Bodybuilder turned crap actor turned crappier politician Arnold Schwarzenegger has given the recently-expired Pope one of the most bizarre tributes yet.
Speaking to KNX Radio in Los Angeles, Arnie recalled that – during a 1983 visit to see the man himself – he and his holiness began talking about the papal exercise regime.
When asked what exactly this entailed, Arnold reeled off a somewhat surprising list of physical activities: ‘he worked out at 5 o’clock in the morning every day. He did his push-ups and sit-ups.’
Perhaps faced with a sea of disbelief that the Lord himself would have trouble suspending, the Governator then added: ‘He was a very physical guy and very good at sports and a very good skier and soccer player.’
Sorry? Is he talking about the same Pope? Because the guy we’ve all been looking at for the last thirty-odd years seemed far too busy wheezing and spluttering to run out into the Vatican courtyard, football under arm, twenty-or-so Archdeacons behind him, all clamouring for a quick fix of ‘Jumpers For Goalposts.’
It’s just not an easy image to conjure.
hecklerspray can only sigh and ask: how long is this going to go on? Which other celebrities are going to try and link themselves to the daisy-pushing church leader in whatever tenuous way they can?
Are we going to hear Jimmy Page eulogising John Paul’s blistering guitar skills? Trinny And Susannah lamenting the passing of his excellent dress sense? Good god – what possible sort of link is press-hungry parasite Jonathan King going to smirkingly formulate?
We wait with baited breath. No – hang on – actually, we don’t. We couldn’t give two pairs of monkey bollocks either way.
Just to clear the air, then.
[story by CJ Davies]
Steve J says
You must be younger than me. I was 17 when Karol Cardinal Wojtyła of Poland was elected in conclave to succeed Pope John Paul I. In respect to him, Wojtyła chose the papal name John Paul II. He was only 58 at the time, and was well-known for his physical vigor. You also may not remember that John Paul II was shot in an assasination attempt in St. Peter’s square in May of 1981 by Mehmet Ali Ağca of Turkey. This shooting almost killed the Pope. He recuperated ultimately, and regained his stamina and vigor for about 4 or 5 more years. By about 1988, kowever, John Paul (Wojtyła) had lost most of his physical prowess quite rapidly, and by the mid-1990’s had gone into free-fall as a deteriorating geriatric case. You say that Arnie mentions 1983 as the date of the visit. John Paul would have been quite strong at that time. I only know this because I followed his pontificate fairly well (I’m 46). Spread the word–Arnie spoke the truth on that one…
Christoph Dollis says
It’s entirely possible the Pope’s physical vigour — and God’s divine intervention ;) — saved his life.
Humour aside, Pope Jean-Paul II was a great man, whatever your feelings on Arnold.
Christoph Dollis says
A couple other people who were shot who also worked out pre-injury and whose muscle and health may have helped them survive: President Ronald Reagan and General David Petreaus.