The more I think about this, the more I am of the opinion that the 1994 Olympia judging travesty involving Yates' torn bicep was not just a pivotal moment in bodybuilding, but indeed one in all of World History.
This all goes back to Vince McMahon and the WBF in the early 90s. Vince was a longtime bodybuilder and steroid user and he liked big freaks. Andre, Hogan. He wanted his wrestlers juiced and would even demand it. The Weiders at the same time were trying to make bodybuilding mainstream with guys like Shawn Ray, Zane, Samir, and symmetry/aesthetics and all that. Ben Weider was also constantly trying to make bodybuilding an Olympic Sport so they were doing major anti-steroid PR. Arnold had already started to plan his political career so President Bush, Sr. made him "special council on physical fitness" and he couldn't have old steroid use stuff coming out in the "Just Say No" Republican party. So President Bush, Sr. does the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990, putting steroids in the same category as heroin. Then Joe even makes the 90 Olympia drug tested, which is why it's the "forgotten" Olympia of the great 90's as everyone looked soft and small. Shawn Ray was even disqualified at the 90 Arnold Classic for Winny to send a signal that the IFBB was really going to test.
So Vince McMahon, a brilliant promoter, sees an opportunity and buys a booth at the Olympia expo to "promote a bodybuilding magazine", but ends up bumrushing the stage at the expo and has Tom Platz grab the mic and announce the WBF saying "we're going to kick the IFBB's ass" and they made MANY references to allowing steroids like "bodybuilding the way it's supposed to be" and then Vince took the freaks like Strydom at 280 lbs onstage and Ferigno coming back at 300lbs onstage. Jim Quinn at 270.
Now Weider had to go up against Vince's freaks with 190 lb. guys like Labrada and Shawn Ray. Hindsight is 20/20 and we laugh now at the WBF, but Vince had the money to take shit over and the Weider's(more specifically Wayne Demilia) knew it. Haney fought Dorian once and retired in his prime, as he wanted no piece of where the sport was going with Dorian. So Joe had to have Dorian. How else would Joe, a proud Jew, give a push to Dorian who walks into his office with Nazi white power tattoos on his hands and denies the Holocaust? Weider had to counter Vince's freaks. So no more drug testing and Dorian wins no matter what. Demilia started to take over at that point, starting the Shawn Ray riff, as Shawn was only loyal to the Weiders.
Joe ended up getting the last laugh as he HAD to have something to do with Vince getting a Federal Indictment for steroid distribution RIGHT AFTER he launched the WBF and pulled the Olympia stunt. Weider had more clout than people realize, and not just his connection to Arnold. So Vince NOW had to drug test, screwing his whole plan, and it killed the WBF as guys looked like shit. But the Feds leave the IFBB alone? Don't fuck with Joe Weider. He even had some dirt on closeted gay political figures from the 50's and 60's who were "fans" of bodybuilding.
However once the bodybuilding world saw Dorian there was no turning back. People prefer Ray's physique but are you going to pay good money to see 195 lbs. with great aesthetics or a veiny, freaky 260 lb.+ science experiment?
So in the end Vince lost but won. He lost bodybuilding but he got the freakshow he wanted by calling out the IFBB. Demilia had a lot to do with it, as he was a promoter like Vince McMahon. Joe was done with his vision of physique artistry and was pretty much a figurehead his last few years.
This sparked the pop culture change that began in the 90s. Donahue and Oprah's polite discussions and interviews were undercut by Jerry Springer, chair throwing, "whos the Daddy" Maury Povich, and this all leads to where we are today, not just in bodybuilding but in pop culture. We want the freakshow. Reality TV, the Kardashians, sex tapes, transgender, Ultimate Fighting, UFO abductions and yes 300lb. bodybuilders risking their life onstage.
It was no coincidence that President Trump came out to Vince McMahon's theme music. Trump is a master promoter like Vince. and he uses the media like a master. Who do you think got Mike Tyson the freakshow image and made him millions? No not Don King, Trump. Go back and look at where Mike had the biggest fights in his prime and got the image he has. Trump Plaza and Casino. Trump was teaching Mike at the time on all the freakshow stuff, using the media, say controversial things, etc. Dorian legitimately deserved 93, but the 94 O was a substantial event not just in bodybuilding but in pop culture history.
