Lee Priest
is one of
bodybuilding's
great enigmas,
and a study
in contrasts.
He loves
thecrowd,
the fans,
and speaking
with members
of the audience
after shows,
sometimes
spending
hours with
them. But
outside
the bodybuilding
beat, he's
reserved
and shy
until he
feels completely
comfortable.
He appears
initially
as a "typical"
Australian:
upbeat,
devil-may-care
and non-chalant,
with enormous
amounts
of humor
and general
good will.
Watch him
in the gym
or listen
to storiesabout
his training,
however,
and a deeply
serious
side' emerges.
At just
26 years
old, Priest
has plenty
of time
remaining
in his career.
When it's
completed,
many observers
agree that
he will
replace
Franco Columbu
as the greatest
"short"
contender
ever...although
Shawn Ray
may have
something
to say about
that. Both
men believe
that they
will rank
with the
best ever,
regardless
of height,
and few
can dispute
that. But
their approaches
are entirely
different,
with Ray
always close
to contest
condition,
a dark diamond
that is
constantly
refined
and polished,
while Priest
becomes
"freaky"
(his favorite
adjective),
putting
on truly
enormous
amounts
of muscle
each successive
season --
making his
recent off-season
weight of
285 pounds
all the
more impressive
at his height.
It's this
ability
to put on,
chisel,
and reframe
enormous
amounts
of hard
muscle mass
on a short
frame that
separates
the 2. Couple
this with
Priest's
youth and
the prognosis
turns decidedly
upbeat.
There may
not be any
limit to
his rise
and ascension
to strings
of major
titles,
because
when it's
all said
and done,
Lee Priest
has accomplished
what most
serious
bodybuilders
pursue endlessly;
the drop-dead,
staring-in-disbelief
looks that
he gets
from BOTH
the accomplished
lifter and
the uninitiated.
At a recent
photo shoot,
where Priest
wore a priest's
robes, passersby
literally
stopped
in their
tracks,
dumfounded.
A bus full
of Japanese
tourists
pulled over
to allow
the visitors
to take
rolls of
pictures.
Even the
real priest
who came
out to see
what all
the fuss
was about
was impressed,
inviting
Priest to
come back
whenever
he liked.
(Photographer
and Barbarian
legend David
Paul, who
has a deep
commitment
to The Lord,
engaged
the priest
in a lengthy
conversation
about the
concept
of the shoot,
which wound
up with
the cleric
endorsing
the concept:
After all,
this mild
send-up
of The Exorcist
does reflect
that God
and good
eventually
triumph
over evil.)
What's the
"real"
Lee Priest
like? Fundamentally
decent,
with a deep
and subtle
sense of
humor and
a lot of
complexities
it takes
a while
to discover.
So, read
on...and
meet a truly
remarkable
and thoroughly
unassuming
bodybuilding
great.
Now, on
to the interview!
MM: For
the uninitiated,
why don't
you take
our readers
on a little
Lee Priest
historical
retrospective.
How did
it all start?
Lee Priest:
I did my
first 3
bodybuilding
shows when
I was 13
years old.
MM: How
did that
go?
Lee Priest:
I won the
3 of 'em.
I had begun
training
8 months
earlier,
when I was
12. Then
when I was
14, I placed
third in
the men's
open division
in Australia.
When I was
15, I won
the state
titles and
a few more
shows, and
then I took
a year off
when I was
16 to just
train to
put some
more muscle
on. When
I was 17,
I won the
state title
and won
my first
overall
Mr. Australia.
My mother
was training
then, so
we teamed
up and won
the nationals
couples
title, and
then I won
the Mr.
Australia
title when
I was 18
and 19 again,
plus some
others.
MM: That
story about
your mother,
teaming
up with
her for
the couples
title when
you were
17, has
got to be
one of the
most unusual
stories
I've ever
heard.
Lee Priest:
Well, she
followed
my training
and then
she said
to me one
day,. "Lee,
if I were
to get in
shape, would
you do the
couples
with me?",
and I said
something
like, "whatever",
and 8 months
later she
was, amazingly,
in shape:
She won
her division
and placed
second overall
for the
Miss Australia
title. She
was 38 years
old when
she started
and had
some good
testosterone
levels going,
and had
been on
estrogen
therapy
to keep
the testosterone
levels down,
so she just
stopped
taking the
estrogen
pills for
a while,
her testosterone
went up,
and -- poof!
-- she won.
That only
added to
the rumors
that I had
taken growth
hormone
when I was
real young,
because
of my height,
but the
truth is
that I'm
the tallest
one in my
family:
My sister's
5' 2",
my mom's
5'3"
and my dad's
5'5".
My mother's
father was
5'4".
So everyone
wants to
believe
that I've
taken growth
hormone,
but the
simple truth
is that
my family
is not tall
and I've
worked out
long and
hard to
make this
work and
get to this
size. If
I had taken
growth hormone
I probably
would have
been somewhat
taller,
don't you
think? I
got a job
when I was
14 so I
could train
seriously:
I never
did drugs,
I never
partied
like they
did, but
I trained
and worked
our seriously
and put
everything
into it.
There are
some guys
who are
built for
the sport
of bodybuilding,
and there
are just
a limited
number of
these guys
who are
freaks and
destined
for the
sport. That's
my calling
and what
I was meant
to be, so
that's pretty
much it.
MM: You
were a promising
young rugby
player in
Australia
as well.
What happened
with that?
Lee Priest:
I enjoy
the sport,
but there
are a lot
of nagging
little injuries
that come
along with
it, and
they impeded
my training
for bodybuilding,
so I stopped.
MM: What's
your take
on 1998?
Lee Priest:
I just did
the one
show, The
Olympia,
this year.
I didn't
want to
do any other
shows. I
just wanted
to eat,
bulk up,
and make
a push for
that show.
MM: How
would you
compare
yourself,
rather than
your placing,
at the last
2 Mr. O
shows?
Lee Priest:
In 1997
I was 217,
and this
year I was
223 in just
as hard
condition.
Some magazines
questioned
that, but
the people
who know
me and who
really count,
and who
know my
body fat
percentage,
know that
it was right
on.
MM: Sometimes
these comments
and the
judging
have got
to drive
you mildly
nuts.
Lee Priest:
It does,
especially
when people
who aren't
even in
shape place
ahead of
you because
they kiss
ass with
the judges
or even
sleep with
the officials...that
sort of
stuff. You
know it
goes on
and people
say it's
not biased,
but when
you see
it and hear
about it,
you know
it's a factor
sometimes.
People say
we shouldn't
talk about
judging,
because
then we'll
get lower
placing,
but I don't
care, because
I'm not
there to
necessarily
win shows.
That's wonderful,
but my goal
is to come
into that
show in
the best
shape I
can be in,
but as far
as kissing
the judges'
asses and
the promoters'
asses goes,
I'm not
going to
take them
out to lunch
or dinner
just to
get on their
good side.
MM: If
there are
any really
attractive
women judges,
and you're
really tired
or something,
I'd be happy
to sleep
with them
for you.
Lee Priest:
(laughs)
They're
not normally
that way.
MM: That
additional
7 pounds
of muscle
you put
on: In terms
of body
parts assessment,
where would
you say
that went
on this
year? Were
there any
parts you
particularly
wanted to
concentrate
on?
Lee Priest:
It really
went all
over, but
perhaps
a little
but more
went to
the back
and chest.
It's hard
to say.
MM: What
contests
are you
looking
at in 1999?
Lee Priest:
The Pro
Ironman,
The Arnold
Classic,
The Night
of Champions,
and then
the Mr.
Olympia.
MM: So
you're getting
ready for
the Ironman
and Arnold
right now
(interview
conducted
the last
week of
1998 --
editor)...What
are you
looking
at in terms
of a goal
weight for
those early
1999 shows?
Lee Priest:
I haven't
really thought
about a
goal weight
per set.
I don't
try and
really diet
down to
get to a
specific
weight;
it's whatever
the correct
weight is
after I've
dieted down
and look
my best.
Whatever
the weight
is that
has me at
my best
is where
I want to
be. Too
may guys
get too
obsessed
by their
bodyweight,
rather than
what they
look like.
But these
successes
are so much
determined
by the judges
anyway,
that you
have to
concentrate
on what
you look
like rather
than what
you weigh.
Even then,
it sometimes
seems strange:
I took second
at at the
Ironman
and the
next week
I was in
even better
shape and
took seventh,
so...who
knows? What
was even
more interesting
was that
I did the
San Jose
show the
week after
that and
beat 'em
all again:
In 3 weeks
I went from
second place
to seventh
place, and
then back
to fourth
place. So,
how does
that happen,
especially
when you're
in the same
condition?
MM: To
the casual
observer,
at any rate,
this appears
a little
haywire...
Lee Priest:
The fans
have been
great, though.
Sometimes
the judges
will miss
it, but
the knowledgeable
fans have
a good sense
of what's
been happening.
I almost
always stick
around after
the shows
and sometimes
you'll have
hundreds
of fans
you talk
to; and
they have
a good honest
sense of
where everyone
belonged.
They'll
say, "Well,
you actually
should have
taken third,
and so and
so belonged
in second
because
of this
or that."
But for
the people
in the front
row it can
be a lot
different.
I think
that whoever
looks the
best that
day -- not
who has
the biggest
reputation
-- should
be the person
who won.
If it's
an unknown
from sub-Saharan
Africa,
or a guy
from Finland,
if he's
in the best
shape that
day he should
win. But
sometimes
it's a name
game, or
sometimes
it's politics.
They say
it's not,
but you've
seen shows
where the
placing
were way
off; where
one guy
was out
of shape
and another
was in fantastic
condition.
Aaron Baker's
a good example:
He should
have won
a few shows,
and a number
of his placing
were ridiculous.
Then you
start to
think, "Well,
if this
guy was
in terrible
shape and
he still
beat me,
just what
do I have
to do to
beat him?"
MM: Speaking
of being
in great
shape: When
we did that
photo shoot
(Lee Priest
dressed
as a priest,
in early
December,
when traffic
on the adjacent
busy thoroughfare
literally
stopped,
and drivers'
jaws dropped
in disbelief)),
every one
of the onlookers
-- and they
were all
fairly experienced
bodybuilders
or fans
-- said
that this
period shows
the largest
amount of
muscular
mass you've
ever carried.
I mean,
you are
huge! Are
we looking
at Lee Priest
coming in
at the high
220's somewhere
for the
Arnold?
Lee Priest:
Probably
in their
220's somewhere,
but I'm
not absolutely
certain.
Before I
was in the
Olympia
I was in
the 230's
and in just
great shape,
as hard
condition
as I was
for the
show. John
Caylor,
Max Muscle
Venice store
manager)
took some
pictures
and they're
proof positive.
You begin
to think,
before a
contest,
that you
can lose
just a little
more weight,
so I came
in lighter,
but I may
have sacrificed
a little
fullness
for what
I thought
would be
extra hardness,
and I was
just as
hard. So,
maybe I
can come
in at the
high 220's.
MM: You're
looking
at a 10-pound
gain from
2 years
earlier,
which is
really significant
at your
height.
Lee Priest:
I've been
pretty lucky,
actually,
gaining
7 to 12
pounds annually,
but coming
into shows
in great
shape, regardless.
I'll see
it in the
weights
at each
show, year
after year,
and it's
been very
consistent.
I'll look
over my
performances
and reevaluate
what I've
been doing
and how
I can improve
and I make
those improvements.
Then you
look over
your placing
and try
and figure
out what
happened.
You look
over the
lineups,
and Nasser's
improved
and Ronnie's
improved,
and Shawn's
roughly
stayed the
same. But
Shawn's
a great
competitor.
When he
comes into
a contest
in great
shape he
looks incredible.
But he hasn't
really changed
dramatically
in the past
10 years.
And when
you improve
you should
be rewarded.
When I was
with Weider,
if you improved
your placing
you would
likely have
your contract
improved
as well,
but that
didn't happen
for me.
But with
Roland and
Gunter,
even if
I placed
higher and
improved,
they'd get
$20,000
or $30,000
more than
I did. That's
why I started
up with
ProLab.
MM: How
do you like
working
with the
ProLab people?
Lee Priest:
Really good.
The working
relationship
is just
superb.
They're
really genuine.
Weider's
got a lot
of guys,
and ProLab
has just
a couple,
so you tend
to get more
attention.
MM: I think
for everyone,
Coleman's
victories
at The Night
of Champions
and The
Olympia
have got
to be eye-openers,
in that
a non-Weider
athlete
won both.
Lee Priest:
That's interesting,
because
so many
people have
said that
if you don't
sign with
Weider you're
not going
to do well
in shows
and in this
sport, but
for me it
doesn't
matter in
one important
sense: Whether
there's
a lot of
additional
sponsor
money or
very little
as a reward,
I compete
because
I enjoy
it and I
enjoy training.
If I didn't
have a sponsor
and I didn't
win shows,
I would
be working
a normal
job and
still be
training,
because
that's what
I love to
do. And
you look
at Lee Haney,
and he was
with TwinLab
and he did
very well,
so I think
there's
a sense
with most
of the judges
in wanting
to do what's
right. Politics
might come
in sometimes,
but who's
to say whether
it does
or it doesn't?
It's all
speculation,
and everyone's
got their
ideal of
what the
ideal body
looks like,
including
the judges.
MM: What
would Lee
Priest look
for if he
were a judge?
Lee Priest:
Personally,
if I were
judging
a show I'd
go for the
freaky type.
Compared
to the Flex
or Chris
Cormier
look, I'd
go for Dorian
or Nasser
type of
bodies.
You're always
going to
have controversy
and mixed
opinions
in anything
that's judged,
though,
so who really
knows?
MM: Getting
back to
your training,
you've said
that you've
put on 7
to 12 pounds
a year,
but it's
a lot more
difficult
to do that
as your
career progresses.
Since you've
been in
the upper
echelon
of bodybuilding
for quite
a while
now, what
sort of
changes
have you
made in
your training
in the past
2 years
that allows
this progress?
Lee Priest:
It hasn't
really changed
much ever
since I
began. I
stick with
the basic
stuff, and
in the off-season
I train
really heavy
and bulk
up big.
and put
a lot of
body fat
on. This
last time
I got up
to 285 pounds
and people
said that
I'd never
be able
to train
down and
lose it,
but when
I've bulked
up heavy
I've always
wound up
with 10
pounds of
muscle.
But you've
really got
to force-feed
the muscles.
Eating "clean"
all year,
you'll be
able to
put on a
couple of
pounds of
muscle,
but I think
that outside
influences
and paranoia
play a part
in this,
especially
in greater
Los Angeles
where the
guys are
so concerned
with what
they look
like --
not for
contests,
but to look
right for
the girls,
to get that
chiselled
jaw line
they feel
helps them
in social
situations
-- that
they're
afraid to
put weight
on. But
I'm concerned
with my
weight at
only very
specific
times, and
those times
are contest
times. That's
when it
counts.
Off-season,
I don't
care how
I look.
They can
call me
a fat pig,
which they
do, but
then it
comes to
contest
time and
they're
kissing
my ass and
saying that
they knew
I could
get in shape.
Whatever...You
see Dorian
and Nasser
bulk up
heavy and
come out
in superb
shape, so
it works,
audit has
worked for
a long time.
You see
guys like
Shawn who
look good
throughout
the year
and stay
lean: When
they come
in shape
they look
good, but
their musculature
really hasn't
changed
much over
the years.
I can't
help how
I look in
the off-season:
I train
heavy and
stick to
the basic
work. Which
is hard
basic work.
Some people
get lazy.
When I first
came over
here, I
was dazzled
by all the
machines
and so I
began to
ignore the
basics and
figured
that the
machines
would work
just as
well, but
I could
see that
the results
were not
the same,
so I had
to go back
to basic
free-weight
movements,
like barbell
rows, curls,
squats,
dumbbell
presses,
etc. But
everybody
these days
would rather
do use a
leg press
machine
than do
squats,
or an arm
curl machine
than do
heavy barbell
curls.
MM: You're
just 26
years old.
We look
ahead 3
or 4 years
now, to
when Lee
Priest is
29 or 30.
What are
you like
then? How
long will
you compete
as a bodybuilder?
Lee Priest:
The key
for me is
that I enjoy
doing this,
so I'll
continue
in bodybuilding
as long
as I enjoy
it, so long
as I'm successful
at it and
it's not
tedious
or boring,
and as long
as the fans
want me
to. But
even then,
I won't
stop training.
I love lifting.
MM: You
mentioned
the influence
fans have
for you,
and it's
apparent
that you
have one
of the most
rabid and
loyal set
of fans
anywhere.
How many
times have
we heard
bodybuilding
fans who
come out
as tourists,
stop at
the Max
Muscle store
in Venice,
and say
they're
looking
for Lee
Priest?
Lee Priest:
I run into
bodybuilding
fans probably
once a day,
and after
prejudging
at shows
I usually
head for
the foyer
and talk
with them
for an hour
or 2. I
enjoy them,
and I'll
try and
do that
whenever
I'm a guest
poser as
well. While
we're not
getting
paid what
other top-flight
athletes
earn, we
still earn
a good living
and it's
not that
hard to
come out
and meet
the people
who make
it possible.
The only
difference
between
me and many
other people
working
out at the
same gym
is that
I have a
pro card.
That doesn't
mean I belong
to another
class of
people;
it just
means that
I work out
and have
happened
to make
a success
out of bodybuilding
as a living.
But it does
not make
me a "better"
person.
I can't
stand bodybuilders
who complain
about the
work and
the fans
and how
everything
is just
so difficult.
It's a good
job and
the fans
are great.
We all knew
that some
people would
follow our
careers
closely
and get
involved
on some
level. That
comes with
the job.
The least
we can do
is meet
them and
find out
what they
want and
believe.
MM: You're
so dedicated
to this
sport, and
you've sacrificed
so much
for it,
including
giving up
rugby. Is
there anything
else you
passed up
or miss?
Lee Priest:
Believe
it or not,
when I was
younger
I used to
do magic,
going to
magician
classes
at magician's
school.
But when
it came
time to
perform
in front
of people
I'd get
nervous.
I also took
karate for
quite a
while, but
the same
thing happened;
I'd get
very nervous
when it
came time
to grading.
In fact,
because
I was so
shy my mom
waited for
me to give
up bodybuilding,
figuring
that somewhere
along the
line I'd
have to
stop because
I would
have to
go in front
of crowds.
Sometimes
whenpeople
meet me
outside
of a show
lobby they
think I'm
arrogant,
because
I'm the
type of
person who
can sit
in a room
of people
and not
say a word,
but when
someone
starts talking
to me I'll
start talking
to them,
and then
they probably
think I'm
talking
so much
that they
wish I'd
shut up.
MM: Well,
that was
my first
impression
too, that
you really
didn't like
to say much,
but after
we got going
on that
church photo
shoot where
you were
dressed
like a priest,
I began
to change
that, thinking
that here
was a guy
with a very
well developed,
and decidedly
dark and
wry, sense
of humor.
We're shooting
in front
of the church
and you're
standing
there in
the Priest's
garb, and
all of a
sudden that
congregation
which had
entered
only through
the side
doors, was
scurrying
past you
as they
opened the
front doors.
There you
were, trying
to decide
what to
say after
they said,
"goodnight,
father."
Lee Priest:
That was
tough and
kind of
awkward,
because
the concept
was that
it worked
because
of my last
name, and
I didn't
want anyone
to think
that I was
making fun
of what
they believe
or taking
their religion
lightly.
I make fun
of myself,
rather than
others.
But thankfully,
nobody asked
me for a
blessing
or any deep
advice.
I can do
stuff like
that, but
I want to
make sure
nobody's
hurt by
it. I don't
want people
to say,
"That
Lee Priest,
he hates
religion...
or anything
else, for
that matter.
But being
from Australia,
I'll tell
jokes about
any group,
which isn't
exactly
P.C. But
people can
take almost
anything
way too
seriously.
I mean,
because
I tell a
joke that
has another
race or
religion
in it does
not mean
I'm racist
or anti-religion.
The same
thing for
not liking
someone
who's another
race or
religion.
It's not
their race
or religion
I don't
like...it's
them as
an individual.
MM: It's
funny that
you bring
up humor
and race,
because
your relationship
with Paul
Dillett
is, from
all the
accounts
I've heard,
both hysterical
and interracial.
The 2 of
you living
together
was the
bodybuilding
version
of The Odd
Couple.
meets a
big version
of The Little
Rascals.
Both of
you are
Commonwealth
athletes
-- you from
down under
and Paul
from Canada
-- but you're
5'7"
and white,
while Dillett
is 6'4"
and Afro-American
(the Americas
include
Canada ---
editor).
I've heard
the stories
of the 2
of you inside
your cars
listening
to the newest
piece of
audiophile
stereo equipment
with each
others for
hours...while
the cars
are locked
in the garage.
Amie (Lee's
girlfriend)
likes the
story of
your dieting
conversations
with Paul
as the 2
of you prepared
for a contest:
You guys
would eat
the broiled
skinless
chicken
breast and
white rice
together,
but then
talk about
your favorite
foods, like
peanut butter
and jelly
sandwiches
and hot
fudge sundaes,
or exactly
what type
of chocolate
candy was
the best,
for hours.
Lee Priest:
Well, it
wasn't exactly
that way
to begin
with. Paul
mentioned
that I was
from Australia
and kind
of hinted
that Australians
were racist.
I kind of
threw up
my arms
and said,
"pleeeeeez".
There's
racism and
a lack of
racism everywhere.
You can
be whatever
you want
to be and
it doesn't
bother me.
I come from
a family
in which
my cousin,
who was
like a brother
to me, was
a transsexual.
He ended
up killing
himself.
My father
was a homosexual,
but my mother
thought
she could
change him.
But I'm
the first
one to make
jokes about
it: I told
my father
that I was
glad he
married
my mom,
because
otherwise
I could
have been
wasted as
a blow job.
I think
people are
just a little
too quick
to judge
sometimes,
because
I couldn't
care less
if someone
is gay.
As for religion,
it's pretty
strange
over here
sometimes,
because
I'm finding
that the
people who
talk the
most about
religion
are the
first to
condemn
someone.
All I'm
concerned
about is
how they
treat me,
and how
they treat
others.
MM: Now
that you
and Dillett
no longer
live together
and you
have a girlfriend,
what do
you do for
fun? How
do you spend
your time
away from
training?
What's a
typical
"fun"
event for
Lee Priest?
Lee Priest:
Hanging
out at the
Max Muscle
store in
Venice.
I'm pretty
much of
a homebody,
but I like
meeting
the people
there. But
don't count
on my being
there in
the early
afternoons:
I like to
watch Days
of Our Lives
at one,
and then
there's
Judge Judy
at 2. I'm
not real
big on parties,
but I like
Disneyland
and I go
to Toys
'R' Us a
lot. They
get a little
disturbed
when I tell
them all
the toys
are for
me, however.
MM: You
seem like
a perfect
candidate
for the
first Annual
Max Muscle
Guerrilla
Miniature
Golf Tournament,
with prizes
for fastest
completion
of the course,
hitting
the wooden
clown, and
best poser
at the bridge.
We're hoping
fitness
pros Lena
Johanessen
and Cynthia
Hill, along
with competitor
Cathy Miller,
enter in
their swimsuits.
Lee Priest:
I could
judge that
round, because
when I was
at Toys
'R' Us last
week I got
a great
portable
toy microscope.
Maybe a
Best Skin
Pores award
or something
like that?
MM: If
anybody
could do
it, it's
you.
