The show big report: random acts of muscle in celebrity-land - Media Scan

Flex, Nov, 2002 by Greg Merritt

Countdown continuation

Diana Ross purrs "I want muscles" and presto! Up pops Mike Christian. This should discount rumors that the diva has a chip on her shoulder.

Last month, we listed numbers 20 through 11. Now, here are our picks for the top 10 most-muscular music videos of all time.

10. "Every Time" (1998), Janet Jackson. A three-minute examination of Janet's bare buff body in and around a pool.

9. "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (2000), D'Angelo. A three-minute examination of D'Angelo's bare buff body in close-up.

8. "Liar" (1994), Rollins Band. Muscle-poet Henry Rollins shouts and flexes through a variety of prevaricating scenarios, including one as Superman.

7. "You Could Be Mine" (1991), Guns N' Roses. In this tie-in with Terminator 2 Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800 tracks Axl Rose for termination. So that's what happened to GNR.

6. "Psyko Funk" (1990), BooYaa T.R.I.B.E. A Samoan family (five brothers and one cousin) exploded onto the gangsta-rap scene with this glute-kicking vid. With each member in the 300-pound 'hood, the tribe is the most muscularly massive group to ever appear on MTV

5. "Give It Away" (1991), Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The Peppers burn through a head-thrashing aerobic workout. At the opposite end of the bulk spectrum from the Boo-Yaa TR.I.B.E., the funky foursome are, as usual, shirt- and fat-free.

4. "Cherish" (1989), Madonna. This stylish video introduced the new ultrafit Material Girl. Madonna dances and flexes in ocean waves, hitting double-biceps shots from multiple angles.

3. "Good Vibrations" (1991), Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. While his fit bunch dances, Mark Wahlberg (before he ditched the "Y") raps, flexes and reps out barbell curls.

2. "Mama Said Knock You Out" (1990), LL Cool J. Mama must've told LL Cool J to get in prime fighting condition for this biceps-pumping, boxing and boasting festival.

1. "Muscles" (1982), Diana Ross. With a hit song written by Michael Jackson, this old-school video features Mike Christian and other top bodybuilders of the era being ogled by the diva as she demands, "I want muscles!" Yes, ma'am.

Batman vs. Superman

It's a question posed on playgrounds and in bars around the globe: Who would win a brawl between the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel? Warner Bros. is planning a cinematic answer in Batman vs. Superman. United to vanquish villains, the superheroes will clash over their divergent approaches to crime fighting. Wolfgang Peterson, who is set to direct and produce the megabudget event, told The Hollywood Reporter, "They are the bright and dark side. That is the principle of the movie, which reflects what life is all about. Superman stands for what is powerful, clear, bright, noble and just; Batman is dark, obsessive and vengeful."

If Hollywood wanted to stay faithful to the physical stature of these legends, Bob Cicherillo would be in blue tights and Milos Sarcev would don a pointy-eared mask. Instead, the screen twosome may Sport suits of phony sinew in lieu of real muscle. Following the Spider-Man lead, Peterson plans to avoid casting typical action stars. Batman vs. Superman is set to go into production early next year with a probable release in 2004. For the record, Superman would kick Batman's glutes in a throw-down. Then again, if Batman had kryptonite....

Vin Diesel Dossier

Vin Diesel, who starred in the summer blockbuster XXX, has fast established himself as Tinseltown's current action-star hot-shot. The September issue of GQ (right) featured him on the cover and inside tells how he parlayed his buffed physique into $20 million per movie paydays. Here's the lowdown on the man who currently looks set to follow in the flexing footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Real name: Mark Vincent

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 225 pounds

Age: 35

Number of years he's worked out: 20

His name for his biceps: the Kryptonics

Twin brother: film editor Paul Vincent

Geek hobby: Dungeons & Dragons

Nongeek hobby: bodybuilding

Total cost of his first film: $3,000

Salary for his next film: $20 million

Previous job: bouncer for nine years

Sequel he won't do: The Fast and the Furious 2

Sequels he will do: Pitch Black 2, XXX 2

Sequel he wants to do:

Kinq Conan

Current workouts: weight training, running, boxing

Protein Madness

In trailers for The Silence of the Lambs prequel Red Dragon (due October 4), Anthony Hopkins as, Hannibal Lecter profiles another killer. "This is a very shy boy," the cannibal purrs. "He'll be a bodybuilder, of course." Cut to shots of the murderous Red Dragon, played by Ralph Fiennes, pumping up in a dingy gym. Pale, of average size and covered in tattoos, Fiennes hardly looks like a bodybuilder, but that's how Hollywood characterizes a psychopathic loner. For balance, why couldn't ex-policeman Ronnie Coleman make the bust? As for Hannibal, we think he's had enough protein; he should try some rice cakes with those fava beans.