Part 3 written 10-15-22

Part 2   written 10-14-22  

Chapter 14 Lovers &/or Friends with 9 Mr Universes – Mr Americas   written 10-13-22

 

          And then there was Chris Dickerson, a marvel of a man. For his entrance into the NABBA Mr Universe, see the part about Boyer Coe.

          Chris had been victorious.

          I think it was BEFORE the show he already had a fan club, dozens of men sitting around him at a couple party tables. I was the only woman admiring him. {What happens to all these women in the contest? Never saw them again. Most are so self absorbed they don’t know there’s a world outside of themselves.}

          What impressed me about Chris, that I had in common with him, is he was an OPERA SINGER! We discussed opera, I was ga-ga about it, bought records of it, followed Franco Corelli & saw him twice at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC – even saw him face to face twice, once in front of his dressing room, another time outside after his ‘Aiida.’

          So that was a big gab fest.

It did not go without notice that Chris was gay & I wondered how much of this adulation had to do with gay on gay love. It seemed an abnormally big crowd just to admire one man, although Arnold always had tons of gawkers – but then Arnold is Arnold.

So that was that, but we exchanged numbers & addresses & I got an INVITATION to his apartment for Christmas!

A huge, luxurious apartment in NYC in a good neighborhood. His bedroom, a king-sized bed – everything well appointed.

There were few women, about 30 people I’d say, & no one I knew, only Chris.

All I can recall is asking him how he made money & he did so he said with selling supplements with his own picture on them. He showed me & looked amazing.

This was 1974. Years later he trained at the same club I did – Zinn’s in Queens, he showed up just once. I had my daughter working out there & she spoke to him.

You might not know this, but all well-known body builders trained FOR FREE in all the gyms in NYC. Not sure what happened other areas. I was given the star treatment by Mr. Zinn also.

An anecdote re Zinn.

He was about to do a major advertisement in a magazine for his gym – he hired models from an agency. I told him I would pose for FREE but he didn’t want me. I was only 35 in 1980 but he made me feel OLD. He hadn’t said it in WORDS but gave that impression. I was in the best shape of my life, I knew no model from an agency could top me.

On the appointed day all were to meet at the gym at 9am sharp – then go to a professional studio after. For me to get up at like 6:30am to get there was a major effort, but I did it, put on all my makeup & etc.

I went there & tried to persuade Zinn to use me for the shots – but he refused.

I was so hurt & angry I cried in the dressing room. And on one cup of coffee – not food – I did 90 reps – a record for me. I had been on a starvation diet & was ripped – relatively speaking. Without drugs there’s a limit to what you can do.

OK so Zinn got his karma. During the shoot, all his men – who came from our gym – tried to steal stuff, like shorts. They were caught. But one guy was given a $1,500 watch to wear & that disappeared. I suspect who it was, but they weren’t sure.

They told Zinn that unless he paid for the watch, they would not release the photos. He’d already paid the pro models, & a deposit for the studio, so it was a loss. Of course Zinn refused to pay that watch {$5,391. value in 2022}. It was idiotic they gave it to one guy to wear – who the fuck wears expensive watches when they train?

And so, his karma for not allowing me to pose FOR FREE was that layout, which he had such high hopes for, was never used. His hopes were dashed.

He wasn’t a genius of promotion. Had he been, when Chris was there, he could have had him pose with me for images. And then he could have used those pics for the body building magazines – several were popular then -Under the title,

“Mr. Universe Chris Dickerson & Miss Body Beautiful Kellie Everts training at Zinn’s gym.”

Even without Chris, I could have been an item, but he had that weird prejudice that I was ‘old.’

Shortly after that a call came in from Vogue magazine. They wanted a female body builder for a major layout.

Zinn again, laughed at the idea that they would want me. In his mind only females from 18 to 22 could be desirable. He reluctantly gave me the message, thinking,

“When they see how old she is, they won’t want her.”

So I called them & they asked me to come over. My daughter was training with me – she was a gymnast, beautiful, well built & in good shape. I took her so if they wanted SUPER YOUNG they could choose her.

But they chose me. Razz up your azz Zinn. {To be continued}