The June 2011 Rx Member of the Month is Dre23! He's a legit powerlifter but his most impressive feat of strength comes from within. Diagnosed with hypothalamic obesity, Dre23 has faced more obstacles than most. Despite these obstacles, Dre23 continues to kick ass both in and out of the gym. As the great Bruce Buffer would say, "it's tiiimmmme." Let's get to know this member and get down to the important questions...
How much can you bench press?
Dre23: If I was a real bodybuilder I would say, "Uh, I don't know because I've never maxed out. It's all about the stimulation man."
Sadly, I must not be a real bodybuilder because I have maxed out. I've done 635lbs. in a bench press shirt when I was 19 years old. I 
don't train for one rep max anymore, but I believe that I am stronger for reps now than I was then. My 'comfort zone' is in the 4-6 rep range, so I've been training with higher reps (sets of 20/15/12/10) to fatigue my muscles first. I've only been back in the gym since January after all of my surgeries, and my strength is returning nicely. These days I do my rep set with 315 and 405 usually.
Do you squat ass to grass?
Dre23: I used to. Since my leg surgery I've got a ton of scar tissue in my right leg that prevents me from going as deep as I want to. If you see my recent leg press video, you can see that despite my big gut getting in the way, I strive to take my leg movements deep.
Who had the best back, Ronnie or Dorian?
Dre23: Dorian's was drier and had that 'paper-thin' quality to his skin that you don't really see anymore. And of course it was huge and detailed. He took the awesome back Lee Haney had to the next level. That 'hanging off the bone' look. Ronnie's back...I must admit that I am a Ronnie fan-boy and his back just crushed all of history's backs! It may not have been as dry as Dorian's but it just was an unfathomable mass of destruction. I even think God looked down and was like, "WTF is that?! Get me my blueprints!"
Let's say you're down to your last $100. The utility bills are due but you're also low on whey. What do you do?
Dre23: Whey??? I don't take no freakin' whey! Humapro baby!!! Naw for real, if that were to happen to me I'd be looking for plus-sized gigolo gigs. Just call me "Chocolate Thunder: The African Wonder". Ladies, half off all services with any KFC coupons!
Let's dig a little deeper. What is hypothalamic obesity and how has it affected you?
Dre23: It's a rare disease caused by the destruction of a portion of the ventromedial hypothalamus, which pretty much controls a whole slew of things in the body. I had a brain tumor when I was 9 and this is how mine was damaged. It controls your bodyweight and I went from a normal sized kid to obese in a few months. There is no cure and doctors said I would be dead due to obesity related diseases by my early 20's. (I'm 29 now!) It also affects your hormones (test, gh, thryoid, andrenals) and I did not go through puberty naturally and will be on HRT for the rest of my life. Also, my body's thermostat is continually off as I am always hot despite the ambient temperature.
It's uncomfortable and cumbersome but that's my life and I try to live it and fight this disease as best as I can. Living the bodybuilding lifestyle has saved my physically, as well as mentally as it provides a great outlet for pent up aggression. When the medical community tells you that you will die, you can tend to get a little hostile, lol.
I can relate. I once bought the wrong size Cardillo boots which made leg day a real bitch. In keeping with the theme of positivity, has anyone ever told you that the staph infection on your leg resembles Angelina Jolie's lips? 
Dre23: There was this mixup when Brad Pitt was in my city for some event and my leg hole was almost molested by Mr. Pitt's "Movie Maker" (as he called it). He was very apologetic though when he realized his mistake. I am allowed to vacation at their summer home because of this though. It all worked out in the end.
If you could ban one member at Rx, who would it be and why?
Dre23: Lol, well there are some who rub me the wrong way (Swede*cough* Youngguns*cough*), but like any family, each member brings some flavor to the party. With an answer like that, I should be in politics.
I've noticed that your avi is often dedicated to women with a great boo-tay. Since Rx Muscle is replete with beautiful women, if you could choose one female Rx Member to help you put on your squat suit.......who would it be?
Dre23: I would have to go with beauty and brains and say SallyAnne simply because she runs shit around here, and as she adjusted my leg/crotch area, it would give me time to talk her into making me a Mod. Oh, and it might make Bryan jealous too...
Great point. Jealousy is the foundation of any healthy relationship. What do you enjoy outside of bodybuilding and powerlifting?
Dre23: I'm a real nerd and I love to read and research just random stuff. All that I've been through medically has caused me to learn how the body works. I'm currently working towards my degree in applied psychology, and hope to be able to help people on that front some day. Movies, and family time and my faith pretty much cover everything else.
Let's play a little this or that. Steak or Sushi?
Dre23: Steak. It's God's natural D-Bol.
Muscle Central or Off Topic?
Dre23: Muscle Central. But I'm biased b/c I'm a creature of habit and haven't given OT a real chance.
Hayley McNeff or Tight Booty?
Dre23: Hmmm...The MILF, or the young stunna? I would have to go with Hayley as she's got the booty (and everything else), and what can I say...Black men love the booty.
The Big Sexy or Aaron Singerman?
Dre23: I thought those were the same people. All white, Jewish bodybuilders look the same to me.
Big Barry or Kenny Kola?
Dre23: Gotta go with Big Barry and his wild gifs!
Dave Palumbo or Jimmy the Bull?
Dre23: I must stick with DP on this one. Not only is he one of the freakiest bodybuilders of all time, he's also a savvy businessman and a marketing/sales genius. He could sell magic water to the masses if he wanted to...
Arnold or Franco?
Dre23: Do people come to the "Franco Columbo Classic" in Ohio every year? Ok, enough said.
You have been through a lot and continue to prove all the so called ‘experts' wrong. I'm guessing you have a great support system. Is there anyone you'd like to thank?
Dre23: I must give a shout out to family who have helped, loved, and supported me since I became sick 20 years ago. Without each and every one of them, I don't know if I would still be here. They are very patient, forgiving, and loving. Most would say I have a boring life, but it is peaceful and fulfilling, and pretty drama free. Despite all that I've been through, I do consider myself to have a blessed life. And I am thankful that the RX community is a part of that. Thank you for giving me a platform with which to share.
