The current stream of hot male bodybuilding talent running in and out of a certain bodybuilding magazine these days reminds me of something you'd see at a brothel during a half price sale. I used to think that signing promising rising stars or top level veterans was a good idea, but now that this magazine's publisher has perverted the idea into something ego-driven, self-serving and greedy; my thoughts have changed. The change of heart comes not from my very low opinion of him as a human being, but rather the detriment his actions have on the all-male bodybuilding roster he continually shuffles based on the latest pair of glutes for which he has such a lascivious penchant.
This publisher's urgent rush to lock up male bodybuilders to "exclusive" print contracts feeds off the inherent insecurities and mad desire for coverage that many bodybuilders, especially up and coming bodybuilders, possess. The idea of being in a magazine is so dear to some of these guys they are willing to give up the farm for the pittance and the stricture the publisher selfishly offers. This whole concept is exacerbated by the fact that, while hiding behind his tired rhetoric of "always supporting the bodybuilders," he has proven that he is only out to support himself and his lavish spending habits.
Here is a typical scenario that this magazine is plying to many national level amateurs with striated glutes leading into top national level shows: The publisher calls him up a week before the show and says," Hey bro!" That's partly because he thinks that using the term is cool and will endear the bodybuilder to him, and partly because, even if his name is John Smith, he will butcher the pronunciation. Then he tells the bodybuilder how awesome he is, how he always believed in him, and how he wants to shoot him for his magazine and/or his website. So much so that he is willing to give him a contract - a 72 hour contract! Just enough to tie the guy up for the contest weekend, shoot him and interview him exclusively, then turn him loose after the Chinese buffet and the beer, and after all the other photographers have left town. History proves that just because this guy shoots you doesn't always mean he'll use the photos, and guess what? No one else will have any photos of you and all your dieting and hard work will be relegated to stage shots and anything you might have on your iPhone. The rest will just be a memory. For the brief period that you'll be in contest shape, no other magazine or website can shoot you, no one can interview you, no website can feature you. Your ass belongs to one scheming little schmoe for the weekend. You're not even allowed to tell anyone of your contractual stricture. If you do, your so called "contract" will be rescinded and you wont get paid.
As stifling and career-limiting as that sounds, it's not the worst case scenario. Numerous bodybuilders can bear witness to the empty promise this publisher has made famous. He will merely tell a bodybuilder he is going to sign him before a show, tell him not to shoot or interview with anyone else, and then on Monday morning forget his name. I can tell you of more than one bodybuilder who spent his own money changing his flight to accommodate the photo shoot promised to him only to be stood up in the end. No matter how many times you call his office you'll never get him on the phone and he will never, ever call you back. And if you're looking for a check to reimburse you for the money you laid out to accommodate him, you can be sure whomever you speak with at his office will tell you "the check is on his desk" waiting to be signed. Be prepared to wait a long time. I know one well known 202 bodybuilder who has been waiting for over a year.
On a side note, this lack of contact is also his MO for a guy who's contract is running out and who the publisher doesn't want to resign. I have numerous accounts of guys who never got a call, or an e-mail, or a letter telling them they would not be resigned even after numerous attempts to get the boss on the phone to find out their fate. He just doesn't pay any attention to you once he's done with you. Some guys do get an e-mail, but not everyone gets the same respect. He spends the year signing guys to exclusive contracts; he promises them he will make them superstars, wine them and dine them, and promise them the world. Then, God forbid, if you're unfortunate enough to have one or two poor showings he'll forget all about you - especially if you try to get him on the phone. I know several good guys who were just simply ignored once their contract was up. No phone call, no call back after numerous attempts to reach him, no letter; nothing. An interesting contrast from the year before when the publisher was taking you to high end steak houses and filling you full of red wine and all the bone-in fillets you can eat.
This caustic ideology has become so gloriously feted in this publisher's schmoey little operation that he now has had the audacity to foist such a deal upon a top pro male bodybuilder - a top five Olympian no less!! The competitor in question was offered a measly $1,000.00 to be under "exclusive" control for one month! That's it - a one month, one thousand dollar contract, offered to one of the top bodybuilders in the world! That is as repugnant as it is insulting, and thankfully the pro of whom I'm writing had the wherewithal to tell the publisher where to shove it - and knowing him he probably like it.
I know a lot of you guys out there - especially the young rising stars - are tight for money and five hundred bucks or a grand or so could come in mighty handy. But you have to look past that. What you're giving up is your ability to be seen. I know first hand that not only is there no guarantee that this publisher will live up to his promise and use your images, but this magazine is not as big, nor as far-reaching, nor is it read by as many people as they would like us all to believe. Other websites (not only this one) and other publications combined would offer a far greater reach if the intension was truly to promote the athletes.
The agenda for any magazine or any website should be to promote the sport, the contests, and promote the athletes; to give them exposure and opportunity and espouse the hard work that got them to the stage for all the world to see. .. not promote your own personal agenda by accumulating fodder to try and prove you're number one in an industry that doesn't give a fuck. Imagine if prior to the Super Bowl ESPN tied up all the relevant players and signed them to exclusive 30 day contracts? Would football fans around the world really be satisfied going only to ESPN for their particular flavor of coverage of those athletes? I don't think so. I think there would be an uproar. There should be the same uproar in bodybuilding for exactly the same reason.
What this self-proclaimed bodybuilding benefactor is doing is taking advantage of the athletes. He's praying on their thirst for exposure and their limited finances to force you to look at his crappy magazine and website. If his publication really was number one then he wouldn't need to do that.
The industry needs to stand up to this bullshit. The powers that be need to step up and outlaw these ridiculous 30-day or 72-hour exclusive contracts, and the gag orders that go along with them. They are bad for the athletes, and bad for the sport. If you want to tie a guy up then tie him up for a year. The "number one" hardcore bodybuilding magazine in the world ought to be able to do that!
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