Bodybuilders demonstrate against Temptation Island 2018

Geschatte leestijd: 4 minutenA group of about 40 bodybuilders demonstrated this afternoon against the broadcast of the first episodes of Temptation Island 2018. The initially peaceful protest ended in skirmishes with the Mobile Unit.

Bodybuilders Protest Against Temptation Island 2018

At around 12:30 this afternoon, a group of about 40 bodybuilders gathered outside the RTL Netherlands studio at the Media Park in Hilversum. The demonstrators demanded that RTL5 not proceed with the broadcast of the first two episodes of Temptation Island 2018. These episodes leaked last week and have already been seen by a large number of fans. Initially, the demonstration seemed to proceed peacefully. However, the security and police officers who rushed to the scene, likely due to the appearance of the demonstrators, did not feel capable of ensuring safety. It didn’t take long for the Mobile Unit to arrive. The presence of the Mobile Unit seemed to create a more tense atmosphere, and tensions escalated noticeably. When a dumbbell narrowly missed hitting an officer and smashed through the front window of the building, the Mobile Unit decided to take action. This led to violent skirmishes where shields, tank tops, batons, and weightlifting belts flew through the air like a scene from Asterix and Obelix. “The level of brutal violence was terrifying,” said a shocked receptionist from RTL. “I saw a giant of a guy lift two officers and throw them towards the Mobile Unit line as if they were bowling balls. Two Mobile Unit men had a barbell with at least 300 kilograms on it thrown onto their chests. The man who threw the barbell laughed and shouted, ‘That was just my warm-up set!'” Seven bodybuilders were arrested. One bodybuilder who was arrested on suspicion of possession of narcotics was released. The white powder on his mustache turned out to be protein powder.

Bodybuilding Stigma

When the protest was still peaceful, we had the opportunity to ask why the bodybuilders had gathered at the Media Park. We approached a big man in a small shirt holding a banner between his hands in the air. He seemed to exert a lot of tension on his biceps for a banner that might weigh 2 kilograms at most. “Temptation Island is discrimination!” was written in large letters on the banner. “Why are you so angry with the makers of Temptation Island,” I asked him. Before answering, he put down his banner to take a drink from a 6-liter water bottle. “We’ve had enough. Every time that stigma of the brainless, sex-obsessed bodybuilder. Look, I’m a personal trainer, and thanks to Alex in season 2017, I’ve lost half of my female clients. Their partners are afraid that I’ll do nasty things with their girls.” He receives grumbling approval from a man sitting on a wall just outside the fray. He eats a meal from a Tupperware container that seems to consist of sweet potatoes, broccoli, and grilled chicken. When asked why he’s not joining his protesting mates, he chuckles sheepishly. “Priorities, mate,” he says with a mouth full while pointing to his container with his fork. “That’s a good example,” says the personal trainer next to me. “We’re often discriminated against, especially when applying for jobs. I’m regularly asked if I also take five breaks a day to eat. That always makes me angry. ‘So I’m allowed to go outside five times a day to smoke myself to death, but I can’t eat a healthy meal five times a day?'”

“I Have a High Libido”

Then I ask in what way Temptation Island 2018 contributes to this stigma. I get an answer from a man who is as wide as he is tall. He seems to puff himself up a bit more and takes a step back. Possibly so that I, with my modest 1.83 meters, don’t tower over him so clearly. Just as my thoughts drift towards the workings of a Napoleon complex, I manage to concentrate on his words. “Look, since Alex last year, we all hoped that this year there wouldn’t be any muscular guys among the tempters, or that they would at least be able to say something sensible. However, when the most muscular tempter of this year confronted one of ‘the boyfriends,’ it was already clear. We could abandon all hope that this season would show an image of muscular men with substance.” He visibly annoyed when a fellow protester talks loudly over him. “So the tempters can spend the whole day thinking about what to say to the partners of the ladies on their island. And what does this idiot come up with? ‘I’m horny as hell. I have a high libido’.” Napoleon takes over the conversation loudly again: “It damn well reminded me of that commercial from Planet Fitness with that brain-dead bodybuilder who can only say, ‘I lift things up and put them down.’ Do these guys not understand that their behavior has consequences for the whole group?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOSeOieLh7s

“Tradition”

A spokesperson for RTL, responding via a comment on the website, said they do not understand the indignation. “We don’t understand. The brainless muscleman is a decades-old tradition on Temptation Island. Nobody has ever complained about it before. We therefore see no reason to take this protest from a sensitive minority seriously.” The message is quickly picked up by the demonstrators. “Ha, that’s ironic, ‘sensitive,'” says a heavily built man dressed in a t-shirt with the text ‘light weight baby!'”That’s the first time they acknowledge that we bodybuilders can also be sensitive. We can also play guitar and sing romantic songs like Ken from season 2017.” When asked if he can play the guitar, he quickly replies that he meant this figuratively. At that moment, we hear the sound of a dumbbell hitting glass and what some spectators already describe as ‘The Battle of Temptation’ ensues.

Alternative Island

The above alternative facts are based on true fiction. The identities of the fictional characters in this article have been kept anonymous. RTL has not yet responded to the questions we did not ask them when this article was published.