Is Kai Greene for Real?
Is Kai Greene for Real?
Interviewing Bodybuilding's Most Enigmatic Character
Kai Greene has been a leading pro since 2007. But in those nine years, because of contractual factors, I’ve never had the opportunity to interview him. When I was with Weider (until 2009), Kai was with MD, and by the time I arrived at MD he was with Weider. So although we’ve exchanged polite chatter I never interviewed him. (As a side note at the 2008 Arnold Classic he mistook me for Jim Lorimer and thanked me for holding such a great contest; to which I replied, “My pleasure. It was nothing.”) So I never interviewed him until last Wednesday April 13, when, thanks to Generation Iron (who he is under contract with) and the new relationship with MD, I interviewed him at length. By length I mean two hours, which is one of the longest interviews I have ever done.
SEARCHING FOR KAI
From his manner, dress, grooming, choice of posing, Kai Greene is the most unique top tier bodybuilder we've probably ever seen. His physique is as freaky as hell, his posing skills on a different, higher, level than his contemporaries. And when it comes to articulation, it seems you can ask him a question about protein intake and he will treat you to a dissertation on space exploration. Overall, he reminds me of a Cirque du Soleil finale: fascinating to watch, but sometimes you wonder what the hell is going on
Taking the previous ramblings into account an old cynic like me asks the question, is Kai Greene for real? Well, one’s man’s reality is not every man’s reality and I’m reminded of Hollywood superstar John Wayne at a Harvard University debate in the early ‘70s. In a raucous atmosphere, engendered by Wayne having opposing views to the mostly anti-Vietnam-war students, he was asked if his hair (he indeed wore a wig) was real? He replied, “Of course it’s real hair. It’s not my hair. but its real.”
So with Kai my biggest question going into the interview was is he for real. Is all this bucking of traditional bodybuilding stereotypes just to enhance a manufactured persona? For instance, the impression given is that he is a loner still living in a downscale apartment in Brooklyn. Well the truth is he still lives in Brooklyn but in a very nice town house. So is he for real? I asked three of my MD buddies, Ron Harris, Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo, their thoughts as they, until the interview, knew Kai better than I did.
Ron Harris, who has interviewed Kai countless times, told me, “Look Kai is a monster physically and maybe we should, call this monster Sasquatch because there is so much now-you-see-him-now you-don’t mystery about him. But that said, I would hate to think that Kai is cultivating an enigma shrouded in a conundrum type of character. That would be beyond pretentious. I tend to believe instead that he has read so much self-help literature that he feels it would be a disservice for him to simply answer banal questions about how many sets of barbell curls to do, or how many grams of protein to eat. I get the impression that Kai strongly feels that harnessing the true power of our minds and our beliefs and emotions is the key to success not only in bodybuilding, but in all of life; that he feels compelled to do what he can to help the rest of us realize this as well.”
Step up to the plate, Bob Cicherillo: “Kai is definitely unique and he’s a bit of an enigma. He's an artist, is every sense, from pencil and paper to performing on stage. You've never seen the same routine twice from The Predator. You never will as Kai goes by feel, by mood and executes as the moment presents itself. What makes Kai, Kai...is that he is real. He's not playing a role. What you see is what you get; a cartoon character come to life.”
Cue Shawn Ray: “Kai is a character and a personality. He comes from a background in which many would not have survived. The way he articulates his life and his career is probably the most colorful thing about him. Through his pain and the struggle comes this beautiful mind that articulates a linguistic characterization of who he really is. The word, "Artist" comes to mind because he sees things from a different perspective than his peers. That makes him very unique yet lovable at the same time. Did I mention he is also one hell of a pro bodybuilder... well he is!”
REALITY CHECK!
In the interview I did with him Kai spoke with passion and sometimes emotion about his childhood, what drove him to confront Phil Heath at the 2014 Olympia, his plans for 2016 and thought on this year’s Olympia plus a host of other subjects. I’m still processing all the data he gave and the final article will appear in print, with some of it coming out online before then.
After my two-hour interview with him I have to say if you listen to what he says and pick out the golden nuggets from his lengthy monologues (his vocabulary is impressively immense) it is clear he genuinely believes in what he’s saying. Yes he’s for real. Only his “real” is unlike anyone else’s. His reality has evolved out of a past like few have endured. He marches to the beat of a different drummer – a drummer no one else can hear.
As for now, long may that all knowing Sphinx, “I ain’t finished yet” smile, his twinkling “I have a secret” eyes, his talismanic braided hair, his “What the bloody hell is he doing now?” posing skills, and that physique constructed along superhero dimensions grace our bodybuilding landscape.