Forgive me, master, for not having the time to read hundreds of thousands of posts...
I shut up now.
That said, the Batman picture is pretty awesome.
And I did manage to get some people up in arms about costumes and themed posing. Aren't discussions fun?
The problem us true fans have with the costumes is that, for us, muscle is what it's all about... we don't need that gay shit to entertain us...
Think about yates at the 1988 british champs - no props needed that day let me tell you!
The fans that need that stuff to enjoy a show need to figure out whether they are into bodybuilding or something else entirely if you get my drift..
Also, is it impossible to be a true fan and also appreciate a bit of the entertainment value that these guys can bring with a little creativity? Who is anyone to say that someone is not a "true fan" just because they don't reject what might be look at as a gimmicky aspect of the sport, the art? I know that bodybuilding is about discipline, training, and dedication - the guys at the top are not there because of gimmicks. Some guys don't do it - like you said, Yates was a sight to behold with no extras. But I think it's totally uncalled for and unfair to imply that bodybuilding fans who can appreciate a good themed routine once in while are gay.
And what of the state of bodybuilding today? As evidenced by the lack of ppv for this year's Olympia, things are not going so hot for a fan base that was already small to begin with. Maybe a few colorful characters with interesting routines are the shot in the arm the sport needs to draw in fans who might not look twice otherwise.
Let's be openminded...
