THE PODCAST IS OFF AS THE COMPANY THAT INTEDED TO HOST IT IS NO MORE. I’ll keep you guys posted as to guest appearances and the like until I can work something out, and I guess I’ll have to really start doing the vids now.
Over the course of the last year it has become apparent that perhaps my 20,000 word screeds on various historical figures in fight sports and lifting are perhaps not the best way for me to disseminate rad information to people, as most people don’t read, and even if they do are generally incapable of reading on a high enough level to understand this stuff… and that is before we get to the fact that my vulgarity and general crudeness is offputting to most of the rest of whoever is left.
For years I thought that was rad as fuck, as it’s always nice to know you’re in another class, but if you’re essentially speaking a foreign language to your audience, you’re going to have trouble getting the point across no matter how rad the information. With that in mind, I started working on my vocal delivery and banter by picking up a job working security at a weed church. I figured if I could be disarmingly charming and funny enough to chill out terrified people standing on line in the ghetto in Trenton to buy weed in plain view of the cops, I could probably handle a mic without issue (plus, 21 hours a week of that pays most of my bills 🤣, I get discounted weed, and it’s the greatest side job a human could have).
As you guys made my episode on Breakthrough Secrets their fourth most downloaded episode in a single month, they invited me on to do a show basically as often as I want, and in those episodes we will revisit old articles and discuss them (plus I’ll update the old articles and republish them as necessary) in addition to doing live interviews with athletes, musicians, or whomever I decide and covering new topics. In between those I’ll keep firing out quick bios, blurbs, and histories on Instagram and Facebook that you guys should probably follow there to avoid missing out on the dopeness (reposting all of them is far too much of a pain in the ass because what’s Instagram-worthy is hardly on par with the rest of the shit on this site, so I have to rewrite them). And finally, in deference to everyone on the planet I’ll be doing lifting history videos for Tiktok and this site (my wife started a Plague of Strength podcast without me even knowing it in anticipation of all of this). I’ll try my hand at being the history professor as Al Swearengen from Deadwood would have imagined in his greatest intellectual wet dream. I’ve fought against becoming some kind of personality on the internet and lost, so I am just gonna roll with it.
Here’s what’s coming:
- I’ll be doing Tiktok lifting history shorts starting this weekend, and we’ll be recording video for the podcasts with Breakthrough Secrets. I’ve absolutely no interest in video editing, so my wife’s going to do all of that shit until she ragequits and I talk the high school kid next door into doing it.
- I’ll be in an ESPN 30 for 30 (the TV show, not a podcast) next year as a historian in one of their episodes. I’ll give you guys all of the details when the producer has them for me, but that was a pretty rad experience that also contributed to my decision to change formats.
- I’ll have a second episode on Breakthrough Secrets drop a week from Friday, about the history of kettlebells.
- I’ll be recording a podcast with Late Night Hump possibly this Saturday in which we’re just going to blaze and they’re going to ask me a bunch of shit. One of the hosts owns a boxing gym and the other hosts the comedy night at NJ Weedman’s Joint, so it should be a pretty fun conversation for anyone who wants to get more insight into what I’m like when I’m not banging on a keyboard. We were supposed to record this past Saturday, but I was dealing with flooding damage from all of the rain we’ve been getting and missed it, but I’ll let you guys know as soon as I know.
And for those of you who still want to experience my particular brand of verbose, overly intellectual profanity, I’m going to shift most of my writing time to books. With the help of the Breakthrough Secrets guys I should be able to get someone who can help me organize and cross-link everything I have ever written so that I can easily produce a multi-volume Plague of Strength Encyclopedia out of the Issuance of Insanities and the shit I’ve written since. On top of that I have a couple of other books I’ve been using the articles on the site as research and incremental writing (the articles are basically all just pieces of a massive tapestry I’m attempting to put together). What I’ve got in the works is pretty rad, and the title is tentatively The Weirdo’s Guide to the History and Practice of Weight Lifting.
Hit me in the comments and let me know what you think, provided you keep your thoughts to the topic at hand or anything at all relevant to the history of lifting.
Fuck you, I quit!
Hahaha. Ass!
If you don’t do any dancing on TikTok, I’m not fuckin’ watching.
Hahahaha. I will not be doing any Tiktok dances, but given the ridiculous amount of dancing I do on a daily basis, it is probably more liekly than not.
Awesome news! Going to buy the shit out of these books! Really glad to see your site and endeavors flourishing.
Greetings from germany and Keep it brutal!
Damn that’s is fucking awesome. Congratulations Jamie. If anyone in the physical culture world ever deserved the spotlight its you man. And ill be waiting for those books. I need some good lifting related reading for my library. Also probably gonna finally break down and get tiktok if your gonna be on there. Haha
That sounds great, Jamie! I will absolutely buy whatever you put out. Personally, it makes me sad to accept the fact that the majority of people don’t really read because I fucking LOVE the articles and books you put out and have put out over the years. In fact, whenever a meathead buddy of mine starts making excuses about some “issue” they’re having, I always send them over your article on Pete Grymkowski and tell them to “find a way.” Anyways, thanks for putting out the best stuff in the game, man!
Oh, don’t you worry- I’m still writing. I just won’t be doing long-form articles as often, is all. I’m psyched that article had the intended effect!
I’m happy you’re finally getting the attention that’s been owed to you since 2009. You’re going to singlehandedly educate and enlighten an entire generation of lifters who’ve been weaned on bullshit.
I’m hoping to reach beyond just lifters- there’s tons of history out there to be learned, but it needs to be presented in the proper context for it to be relatable. Otherwise, it’s just words. But thanks bro! Hopefully we can clue the world in on the fact lifting is meant to be enjoyed, not endured.
You’re stoked, so I’m all about it. Books aside, these aren’t typical medias of consumption in my life, but it definitely is for many. I will branch out just to see what you are up to, and who knows, maybe I will find some other rad shit in the process. Good luck homes. You totally deserve to capitalize on your talents and passion.
I appreciate it! They’re really not my favorites either, and I never wanted to be famous in any way as a person, so this feels very unseemly at the outset, haha.
Super happy for you, and I’ll continue to buy every book.
Super rad Jamie!
Looking forward to the history and perspective!!
Dude…have you taken to deleting comments?
I delete Steve’s dumbass comments. Other than that, nope. Feel free to bitch however you like- I never tire of hearing the off-base attempts at insults I generally get.
Whoa there…I wasn’t criticizing. I’ve been hoping for awhile Steve would just disappear, so solid move. Lol
Ah word, my bad. Usually that sort of accusation comes with negative connotations arousing out of 4chan, haha.
Bro- how about this little commie pussy being mad I didn’t fake an injury like Brandon Lilly so I could rake in a pile of stacks on GoFundMe I didn’t earn 🤣🤣. It’s also amusing he thinks a free site pays for me to eat.
So basically you’re going to be mainstream. DO you think you are going to be able to write and talk in the same way you did in your earlier writings or are you going to have to tone it down a bit ? I’m guessing for the latter. Also congratulations on your achievements but I have to admitt I’m going to miss the style of you earlier work.
I’m not changing shit- I’ve never changed shit unless it’s suited me anyway. The podcast plans with Breakthrough Secrets was actually to cover all of my old stuff rather than do different stuff. And there aren’t really any congratulations in order, haha- I’m just trying to change up my formats to improve my reach because people can’t read. If I had to change the content I’d not be doing it in the first place- I do this for myself and have never made any money at it- it’s not like someone’s suddenly going to drop cash in my lap for going pop 🤣. You’ve gotta make money before any of that happens, and this has been self-supported since jump. If I was in this to make money I’d have quit a decade ago.
Well for once I’m glad I have missunderstod something. But what I was mainly refering to is the style of your writings. You’d have to admit that for maybe the last 2 years you’ve toned it down somewhat and theres nothing strange about that. People change with time and I’m guessing in your case it reflects on the writing somewhat. For one thing it doesn’t have the same aggresive style as before. It’s become more zen like and less beserker like ;).
When it comes to the congratulations they are most definetly in order, especially now that you are going to be featured on ESPN. Anyway thanks for making the content that you make for all us MFer out here and looking forward of another 20 years (at least ;)) of it.
PS: Any plans on reviving the Baddest MotherF*ers series again?