First thing is first, my exercise videos are nothing like the Tae Bo, Tai Chi, Tony Little or Tony Horton workout videos also available online. I do not hire actresses to pretend they are excited over my program. I am not a bloated slob and I do practice what I preach. However, I also give you the goods without frills... Aaah, no frills....
It's all raw and unedited for the most part, showing how human and silly we all are behind the scenes... I had a better time during these film shoots than it sounds when I discuss the people involved who failed me. But I can whine a little, I have earned it... I just need to say something to well over half of the people you will be watching in these clips.
"Thank you for your participation... No, I mean it, THANK YOU... I lost money, my investors lost money, I lost interest, they lost interest... But that is OK... That is enough motivation for me to build a website... And because of the interest others still have in some of you... I am going to tell the world what happened... I want everyone to know about the problems involved with completing this project and see first hand how some of you caused the ship to sink... And I hope you appreciate my returning the favor for your lack of support..."
The first video on the CD is the original QVC Video of 1996. It features Lee Apperson (Mr. America, a true professional, seen in this photo with a 400 pound client who came to the shoot), Theresa Hessler (who was a phone consultation client with her boyfriend at the time and also the winner of Italy's Fitness title), Dr Steven Novicky (an Ohio physician), Michelle Ralabate (NPC female bodybuilding champion who was also on my first book cover), Danny Weigand (the funniest man to ever win the Mr. USA title), Janie Tomasovich (a Pittsburgh nurse and competitor in the Ms Galaxy), and then Matthew Pollino and his completely meddling girlfriend who claimed to be a showgirl but proved to be a stripper, Angela Villone. Matthew liked to call himself Tiger back then. He is a talented martial artist... She was, well, nothing but trouble...
LOOK AT SOME LOCAL MAGAZINE COVERAGE I RECEIVED
(just fun stuff released in Ohio, look for kicks): Pages 1, 2, 3, and 4....
The net result of that shoot was 5 workouts included on this video CD. They each show one or two movements demonstrated by all the stars and includes both warm-ups, stretching and cool downs. The audio track was recorded by two of Ohio's most popular radio show hosts and the music soundtrack provided by several artists that graced the airwaves when the footage was shot.
All friends of mine and thank God, that cut the cost back a bit. And I needed that. After the editor doubling his fees, after half the stars not doing what was asked, losing footage, accountants scamming me, I was going broke. Right when I was about to give up, I surprisingly was offered assistance to help shoot more footage and patch everything up.
With this help, I scheduled another two shoots in May of 1997 with the intention of having at least double the product once completed. Having double the footage and three times the amount of stars then in the cast, I was able to secure sponsors like BALANCE Bars (before they became junk food bars), Ostrim (the ostrich meat snacks, sort of like Slim Jim's...) and a few others.