JAY CUTLER REFLECTIONS OF AN ICON
Muscular Development|September 2022
The word "icon" is often thrown out casually these days, but the few who truly embody that label have earned it. Jay Cutler is most definitely an icon in the bodybuilding and fitness industry. His competitive record speaks for itself with four Mr. Olympia titles and three consecutive wins at the Arnold Classic from 2002 to 2004. He also remains the only man to have ever lost his Mr. Olympia title and get it back. But his accomplishments on the stage are only a small fraction of what makes Jay a living legend. His business acumen is unmatched in bodybuilding. In his younger years, Cutler already landed lucrative endorsement deals, invested in real estate, and ran a thriving mail-order business. Since then, he's gone on to own his own supplement and apparel companies and branched off into NPC contest promotion. Jay is also a force on social media, with 4.2 million followers on Instagram, well over 6 million on Facebook, and 548,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, Jay Cutler TV. I caught up with Jay recently to discuss a wide variety of topics that ranged from his past PED use, why he sat out the 2002 Mr. Olympia, and his opinions on the current states of both Classic Physique and Open bodybuilding.
RON HARRIS
JAY CUTLER REFLECTIONS OF AN ICON

We haven't spoken since the Boston Pro in March, where you were a guest of honor. Being Massachusetts natives, I'm sure we were both dreaming of a pro show in Boston all our lives. What was it like finally seeing it come to fruition, especially since the production was so stellar?

David Whitaker and his staff did a tremendous job not only with the live event but also with the livestream. Holding the Boston Pro the weekend after the Arnold Classic meant we had a lot of headliners from that show who also came to Boston. I was brought on early to help with publicity and promotion, which I saw as a great opportunity to be part of a historic event. We saw William Bonac gather some redemption from his narrow loss to Brandon Curry at the Arnold, and walk away not only with a check for $12,500 but also a Ford truck, which he gave to his sister.

One thing I found curious was that Open Men was not the last division to get awards that night. Instead, it was Urs Kalecinski winning Classic Physique. Do you think there was any significance to that?

I felt the Classic division at the Arnold the weekend before was more competitive than Open Men. Classic is the hot thing right now, there’s no question. But to go on record, we’re never going to see bodybuilding diminish. Open bodybuilding will always have its stars. There’s a lot of excitement about Classic, but it’s still bodybuilding. Look at the size, the condition, the posing. Classic holds it own, and I don’t think mixing it up the way they did in Boston is a bad thing. Urs is a future superstar. We will still see the Open guys do great things this December at the Olympia.

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