Diary of a Muscle God

·52 min·5 clips

Thomas Terry's white blood count hit 32,000 before chemo, a shocking number that reveals the severity of his autoimmune disorder.

This episode features bodybuilder and social media personality Thomas Terry, known for his Game of Swoles Instagram account and work as a "muscle god" in erotic muscle worship videos. Hosts Fausto Fernos and Mark Fillion interview Terry about his recent diagnosis of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, a condition where his white blood cells attack his red blood cells. Terry details his weekly chemotherapy treatment with the drug rituximab, aimed at resetting his immune system, and his concurrent use of corticosteroids like prednisone to suppress it. He explains his white blood count reached 32,000, far above the normal high of 11,000, and his hemoglobin dropped to about 5, with 13.4 being a normal level. Terry describes nearly dying twice, requiring emergency blood transfusions when his body couldn't carry oxygen effectively. Despite medical advice to rest, he continues to train, recently squatting 385 pounds, and notes his high elevation living in Colorado exacerbates his breathing difficulties. The conversation shifts to his social media presence, where biceps flexing photos garner the most engagement, and his side hustle creating custom muscle worship videos for a site called Church of Muscle Worship. Terry reveals he was approached by a company asking him to remove "LGBT ally" from his Instagram bio for an affiliate deal, which he refused. He shares personal motivations for this allyship, citing a gay cousin beaten to death in jail and a friend abandoned by his parents after coming out. He criticizes fitness influencers like Davey Muscle and Logan Franklin for hypocrisy and anti-LGBT rhetoric. Terry maintains he is a natural athlete, never using anabolic steroids, and outlines physical signs of steroid use like gynecomastia, severe acne, and hair loss. He expresses frustration with the industry pressure to use performance enhancers to achieve top-level success, referencing bodybuilder Zyzz who died young. Terry's diet consists of low-fat, high-carb foods like pancakes, burgers, and protein shakes, which he says aligns with his medical needs. He works as a corrections officer in a women's prison and discusses maintaining strict professional boundaries there. The episode concludes with Terry facing substantial medical bills despite insurance, as each chemo treatment costs $10,000 and emergency room visits carry a $500 copay. The tone is candid and conversational, blending personal health struggles with discussions of fitness culture, social media, and sexuality. Listeners interested in bodybuilding, chronic illness journeys, or the business of adult content creation would find this episode compelling. Those seeking a purely lighthearted fitness interview or who are uncomfortable with discussions of medical procedures and erotic content might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A candid look at muscle worship, illness, and the uneasy politics of a sculpted body.

Thomas Terry's story sits between bodybuilding spectacle, internet fetish culture, and a serious health crisis. The episode moves from muscle worship videos and social-media performance to chemotherapy and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, while keeping one question in view: how…

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want bodybuilding chatter with real vulnerability underneath.

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