Muscular Development calls it Quits! Last issue Nov 2023!

[beakdoctor]

So is this the last issue, or the December issue?

I have it.

Traveling as often as I do it's something of a tradition to pick up an issue at the airport news stand. IDK kind of reminded me of when I was a teenager waiting for my flex or M&F subscription to arrive in the mail.

But of course it had to end ffs. Some of the articles in the last issues were the same crap that's been published in every muscle mag for the past 4 decades: how much protein? Top 10 supplements necessary for muscle growth, sleep for gains etc...

It is a shame though. Online only coverage of the shows doesn't quite memorialize them the same way. I could probably recite the top 10 finishers at every Olympia from 80 to 00. Hell I have no idea who took 2nd in any of the shows for the past 8 years or more.

Real journalism is dead and it's unlikely that bodybuilding will ever have truly good stories written about contests ever again.

[BB]

Plumz and Romo on Muscular Development closing -

.

They pat each other on the back pretty hard in this (they invented podcasting, BB youtube, BB facebook, BB Tik-tok, etc....), but it's an ok listen. The 2nd half better than the first.

Most interesting thing they mention, is they feel Steve burnt through a bunch of money keeping MD afloat the last decade. Also, they wonder if anyone will be left holding the bag, they mention Blechman owing Ron Harris $100,000+ at one point for work, expenses, etc..... They say Steve likes to slide his bills as much as he can. Romano also semi-jokes that Blechman grew to distrust him and Palumbo because they are Italian, and he's a Jew. He trusted certain Jews in the company more than outsiders.

Also - minor mistakes - Twinlab bought MD in 1986, not 91. Also Ironman has the record for longest running print mag (1938- just a few years ago).

[MCWAY]

I was just commenting to my wife about how tiny the magazine is, compared to an issue I had back in 2008. It is literally FOUR TIMES as thick as the current MDs are.

I joked about the identity crisis years: From Muscular Development to Muscular Development-Fitness-Health, to All-Natural Muscular Development. Then in 2001, Blechman sold his share of TwinLab to his father and brothers, bought the magazine, sang the praises of steroids every chance he could (after swearing no steroid-using bodybuilder would ever be in his magazine again in 1997). Then, he went over a year without a single bodybuilder on the cover, replaced with silicon-stuffed skinny sirens.

And who can forget the cartoons, from Maxx Repp in the 90s, to the sex toons (in the Sexual Performance section) from the early 2000s.

Well, I won't be needing anymore milk crates to store my periodicals in my garage.

[The Keto Kid]

Is it just the magazine? Or everything online?

[Matt]

Is it just the magazine? Or everything online?

Yes, good sir.

Everything.

[TRIX]

Instagram murdered bodybuilding magazines, Instagram comment section is horrible though

[TRIX]

As a teen, musclemag international with a muscular dude and a chick was less awkward than a MD COVER with a single male bodybuilder, when buying, apart from all the bs training programs and a million ads, they did have pictures you won't find on the internet, great for toilet browsing

[Kwon]

They failed to hop on the digital train years ago.

Why couldn't Soros, Schwab, Rothschild sponsor MD just like they do with all the Woke content from Netfux, Amazon, Disney etc?

[Flexacon]

They deserved to die after this cover

[Humble Narcissist]

Getbig and the cockroaches will be the last to go during the nuclear holocaust.

During a nuclear war the internet will be down but Getbiggers will send their posts by passenger pigeons. After the pigeons die we will send messages in a bottle.

[_bruce_]

They deserved to die after this cover

So they shopped their pics like youtube thumbnails.... pretty sad.

[Matt]

For us oldschoolers, these magazines going ass-up is very sad.

I agree completely. I heard that from 35-50, not much happens. Then at 50+, we start seeing people we know die. I have had very few deaths in my life. Including three of my grandparents, I've been to under 10 funerals so far. I'm pretty lucky. But my parents had me pretty young.

But it's not just the deaths of people which we need to experience, but the deaths of magazines like MD, or even institutions. I would argue that Western civilization is dying. The White race is dying. Starting at about age 25, we are all in an accelerating rate of dying. You could argue this happens the day we are born.

But I guess life wouldn't have meaning if it wasn't finite. Nothing would. I'm thinking if I were immortal, I'd probably [we all probably would] want to die.

It's still sad though. I thought MD would be able to remain as the last bodybuilding magazine around, given that there is still a bit of a market for magazines, and with only MD around - I thought it would stick around forever.

But no.

So its sad for me to see.

Great post, Fortress.

[Gym Rat]

You could argue this happens the day we are born.

Iron Maiden:

"There's a time to live, but isn't it strange, that as soon as you're born, you're dying"...

[Gym Rat]

I agree completely. I heard that from 35-50, not much happens. Then at 50+, we start seeing people we know die. I have had very few deaths in my life. Including three of my grandparents, I've been to under 10 funerals so far. I'm pretty lucky. But my parents had me pretty young.

But it's not just the deaths of people which we need to experience, but the deaths of magazines like MD, or even institutions. I would argue that Western civilization is dying. The White race is dying. Starting at about age 25, we are all in an accelerating rate of dying. You could argue this happens the day we are born.

But I guess life wouldn't have meaning if it wasn't finite. Nothing would. I'm thinking if I were immortal, I'd probably [we all probably would] want to die.

It's still sad though. I thought MD would be able to remain as the last bodybuilding magazine around, given that there is still a bit of a market for magazines, and with only MD around - I thought it would stick around forever.

But no.

So its sad for me to see.

Great post, Fortress.

The world changes so much for all, say for like an 80 year old man.
By the time he's 80, its like "get me the fuckk out of this embarrassing shit show"...

[Matt]

Plumz and Romo on Muscular Development closing -

.

I'm watching that on my TV as we speak. I was just about to post it. Thanks BB.

They pat each other on the back pretty hard in this (they invented podcasting, BB youtube, BB facebook, BB Tik-tok, etc....), but it's an ok listen. The 2nd half better than the first.

Most interesting thing they mention, is they feel Steve burnt through a bunch of money keeping MD afloat the last decade. Also, they wonder if anyone will be left holding the bag, they mention Blechman owing Ron Harris $100,000+ at one point for work, expenses, etc..... They say Steve likes to slide his bills as much as he can. Romano also semi-jokes that Blechman grew to distrust him and Palumbo because they are Italian, and he's a Jew.

Dave's a Jew...isn't it? Dave's father was Italian, but Dave's mother is Jewish, making Dave Jewish. To be Jewish is a matrilineal trait. Regardless, I should ask the question again:

Dave's a Jew...isn't he?

He trusted certain Jews in the company more than outsiders.

Although people mention high Jewish IQ, it's an insufficient explanation for Jewish overrepresentation in certain areas. Small differences in the mean/average produce major differences at the tail end of normal distribution: so for IQ = 170+, there are an equal number of Jewish geniuses as there are White geniuses.

But for IQ = 140 [closer to the start of the genius range], there are more White geniuses than Jewish geniuses.

So why are Jews overrepresented in media, and other areas. IMO:

[1] Heavy evolutionary pressure to control information. And Jews specifically have high verbal IQ scores. I think that particular aspect of IQ helps a lot.
[2] Jewish in-group altruism / ethnic nepotism. This is huge. I think this is the biggest factors. Jews prop up and promote other Jews all the time.

I think this starts at the level of the central banks, which we are basically all beholden to. There have still been some pretty epic White billionaires successfully running private companies [Fred DeLuca of Subway, or more recognizably, Vince McMahon of the WWE], but central banks have tremendous influence, and I think Jews propping up and promoting fellow Jews starts at that level, and rolls downhill from there.

IMO, Jewish in-group altruism is why they will maintain group-level control of the media. It's not that "Jews own the media", but Jews as a people have the equivalent of a sort of veto power over what gets published or not. Although I sometimes wonder why the mainstream media is pretty consistently anti-Israel. Check out Rupert Murdoch's tweet about it from a decade ago. 

Also - minor mistakes - Twinlab bought MD in 1986, not 91. Also Ironman has the record for longest running print mag (1938- just a few years ago).

I didn't realize Twinlab bought MD. So it wasn't in the Blechman family from the start.

I wonder how much money Blechman burnt keeping MD alive? And I'm curious why it didn't work out like RXMuscle did. As you said, Ron Harris HUSTLES.

Did MD pay him back the $100,000 they owe him?

Dave IS gloating over the death of MD though, as the comment below shows:

[Gym Rat]

I didn't realize Twinlab bought MD. So it wasn't in the Blechman family from the start.

Bob Hoffman (York) owned and started MD Magazine...

[Matt]

Buy it and maintain it, Matty! I’ll follow you anywhere (nh)

Lol...I don't understand why it wasn't able to make money. Although they started late to the online/digital side of things [2006], I feel like they were established enough to be successful. Maybe Dave just has a better ability to acquire and maintain sponsors. I also don't understand why the MD YouTube account had so few views.

I also heard that Dave and John got fired for taking the piss on the expenses account. Although the RXMuscle video above failed to mention that point. 

BB said it starts getting good during the second half. I'm at 58 minutes of 1:21:49 right now. When does it start getting good? 

[a_pupil]

Getbig is still numero uno

Ronaldo should buy the domain and redirect it to getbig.

Where Bob "it's only gay if you want it to be" Chicherillo gonna post now? First the ice machine is removed from the Mirage, now MD folds.

[Matt]

Bob Hoffman (York) owned and started MD Magazine...

Ah! Thanks for that information, Gym Rat.

Ron Harris hired me as a writer for MD in 2017, but I made the mistake of posting it online/on Facebook.

Vince Goodrum then contacted Ron and told him that I was a racist Neo-Nazi who hates Blacks and Jews or whatever, and Ron told me if that information leaked, Dave Palumbo would use it to target MD and attempt to bring the magazine down.

The MD/RX feud was pretty intense. RXMuscle was targeted with mal-ware that then targeted the computers/devices of forum members, and Dave spent $12,000 trying to stop it. That's when it was determined that the malware attacks were intentional, and it was suspected by many people that someone at MD was responsible for those attacks.

So I get why Ron Harris didn't want to hire me. Since then, I decided to just not mention to anyone if I'm doing something [taking on a job or project just for something to do - even if it's volunteering at the soup kitchen last year]. But...why would I? I have enough cash to live comfortably for the rest of my life. Why would I go through another experience like that one [at MD] or at Lakehead University, etc.

The idea of answering to anyone because I have to pisses me off. No thanks...I'll  just train and chill out with friends and family, and live off my savings.

That all being said, did Ron Harris ever get paid the $100,000 owed to him by Steve Blechman?

Say whatever you want about Ron Harris [he's a Jew...isn't? Wikipedia states under his Early Life section that he was born Ron Harristein], he had/has a great physique:

[a_pupil]

Ah! Thanks for that information, Gym Rat.

Ron Harris hired me as a writer for MD in 2017, but I made the mistake of posting it online/on Facebook.

Vince Goodrum then contacted Ron and told him that I was a racist Neo-Nazi who hates Blacks and Jews or whatever, and Ron told me if that information leaked, Dave Palumbo would use it to target MD and attempt to bring the magazine down.

The MD/RX feud was pretty intense. RXMuscle was targeted with mal-ware that then targeted the computers/devices of forum members, and Dave spent $12,000 trying to stop it. That's when it was determined that the malware attacks were intentional, and it was suspected by many people that someone at MD was responsible for those attacks.

So I get why Ron Harris didn't want to hire me. Since then, I decided to just not mention to anyone if I'm doing something [taking on a job or project just for something to do - even if it's volunteering at the soup kitchen last year]. But...why would I? I have enough cash to live comfortably for the rest of my life. Why would I go through another experience like that one [at MD] or at Lakehead University, etc.

The idea of answering to anyone because I have to pisses me off. No thanks...I'll  just train and chill out with friends and family, and live off my savings.

That all being said, did Ron Harris ever get paid the $100,000 owed to him by Steve Blechman?

Say whatever you want about Ron Harris [he's a Jew...isn't? Wikipedia states under his Early Life section that he was born Ron Harristein], he had/has a great physique:

Very disappointed in Vincenzo

[Gym Rat]

Ah! Thanks for that information, Gym Rat.

Ron Harris hired me as a writer for MD in 2017, but I made the mistake of posting it online/on Facebook.

Vince Goodrum then contacted Ron and told him that I was a racist Neo-Nazi who hates Blacks and Jews or whatever, and Ron told me if that information leaked, Dave Palumbo would use it to target MD and attempt to bring the magazine down.

The MD/RX feud was pretty intense. RXMuscle was targeted with mal-ware that then targeted the computers/devices of forum members, and Dave spent $12,000 trying to stop it. That's when it was determined that the malware attacks were intentional, and it was suspected by many people that someone at MD was responsible for those attacks.

So I get why Ron Harris didn't want to hire me. Since then, I decided to just not mention to anyone if I'm doing something [taking on a job or project just for something to do - even if it's volunteering at the soup kitchen last year]. But...why would I? I have enough cash to live comfortably for the rest of my life. Why would I go through another experience like that one [at MD] or at Lakehead University, etc.

The idea of answering to anyone because I have to pisses me off. No thanks...I'll  just train and chill out with friends and family, and live off my savings.

That all being said, did Ron Harris ever get paid the $100,000 owed to him by Steve Blechman?

Say whatever you want about Ron Harris [he's a Jew...isn't? Wikipedia states under his Early Life section that he was born Ron Harristein], he had/has a great physique:

So Vince is a crybaby, teller???   

[Flexacon]

Ron Harris hired me as a writer for MD in 2017, but I made the mistake of posting it online/on Facebook.

Vince Goodrum then contacted Ron and told him that I was a racist Neo-Nazi who hates Blacks and Jews or whatever, and Ron told me if that information leaked, Dave Palumbo would use it to target MD and attempt to bring the magazine down.

Vince wanted that job. He was just hustling, so maybe don't take it personally.

Ron turned him down anyway and then Vince had a box cutter/acid in your face meltdown

[affeman]

In fact it shows how much it hurt his ego that he got fired from MD so that he can't even hide his massive glee like 15 yrs later

[BB]

BB said it starts getting good during the second half. I'm at 58 minutes of 1:21:49 right now. When does it start getting good? 

Upon reflection, "good" might've been the wrong choice of words. Less bland and more informative, might've been better. And yes, Dave's half Jewish, I think on his mother's side, which would make him fully Jewish under their laws if he wanted it. It just struck me funny that it seemed to hurt Romano, even though he joked about it.

And to be truthful, I do think Blechman was right not to trust them fully. Dave and him were getting pretty powerful in Blechman's org, and both Romano and Dave have some scamming in their backgrounds (Romano had some "boiler room" type thing he got in trouble for, Dave had the fake GH). 

Also it's funny that Dave mentions Howard Stern being an influence, and how Blechman got mad at him for pumping Species on the boards and in the mag. Stern and CBS/Infinity had a similar thing when Stern was moving over to satellite and would pump it on regular radio, they finally had to edit him on the stations.

MD just got old and bland, it will happen to Dave's thing too, it happens to all media.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

Very disappointed in Vincenzo

That came up in a conversation with Ron when we were discussing things in which he told me that he was THINKING to let Matt write ONE article and i told him that he was going to ruin the magazine's reputation with his neo-nazi shit and i sent him some of Matt's writings.

Matt, you can say what you want but if you go around and spread that white supremacist shit, you should get called out for it so fuck you