch supporter of banning PEDs and that's a requirement for bodybuilding.
It won't happen.
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Pro Bodybuilding should be on Bravo TV, I'm sure there is an Audience for that there.. :)
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Why?
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Pro Bodybuilding should be on Bravo TV, I'm sure there is an Audience for that there.. :)
Now this could work. Especially if you could get some juicy storylines going and then show the competition as part of the season.
This would be a good option or on A&E As an informative special
It's not a sport though so no go on espn
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Generation Iron is on ESPN Classic right now.
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Generation Iron is on ESPN Classic right now.
Makes one wonder what the commercials for said showing might be.
E-SchmoeMe.com...?
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Makes one wonder what the commercials for said showing might be.
E-SchmoeMe.com...?
I'm watching football but will guess lube.
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Bodybuilding is not comparable to any regular sports, not even to table games which still provide that expectation factor that causes excitement and interest that keeps people watching as it happens with regular sports.
Blaming drugs as the cause for bodybuilding not being on TV is a bit unconvincing given that in regular sports athletes also take a few things from time to time. It's true that people see bodybuilders and think "that size was achieved with drugs", but that is not the main reason why bodybuilding isn't popular and not shown on TV.
Bodybuilding doesn't provide excitement and expectation as regular sports because there isn't confrontation of skills and tactics that will defeat the rival, all the previous work done before presentation is for the sake of looks; not skills "look how big I look, look how veiny I look. Don't look at him; look at me, I look better".
I said it before, bodybuilding puts patriarchy in conflict because men are not supposed to become objects for scrutiny.
This doesn't address why there's a lot of ice skating on tv though. Similar no confrontation and hard for lay person to judge differences. There is a huge difference between people thinking some athletes get a little help from the drugs and bodybuilding where even 30 years ago people were talking about drugs, but now it is extremely visible and even people in the sport know it is not even close to "just the finishing touch." Plus people are huge fatties and more jealous than ever.
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Sexuality expands from between the legs to the entire body. The man becomes that which above all stands for his manhood, his difference - the phallus. After Fussell's last competition, his lifting buddy runs up to him excited:
"Oh Sam, he gurgled. You looked like a fucking human penis" Veins were popping every which way".
The expansion of sexual objectification in male bodybuilding, in a way, undermines the objectification of women. It does so by positioning men - no longer only women - as subjects to the scrutiny of others. This unsettles the dominant relation of men as subjects and women as objects. I believe that as spectacular as it is, this is why male bodybuilding is not shown on television as a prime hour sport. It makes men too subject to the gaze of others. Unlike football or baseball, it puts patriarchy in trouble. "We have to accept that bodybuilding is a subculture that will continue to expand but will never be fighting for prime-time space with the World Series..."
Philosophical Perspectives on Gender in Sport and Physical Activity.
Paul Davis, Charlene Weaving.
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What they need to do is have Steve Harvey be the announcer for bodybuilding shows.
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What they need to do is have Steve Harvey be the announcer for bodybuilding shows.
No one would care if the wrong name was called.
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No one would care if the wrong name was called.
Yeah but I'd like to see Heath cry
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I found the promo for the first WBF show. This aired for weeks on WWF Superstars, Wrestling Challenge, and Prime Time Wrestling.
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To answer the question... It would take the management of the ESPN branch of Disney to all have a massive brain hemorrhage.
There is no money in it because it is:
1. Not anywhere close to a big enough market
2. Full of drugs. ESPN has been a staunch supporter of banning PEDs and that's a requirement for bodybuilding.
It won't happen.
ESPN did the MuscleMania series which was drug-tested, just as MD became "All-Natural Muscular Development". Yet, that didn't help bodybuilding, press-wise. And we all know what happened when McMahon tested his guys in 1992.
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"BodyStar Wars"
WBF vs. WWF Tug-of-War (Adventure Island, Tampa, FL).
Team WBF:
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan (Captain)
"The Future" Jim Quinn"
"The Dark Angel" Aaron Baker
"The Jetman" Tony Pearson
"The Zuke" Troy Zuccolotto
"The Giant Killer" Danny Padilla (sub for "Major Guns" Eddie Robinson)
"The Golden Eagle" Tom Platz
Team WWF:
"Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig (Captain)
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair
"The Mountie" Jacques Rougeau
"Skinner" Steve Kern (sub for "The Model" Rick Martel)
"Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
"Irwin R. Shyster" Mike Rotunda
"The Berserker" John Nord
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WBF vs. WWF Tug-of-War (Adventure Island, Tampa, FL).
LOL @ the epic wrestling-lines from Platz and Gang at 2:00.
Aaron Baker didn't sound too intimidating lol
Rehearsed lines of Peace
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I think before getting back on tv the first priority should be on acquiring mainstream sponsorships. The main issue with that though is that they are going to want to see some return on investment and with the way things are currently done that's not going to happen.
I actually think the best ambassador for mainstream sponsorships at this point and time is....Jay Cutler
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LOL @ the epic wrestling-lines from Platz and Gang at 2:00.
Aaron Baker didn't sound too intimidating lol
Rehearsed lines of Peace
Notice Mean Gene's microphone? It had the new "BodyStars" logo without the WBF symbol on it. That was the logo when they started featuring more mainstream fitness stuff and less bodybuilding stuff, right around the time the WBF folded.
And by getting heel WWF wrestlers, the fans, especially the kids, were rooting for the bodybuilders.
Eddie Robinson was supposed to be on this team. But for some reason, they replaced him with Padilla. I think he got married around that time and might have been on his honeymoon. Another more popular guy was supposed to be on Team WBF. Instead, we got either Platz or Pearson.
In case you're wondering, the reason Duggan was the WBF team captain was that he was rocking WBF merchandise every week on WWF Prime Time Wrestling (Vince McMahon's version of "Inside the NFL", which pre-dated "Monday Night RAW").
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Not enough gayness. Crank that shit up
(http://www.watchmojo.com/uploads/blipthumbs/HF_F_MaleFitnessModels_AshleyL_N_480.jpg)
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I think before getting back on tv the first priority should be on acquiring mainstream sponsorships. The main issue with that though is that they are going to want to see some return on investment and with the way things are currently done that's not going to happen.
I actually think the best ambassador for mainstream sponsorships at this point and time is....Jay Cutler
Nobody got more press or mainstream exposure than the WBF guys did 25 years ago. If that couldn't do it, I don't think it can be done.
The WBF had Lou Ferrigno on its roster, at one point. You think Jay Cutler would have more success than Big Lou?
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Nobody got more press or mainstream exposure than the WBF guys did 25 years ago. If that couldn't do it, I don't think it can be done.
The WBF had Lou Ferrigno on its roster, at one point. You think Jay Cutler would have more success than Big Lou?
It's a different era in that there are so many media options for people. I think jay could be a valuable ambassador in bringing on mainstream sponsorships. He seems to be moving in those types of circles these days.
Lou isn't the most articulate person in the world and he also doesn't have the most personable reputation.
As it stands now None of the top 5 guys have a personality, look, etc to interest a mainstream sponsor
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It's a different era in that there are so many media options for people. I think jay could be a valuable ambassador in bringing on mainstream sponsorships. He seems to be moving in those types of circles these days.
Lou isn't the most articulate person in the world and he also doesn't have the most personable reputation.
As it stands now None of the top 5 guys have a personality, look, etc to interest a mainstream sponsor
That's been said of nearly every generation of bodybuilders over the last 40 years. Check the clip where Lou says the same thing about the precious 90s guys.....and this was on American Muscle on ESPN.
Cheerleading competitions have mainstream sponsors and are on ESPN. Do you know who the current national champs are, without a search engine?
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That's been said of nearly every generation of bodybuilders over the last 40 years. Check the clip where Lou says the same thing about the precious 90s guys.....and this was on American Muscle on ESPN.
Cheerleading competitions have mainstream sponsors and are on ESPN. Do you know who the current national champs are, without a search engine?
No I Don't.
Those guys were at least on television though and now when there's so many venues and specialty venues, there's no reason why bodybuilding shouldn't have minimal coverage on television. I would like to know why nbcsn decided to shelve the Olympia. My guess is production. They probably
Had bad camera shots and such along with it wing a snooze fest and horrible looking physiques. Even bodybuilding fans agreed that phil looked terrible
A large part of the success of pumping iron was that there was an actual story.
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No I Don't.
Those guys were at least on television though and now when there's so many venues and specialty venues, there's no reason why bodybuilding shouldn't have minimal coverage on television.
Yes, there is. It's called ratings. WBF Bodystars didn't last a year, and it was on every week on USA from April of 1992.
I would like to know why nbcsn decided to shelve the Olympia. My guess is production. They probably
Had bad camera shots and such along with it wing a snooze fest and horrible looking physiques. Even bodybuilding fans agreed that phil looked terrible
A large part of the success of pumping iron was that there was an actual story.
Pumping Iron was a movie, not just coverage of a show. Had that been the case, the 1975 Mr. Olympia would likely have been a dud. As it was, the coverage of the show itself was compressed, to say the least.
As for NBCSN, the airing of the show was at least a month after the contest actually happened. Meanwhile, the live telecast was shown online. Who's going to wait a month to see edited footage of the Olympia, when they can see the whole thing LIVE on the web?
That was the issue with bodybuilding when it was on ESPN, severely edited and doctored Olympia coverage aired months after the contest went down.
ESPN would do the same thing it did back in the 80s and 90s. And with the age of the internet, that would be an even bigger ratings bust now than it was then.
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Yes, there is. It's called ratings. WBF Bodystars didn't last a year, and it was on every week on USA from April of 1992.
Pumping Iron was a movie, not just coverage of a show. Had that been the case, the 1975 Mr. Olympia would likely have been a dud. As it was, the coverage of the show itself was compressed, to say the least.
As for NBCSN, the airing of the show was at least a month after the contest actually happened. Meanwhile, the live telecast was shown online. Who's going to wait a month to see edited footage of the Olympia, when they can see the whole thing LIVE on the web?
That was the issue with bodybuilding when it was on ESPN, severely edited and doctored Olympia coverage aired months after the contest went down.
ESPN would do the same thing it did back in the 80s and 90s. And with the age of the internet, that would be an even bigger ratings bust now than it was then.
And if they are going to do a delayed airing of something like the Olympia, they could make it a story like generation iron. Show the people getting ready. That's really how I see it getting back on television because it's not a sport and is too boring to watch
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And if they are going to do a delayed airing of something like the Olympia, they could make it a story like generation iron. Show the people getting ready. That's really how I see it getting back on television because it's not a sport and is too boring to watch
Then you're watching a show a year after it actually happened. Generation Iron was aired in 2013, covering the 2012 Olympia. Pumping Iron didn't occur until 1977, two years after the Olympia it was featuring.
BodyStars had plenty of footage of the bodybuilders getting ready for the 1992 show, as well as footage and clips from the 1991 contest.
The pre-films for the 1991 show were supposed to tell the story of the WBF superstars; the ones for 1992 were mini-movies for the characters of the competitors. Neither worked very well.
Check this one for WBF champion Gary Strydom.
Then comes the character-type pre-films.
Plus, there's a difference between covering an actual event when it happens and doing a docu-drama like Pumping Iron.
Again, with the internet, there certainly isn't going to be a major audience for delayed (and edited) coverage of a bodybuilding show. And who has the time, money, or interest to make movies out of every major bodybuilding contest, anyway?
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Strydom's TV appearance after winning the WBF title.
Highlights from the 1991 show, which aired on WWF Superstars, Wrestling Challenge, and Prime Time Wrestling the following week.
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Iron Warriors performance, wearing chainmail!
The precursors to Kai Greene.
9:00 Native American outfit? Warpaint? lol
16:00 Executioner hood?
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Iron Warriors performance, wearing chainmail!
The precursors to Kai Greene.
9:00 Native American outfit? Warpaint? lol
16:00 Executioner hood?
The warpaint would be that of "The Phoenix", the late Vince Comerford.
And the hood is from the original "Executioner", Johnnie Morant.
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"Future"istic-Chick at 14:40
21:00 Entrance of peace ;D
16:40 Glamorous Baker with that tender voice
17:18 Dark Angel-entrance of Peas ;D
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Sexuality expands from between the legs to the entire body. The man becomes that which above all stands for his manhood, his difference - the phallus. After Fussell's last competition, his lifting buddy runs up to him excited:
"Oh Sam, he gurgled. You looked like a fucking human penis" Veins were popping every which way".
The expansion of sexual objectification in male bodybuilding, in a way, undermines the objectification of women. It does so by positioning men - no longer only women - as subjects to the scrutiny of others. This unsettles the dominant relation of men as subjects and women as objects. I believe that as spectacular as it is, this is why male bodybuilding is not shown on television as a primer hour primetime sport. It makes men too more subject to the gaze of others. Unlike football or baseball, it puts patriarchy in trouble. "We have to accept that boybuilding bodybuilding is a subculture that will continue to expand, but it will never be fighting the for prime-time primetime with the World Series..."
Philosophical Perspectives on Gender in Sport and Physical Activity.
Paul Davis, Charlene Weaving.
Mr. Davis and Ms. Weaving should fire their editor.
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"Future"istic-Chick at 14:40
21:00 Entrance of peace ;D
16:40 Glamorous Baker with that tender voice
17:18 Dark Angel-entrance of Peas ;D
And you left out the Mike Quinn shuffle at 27:00
And don't forget Troy's surfboard of peace at 24:37 ;D
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Why are beauty pageants that choose the best looking male practically absent on TV despite the fact that their bodies are almost universally considered appealing/desirable?
It is because of the same reasons why bodybuilding isn't on TV either.
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Mr. Davis and Ms. Weaving should fire their editor.
Some are my typos :-X
fixed :)
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Some are my typos :-X
fixed :)
-Ever try copy and paste? It's a great way to avoid making typos.
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-Ever try copy and paste? It's a great way to avoid making typos.
Not everything you perceived as bad redaction is bad redaction; only 2 or 3 things I typed wrong. Copy and paste doesn't work when you find these books on books.google.
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(http://www.flexonline.com/sites/flexonline.com/files/styles/node_image/public/ami-nbc_2.jpg?itok=subtVEeJ)
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(http://www.flexonline.com/sites/flexonline.com/files/styles/node_image/public/ami-nbc_2.jpg?itok=subtVEeJ)
It wasn't going to air live but a month after the actual event.
The only bodybuilding show that I've ever seen aired on the day it occur was the 1992 WBF Championship, which was on pay-per-view ($15).
I think the 1991 show was on closed-circuit TV.