Before there was Peloton or Instagram abs, there was Soloflex — and, honey, it had the gays in a chokehold. The home-gym device turned into a cultural sensation in 1983, thanks in no small part to a smoldering, slightly robotic infomercial featuring the golden-tressed dreamboat Scott Madsen. With a body carved out of marble and a stare that could melt VHS tape, Madsen became the thirst trap of Reagan-era America — even if he didn’t exactly lean into his queer following.
Soloflex itself was the brainchild of Jerry Wilson, who introduced it in the late ‘70s but saw it blow up after mass exposure across thousands of cable networks in the early ‘80s. The twist? Many of the channels aired the infomercial for free, simply to fill space. That kind of wild-west media moment gave Soloflex a launchpad into millions of homes — and soon, it was pulling in $18 million annually, the equivalent of over $55 million today. Not bad for a bunch of resistance bands.
Poster Boy Pecs and Closet Controversy
But let’s get back to Madsen, shall we? The gym bunny-turned-mannequin-mascot quickly became the object of gay affection across the country, adorning the pages of The Scott Madsen Poster Book (yes, that was a thing, and yes, it now fetches $150 a copy). He was also the face of the brand in its hottest era. Despite being a certified gay awakening for many viewers, reports about his reaction to queer attention were mixed. Some said he was shy. Others claimed he was uncomfortable. Either way, the homoerotic subtext of the entire campaign was about as subtle as a tank top at a leather bar.
In classic ‘80s corporate panic, Soloflex soon tried to “straighten up” its image, hiring Olympian Mitch Gaylord (subtle) and model Randy Potter, whose name alone sounds like a gay club promoter’s alias. Let’s just say, it didn’t exactly kill the gay appeal.
Fame Fizzles and Scandals Flex In
Scott’s star faded quicker than a Miami tan. He wrote a book (Peak Condition), did a promo tour, and eventually slipped into post-poster obscurity. But in a twist no one saw coming (unless you follow the tragic trajectory of most ‘80s hunks), Madsen was sentenced in 2010 for embezzling from his uncle’s mortgage firm. From flexing biceps to flexing legal loopholes — we hate to see it.
To this day, rumors persist about whether he’s even alive. A man matching his name and age reportedly died in 2015, but public records suggest that Scott Severin Madsen, born in 1962, is still with us — though firmly off the grid. In a poetic twist, he outlived the Soloflex itself, which was officially discontinued in 2023.
A Queer Cultural Footnote That Still Slaps
The Soloflex saga — and Madsen’s fleeting moment of ‘80s lustful glory — is more than retro eye candy. It’s a snapshot of how gay aesthetics quietly shaped mainstream advertising, even when the mainstream pretended not to notice. Behind the greased pecs and stiff infomercial scripts was a subtext that queer viewers picked up loud and clear: strength is sexy, and sexy doesn’t always mean straight.
Soloflex may be dead, and Madsen may be a mystery, but the impact on queer pop culture? Eternal.