Dan told me off-camera and also mentioned in the interview that freaky mass bodybuilding is more of an American thing and that the European shows consist more of freaky conditioning.
Bodybuilding obviously has niche appeal, but I wonder if it would have slightly more appeal in its niche circles if the bodybuilders today were more concerned about looking their best rather than being as big and as shredded as possible. Jay was obviously bigger and more shredded in 2009 than in 1999 at the Ironman, but did he look better? Jay previously said his best conditioning ever was at that show although I have no pictures of it.