Who knows what happened to Greg Zulak?

[Meso_z]

I know Kennedy kicked him out og MMI because he was addicted to Nubain or something. Anyone knows what's he been doing the last few years? I really respect his columns and articles in the 90s......

His anus failed.

[Fortress]

Fortress... Are you the MMI guy who had couple of squatting pics in there back then?
If i remember it was in one of those gossip pages and sometimes mentioned " their own gym rat "
or something along those lines?

Probably. Bob put some of me lifting in there from time to time.

[Mr Anabolic]

Fort, thanks for posting this inside info! 

I used to love reading MMI (and your articles) in the early-mid 90's, but stopped as soon as all the MT stuff started to appear.  PG is a greedy scumbag with no intergrity.  He reminds me of Bill (buttplug) Phillips, although I though Phillips was worse because he was a BBer, then became a sellout in order to appeal to a wider audience (ie. more earning potential).  Funny how people view Phillips as this great, helpful guywhen he is really just an arrogant, phony, greedy mofo.  I met him a few times during MetRx's heyday and I wanted to punch his jaw loose.

[Figo]

thanks Fortress

its sad shit that, kennedy and johny fitness started the rag from scratch by their bootstraps, and the mag had character

did you go on to write for other publications?

[Fortress]

Fort, thanks for posting this inside info! 

I used to love reading MMI (and your articles) in the early-mid 90's, but stopped as soon as all the MT stuff started to appear.  PG is a greedy scumbag with no intergrity.  He reminds me of Bill (buttplug) Phillips, although I though Phillips was worse because he was a BBer, then became a sellout in order to appeal to a wider audience (ie. more earning potential).  Funny how people view Phillips as this great, helpful guywhen he is really just an arrogant, phony, greedy mofo.  I met him a few times during MetRx's heyday and I wanted to punch his jaw loose.

During lunches, all Gardiner ever talked about was making millions and how much he worshipped Bill Phillips. So funny you should mention Bill. Paul lifted weights but he never gave two shits about it as a sole passion. It was rather a way to have a nice build so he could score dumb chicks at bars. Often he would bang some girl through telling her how awesome she was, how much he cared for her, etc. and then TOTALLY avoid/ignore her when she came knocking wondering what was up.

The guy is ridiculous and lame no matter how you slice it. And to think I was once his friend. Of course, the friendship didn't last long. Thankfully.

[Fortress]

thanks Fortress

its sad shit that, kennedy and johny fitness started the rag from scratch by their bootstraps, and the mag had character

did you go on to write for other publications?

Bob and Johnny are awesome, as I say, and they pulled off a minor miracle in getting MMI off the ground ... and having it survive for SO long.

I edited Peak Training Journal and an online website, Virtual Muscle. Both now defunct, sadly. I have written off and on throughout the years but everything is so goofy now it's hard to even care. T-Nation basically asks for 52 rewrites and then, if they accept the piece (which is 50/50, at best), take approx. 8 years to send you money. And it's shit pay, too. Fuck it.

MMI would use my stuff if it were still Bob and Johnny calling the shots, but the ex-Weider knobs hate my guts and won't have anything to do with me. To them, I represent the "old" MuscleMag. And I am not one of their cronies from the US, either. Fuck it.

Very recently I almost became editor for Muscle Insider, but its owner, Scott Welch, a former top dog at MuscleTech (well, well, well), and I just cannot seem to see the world (business, etc.) eye to eye. I've know the guy since my Pitbull Gym (Toronto) days, when both of us had hair (ha, ha), but we are two VERY different people. He's all business and I am all passion (and warfare).

My balls are too big for most in this industry.   

[Dr Dutch]

MMI was one of the first muscle magazines I read over here in Holland. For some reason a local stand had it, almost all of the others didn't. I liked the old geezers like Grimek and Gironda, also likes Dave Fisher even wrote him a letter and got an answer.... . 
Zulak was a favourite too. I remember an article about Ronnie after he won the World Championships "naturally" and early Bob Chick stuff long before he turned pro.
I stopped buying MMI  around late 90s....

[Beefjake]

Probably. Bob put some of me lifting in there from time to time.

Cool, I remember those! Gossip pages were the best back then. Preinternet and all...

Didn't Zulaks column change at somepoint? I remember him giving advice for having more sex and other shit.

Once somebody asked what to do cause this girl had wanted anal fisting in their first date.
Gregs classic answer - " Wash your hands! "

It was a great mag then for sure. Later I even noticed that large part of swinsuit/lingerie pics were leftovers
from the earlier shoots. They just used them again.
MuscleMags Lingerie and Swimsuit issues used to be special 

[Fortress]

Cool, I remember those! Gossip pages were the best back then. Preinternet and all...

Didn't Zulaks column change at somepoint? I remember him giving advice for having more sex and other shit.

Once somebody asked what to do cause this girl had wanted anal fisting in their first date.
Gregs classic answer - " Wash your hands! "

It was a great mag then for sure. Later I even noticed that large part of swinsuit/lingerie pics were leftovers
from the earlier shoots. They just used them again.
MuscleMags Lingerie and Swimsuit issues used to be special 

Yeah, before I worked at the mag, I loved the gossip sections.

Greg's columns definitely changed. Between MuscleTech whoring, his hair-removal crap and attempts to be more edgy, they came off mondo lame.

[Dr Dutch]

They once had a pic in the gossip of Berry Demeij holding a garden hose, so that it looked like he was pissing. I remember there were a lot of complaints by people who found that disgusting...

[Beefjake]

Pick up any BB magazine today and do you think that you'd remember something from it 15+ years from now?

No.

[wes]

Robert Fortney.....I used to read your articles online eons ago........good shit bro!!

[THEBOSS]

Yeah, before I worked at the mag, I loved the gossip sections.

Greg's columns definitely changed. Between MuscleTech whoring, his hair-removal crap and attempts to be more edgy, they came off mondo lame.

I used to train and hang out with JOHN RUTSY ( used to drum for RUSH ) 1 I wonder if we ever crossed pathes in the late 80s early 90s ? trained at MACs GYM and GOLDs when MARSHA and ERIC used to own then . Worked at one of them for awhile in 1988 !

[Mawse]

It was awesome that MMI had a 160lb guy who looked like he was probably on the sex offenders registry giving advice about scoring with women and getting huge.

I don't know if him and bob kennedy understood the effects of putting their pictures at the top of their advice columns

[MP]

Thanks for all the background. I loved reading MMI in the 90s.

I remember a great historical article (maybe early 2000s) about how the mag was started, its history and its anniversary.

It also wasn't long after I left that Kennedy's son was gravely injured in a car accident and, shortly after that, that his wife committed suicide. Horrible, horrible thing.

Man, I didn't know about his wife, that sucks. Didn't he lose another son or daughter in a ski accident, or was it only this son in the car accident?

I haven't picked up the mag in over a year. Is Kennedy still involved?

[Skylge]

They once had a pic in the gossip of Berry Demeij holding a garden hose, so that it looked like he was pissing. I remember there were a lot of complaints by people who found that disgusting...

[/i]

De Mey!   

www.berrydemey.com

[Skylge]

By the time I joined the MMI team ('93), Greg had already left and was only a sometime contributor. Him and I never much spoke. I think he thought I had taken his gig. Anyway ...

I grew up reading the guy's articles and think he's a talented guy. However, he had/has some major health issues that I won't detail out of respect for his privacy.

It's been quite some time since I last saw Greg. A friend saw him perhaps two years ago and said he was not doing well. Again, I won't elaborate.

I wish him the best. He never did anything against me.  

[/i]


Remember Zulaks articles very well, he had to use steroids for his medical condition. To regain strength after chronic and serious illness. He was very open about the effects of steroids and the difference they make. Once he wrote openly about his experience with synthetic growth hormone. If I'm correct he got it for free from a dealer. Very informative to read about such things from someone who used it himself, an had the ability to write about it in an entertaining and eye opening way.

Final MMI's I read he as mentioned here had some sort of erotic advice column? With a woman writer? (Or someone (a man) at MMI with a female name? Michelle Musselle or something like that   

In my opinion all BB mags suck, full of crap about supplements. They are way too expensive (here in Holland anyway) and way too extreme for the major audience. I'm surprised that they are still around. What can they possible add to the web?

Zulak as I remember was one of the very few people whose articles were honest and filled with valuable information.

[Skylge]

It was awesome that MMI had a 160lb guy who looked like he was probably on the sex offenders registry giving advice about scoring with women and getting huge.

I don't know if him and bob kennedy understood the effects of putting their pictures at the top of their advice columns
[/quote[/i]]

Johnny Fitness also didn't exactly look as if he worked out five times per week 

(He appeared in hydroxycut ads of articles about that stuff if I remember correctly?) Didn't look photoshopped to me at the time)

[Dr Dutch]

De Mey!  

www.berrydemey.com

ja ja leuk hoor..   3 keer niks trouwens die site.

[Fortress]

Robert Fortney.....I used to read your articles online eons ago........good shit bro!!

Thank you very much. Nice to hear folks enjoyed my work.

[Fortress]

I used to train and hang out with JOHN RUTSY ( used to drum for RUSH ) 1 I wonder if we ever crossed pathes in the late 80s early 90s ? trained at MACs GYM and GOLDs when MARSHA and ERIC used to own then . Worked at one of them for awhile in 1988 !

Cool! Rush and Annihilator are my two favourite bands! John's dead, I assume you know. He played on the first Rush album, Rush, but was let go soon after when it was obvious his health was deteriorating ... and his preference for style was firm in a basic and straightforward rock manner. Rush, with Neil Peart, went on to essentially invent what has now become known as progressive metal and hard rock.

How was Rutsey? Nice guy?

I heard he had gotten into bodybuilding for a time many years ago. Likely crossed his path and didn't even know it was him.

Mac's was a friggin' AWESOME gym. It was like something out of a comic (ha, ha). And Mack is a semi-legend in Toronto because of it. When he closed the place Bob Kennedy wanted to buy a lot of the equipment. Don't know if he did.

 

[Fortress]

It was awesome that MMI had a 160lb guy who looked like he was probably on the sex offenders registry giving advice about scoring with women and getting huge.

I don't know if him and bob kennedy understood the effects of putting their pictures at the top of their advice columns

 

[dr.chimps]

Well, ya gotta admit, Bob had hair like a Broadway producer.   

[Tito24]

id like to know what happend to thomas aquinas

[Fortress]

Thanks for all the background. I loved reading MMI in the 90s.

I remember a great historical article (maybe early 2000s) about how the mag was started, its history and its anniversary.

Man, I didn't know about his wife, that sucks. Didn't he lose another son or daughter in a ski accident, or was it only this son in the car accident?

I haven't picked up the mag in over a year. Is Kennedy still involved?

It is beyond tragic. I remember going to Bob's house for parties by the pool and his son, who was a youngster at the time, running about. And his then-wife was always pleasant. She jumped in front of a TTC subway, from what I know. Couldn't handle the grief. Bob had his son taken care of 24/7 at his house by a nurse, but the young man died not too long ago. One can say it's for the best. He was never going to recover and was seriously brain damaged. Bob did what he could. He has nothing to feel badly about. He loved his son.

Bob is remarried to Tosca Rena and his daughter is fine, as far as I know. It's been a while since him and I spoke. Last time was at that last Toronto pro show/expo. I was sitting in a corner and he came over to say hello.

Perhaps it's time to give him a buzz. As I say, he's always a friend. Him and Johnny Fitness. Those two are lifelong friends and, let me tell you, sitting at a restaurant while they chat is an amazing and fun way to take in BB's history.

P.S. Bob is still involved, yes, but, last I was at the offices, lets the new boys do their thing and doesn't interfere all that much. Too bad. In my opinion, what made MMI was Bob kennedy and Johnny. Mr. Fitness has been essentially kept out of the major day-to-days and this is a huge shame. No one can put it together like that man can. And I have never been in the company of another human who can make me laugh like Johnny. An hour with him is enough to burn off several hundred calories through hysterical laughter.