It had it shady side, but not so many people are were so forward with it as now. Today it seems en vogue to be in your face and brash. For instance back in the 50s-60s nobody except a few would know that a prominant bber used a grapefruit for other than eating purposes. Now, with the net, everybody is just one click away. Also, there are more lazy people and more people willing to sell those lazy a quick fix for a relatively long term problem, ie, drugs synthol, etc is the way to go. Hop on stack first before WTF you are doing in the gym.
The shady side exists in all sports. Bodybuilding just does not enjoy the major media exposure and subsequent money and endoresments other sports enjoy. Trust me there are people who are paid a LOT of money to keep shit hush hush in other large sports. Plus you have to factor in a guy with a 20 million dollar contract will keep his weird side very secret on the off chance he gets exposed DESTROYED and loses his career.
I think wrestling would be a good middle of the road industry to think about here. You get to hear about their drug usage and all the crazy shit they are involved in because they have less risk of losing all their cash. Bodybuilding in general has lost some of the revenue it enjoyed a few years back thus there is more shady shit going on to pay the bills and with the internet it all gets talked about. Plus that though if I know one thing about bodybuilding it's that people LOVE controversy so I am sure a lot of made up shit floats around to keep things interesting. For example, a rumour at one time was that Ronnie was sleeping with judges and shit. Was he? Looking back I doubt it. I wouldn't be surprised if a number of tier 3 bbers would blow gay judges hoping for a few spots up at the NOC or something so that can get a 40k a year contract but really I don't think it happens much. But the rumour exsits anyway and over time it becomes something else IE all pros sleep with joe weider or they must stand there naked while he beats off in order to get their contract etc. I doubt any of that is true.
Arnold on the other hand DID sleep with wealthy gay men. He hasn't talked about it and probably won't but you can be sure it happened. He talked at one time about flying around the world and living with men for months at a time when he was barely 20 years old. Um, I can't really think of many men who just want bbers living around them, can you? Is that sort of thing prevelant? Maybe at the time it was Arnie because there weren't many big young guys. Maybe now there are plenty of buff studs for schmoes to lust after thus they don't mess with competitive bber's. Who knows? I mean, do you think if the average NFL lineman was making 50k a year they wouldn't do gay shit in the hopes of getting a 150k a year contract? Maybe 5k per session? Of course they would do not kid yourself.
