When steroids are mentioned in conjunction with bodybuilding, you very rarely see people react in shock. “A three hundred pound mass monster who is jacked and shredded is on steroids?! Say it ain’t so!” It’s a very unlikely declaration to hear. But, hearing that your favorite actor or entertainment personality is using anabolic substances is always a bit surprising. While they may not be athletes whose reputations hinge on physical performance as well as fair competition, there’s a stigma that using steroids will tarnish your reputation. That’s what makes the discovery that Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, and WWE superstar Roman Reigns are being accused of having a connection to a steroid dealer alarming.

Convicted steroid dealer Richard Rodriguez broke his silence in a recent phone interview naming the three stars as past clients. According to TMZ, Rodriguez claims that these three stars all used aliases in hopes of covering their tracks.

At this point, Rodriguez’s accounts can be considered hearsay. That said, it’s never a great thing to be accused of taking a substance as controversial as steroids and trying to hide your tracks in hopes of protecting your image. Again, nothing is confirmed, but naming Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, and Roman Reigns so publicly like this has potential to damage their reputations, particularly in the fitness industry.

There’s a big marketplace celebrity fitness and to suggest that these men didn’t get their gains through natural means could be as good as getting a black eye on your reputation of putting in work in the gym. Hard training is still required to get in incredible shape, but the addition of steroids gives the impression that they got some extra help.

So why does all that matter? After all, save for Roman Reigns, Mark Wahlberg and Josh Duhamel aren’t involved in athletics on a competitive level. You could even argue the same for Roman Reigns though he does toss other grown men around a ring. The damaging part are fans and onlookers who believe they have the chance to potentially get in the same kind of shape as these stars through virtue of hard work and dedication to training. It’s a major selling point for the celebrity fitness industry after all, “All it takes is some hard work and a great diet plan!” With steroid allegations it opens the window to the idea that celebrities get all their gains through other means at that the masses are all being lied to.

While these are still just hearsay comments it doesn’t change the fact that they could have a major impact on the lives of these famous individuals. Below you can hear the full interview from the accuser himself Richard Rodriguez.

What do you make of the allegations against Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, and Roman Reigns?

Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.