*I just recently posted this.... but decided that it probably deserves its own thread.... *
Ron I hope that you and the rest of the board read this, and give it some serious thought. I don't say any of this to be rude, but to rather try and thoughtfully affect your way of thinking...
The problem with you Ron, is not that you care about Bodybuilding, but rather that you want to keep the Status Quo going. You like the press passes, and the esteem of your fellow peers in this industry, and any feeling of camaraderie that may come from being on the periphery of this culture.
I for one...care about this subculture, and enjoy talking about actual Bodybuilding, both on the competitive, and non-competitive sides of the spectrum, however, if we are to be honest in discussing, or assessing this subculture, we need to address the many and varied problems that are associated with it.
There are some that are incessantly negative, and that can get old, just as there are some, (I dare say like yourself), that like to take a Pollyanna, saccharine view of the sport, and refuse to actually address the skeletons that lie in our house.
Both extremes will always exist, and as usual, the truth will be somewhere in the middle of the road, and this is the price we pay for having a fairly unmoderated forum.
The only way we are going to see an improvement in Bodybuilding is if we continue to allow the dirty laundry to air. In the past it was easy for the Bodybuilding hierarchy to keep it all hush hush, as it never anticipated an internet age, in which any indiscretions would come back to haunt the guility.
For years, prostitution, (both male and female), for anything ranging from drugs, to placings, and anything in between have taken place, and will continue to do so, unless we can discourage this type of behavior by mocking it to the point that no one would dare do it, for fear of getting caught, and being the next laughing stock.
G4P/Prostitution is not even the tip of the Iceberg... The entire industry relies on a disingenious approach to maintain its survival. Chemical physiques sell products that are either outright ineffective, or do not come anywhere near the claims of its advertisers, (note I am not against supplements, and I even take a few, but I am an informed consumer, that can see past the bullshit).
Young people that are getting into this, need to know exactly what to expect, in terms of the drug use that they will be likely have to go thru, in addition to the other crap that a serious contender will have to endure if they are serious about obtaining a pro card... (offers for "sponsorship," come to mind).
Chasing the bodybuilding dream is not always a wholesome tale, and anyone that is seriously considering becoming deeply involved in "the dream," needs to understand some of the potential pitfalls, if they are going to make informed decisions, even if it means having to put up with jaded, or overly negative people.
I speak this from experience, I attempted to live the dream.... at one point in my life I lived out of a Van in Venice so I could cut down on living expenses in an effort to try to crack my way into competitive bodybuilding.... I worked full time in Hollywood, and trained in Gold's Venice. I even sold drugs to try to make more $$ that I needed. (When I say drugs, I am referring to Steroids, ancillary drugs, etc.)
I have both engaged in, and witnessed Pro's doing illegal activities, and I know of some Pro's in the area trying to use their status as a pro to try and procure gay sexual favors from impressionable young men. This is just part of what I was in the loop while I lived in Venice...and that is nothing compared to people that have been in the Game a long time...
The main point of this, is that there are many positive aspects to Bodybuilding, and I like to talk about them, but there are many bad apples in this industry, and negative sides to it, so you are doing a major disservice to the very industry you claim to care about if you try and censor it.
