Jun 27, 2023 - Things to Do

Columbus is barely a footnote in "Arnold" documentary

Alissa Widman Neese

A statue of Arnold Schwarzenegger flexing. — Columbus' Arnold Schwarzenegger statue on Broad Street, before its 2014 move to the Convention Center. Photo: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

As you know, Columbus loves Arnold Schwarzenegger so much that a giant statue of him is displayed outside our convention center.

Yes but: If you plan to watch Netflix's new "Arnold" documentary to learn more about "The Governator's" love of our city's sports scene and its cream puffs, you'll be disappointed.

Quick take: I finished the three-part series this weekend, and the Arnold Sports Festival is barely a footnote in the last episode's final minutes. Columbus, sadly, isn't mentioned.

Flashback: Schwarzenegger first dethroned bodybuilding king Sergio Oliva in Columbus when he won the 1970 Mr. World contest.

A six-year streak of Mr. Olympia titles followed.
In 2019, Schwarzenegger called the Columbus contest "the most important event of my life."

The bottom line: Schwarzenegger met Jim Lorimer, a longtime friend and business partner, at the 1970 competition. The pair co-founded the massive Columbus festival enjoyed by thousands each spring.

Go deeper: Check this page every Thursday for streaming recommendations from Axios' Maxwell Millington.

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Columbus is barely a footnote in "Arnold" documentary

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