Steroid cloud over entertainment, too?

The Associated Press

Mary J. Blige says it isn't so.

Featured Topic | Posted 44 weeks 4 days ago

Steroid cloud over entertainment, too?

In his report released in December, former Senator George Mitchell said that steroids “posed a serious threat to the integrity of the game” of baseball. But can the same be said about entertainment? According to a report in the Albany Times-Union, the names of well-known entertainers — including Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Timbaland — have come up among tens of thousands of alleged customers of a steroid and human growth hormone ring, though none are accused of breaking the law. How much worse can this steroid scandal get?

Ben likes: Do steroids make you rap extra hard?

Chris Boutet/The National Post

50 Cent, Timbaland, Wyclef Jean and Mary J. Blige were prescribed and shipped steroids by a Long Island chiropractor and a South Florida osteopath, says Brendan J. Lyons of the Albany Times Union, who won't name his sources. The entertainers haven't been accused of actually taking the drugs normally associated with baseball players and Olympians, and Mary J.'s spokesperson denies that Blige has ever used any performance-inducing drugs.

But let's pretend they totally took 'em. What exactly would the side effects be, other than an increased ability to beat home-run records with their big muscles?

Joel likes: Why would musicians use steroids?

Tom Breihan/Village Voice

Steroids are probably the one form of illegal drug that's had basically no apparent effect on popular music in the past fifty years or so. They're not known to reduce stress or stimulate creativity. Professional athletes take steroids so they can stay competitive at ridiculously difficult and demanding physical tasks. As nasty and morally suspect as the drug might be, it at least makes sense on some level that real or fake athletes would do whatever they could to keep themselves diesel. But musicians? The whole thing is mystifying.