People, Who Need People

Jack Dempsey

A-Swing-and-a-Missss

Lovable, interesting and exceedingly handsome, Jack Dempsey is a Scott Fitness front-desk employee, an avid music lover and a devout Royals fan. His dream is to be a radio disk jockey (he currently interns at 96.5 The Buzz). He also regularly contributes to royalsreview.com - a Kansas City Royals blog site. He's known for entertaining Scott Fitness members with his Royals players imitations, while Scott Fitness staff enjoys reading the off-the-wall thoughts that he includes in his shift reports, as well as his hilariously outlandish 'episodes' involving Scott Fitness staff.

Episode Samples:

1.17, The Modeling Contest New SF trainer and well-known model, Barry, enters a modeling contest, which takes place at the gym. Jealous of Barry's good looks, Mobley, Harvey and Darren attempt to enter the contest, but Mobley and Darren lose out. Harvey eventually beats Barry to the cover of several local magazines - posing live with several bikini-clad women and motorcycles in many frames. 1.13, The Obnoxious Gym Member (i.e. The Grunter) A gym member causes a ruckus in the gym by constantly leaving his weights out, grunting loudly, and sweating everywhere. John and Jonetta hesitate to react, because they have never canceled anyone for such conduct before. They soon discover that this particular member has been pilfering gum and coffee, too.

Jack Dempsey

An Inside Look

"I began working out at Scott Fitness in 2004, with former tennis star and international playboy, John Mobley. (His playing career was ended by his sudden and haphazard decision to become an international playboy.) As I began working out for a baseball career in high school and college, J.K. Mobley, as I call him, taught me valuable life lessons in the fitness community. It was upon my first workout that I realized that Mobley, in fact, has a heart of stone. He taught me the valuable concept of 'No Pain, No Gain', as I endured many, many hours of burpees, upright rows, and Turkish giddyups. Anyone know what these strenuous, inhumane-sounding activities are? Neither do I. But I do know that I have suffered through them; and they huuuurrrtttt ... badly. Every day when I walk into the gym, he ensures me that a bloodbath will ensue. Usually, he's right.

My workouts with Mobley led to an utter (and perhaps disgustingly obsessive) fascination with the gym - like no other fascination I have had, maybe with the possible exceptions of Latin mambo music and an irrational addiction to the sheer decade-long domination of the Kansas City Royals baseball club.

In December 2006, I pleaded with John Scott, who was reluctant at first, to let me work at Scott Fitness. After singing the Luna Ganduna and yodeling at one of the art parties, Scott finally, but reluctantly, decided to hand me the weekend shifts. But only if I continued to sing the Luna and yodel at future parties. (I did. And it's still embarrassing. Those of you who know me well understand that I also have a caffeine addiction. I need sympathy, folks. But I digress ...)

Scott Fitness is one of the communities that provides as an 'escape' for me. Maybe it's the artwork, maybe it's the techno, maybe it's the coffee, maybe it's all three ... or maybe it's just the techno. Scott Fitness is my comfort zone: the friendly trainers, the intriguing co-workers, the fascinating tenants. This gym is like a melting pot of different personalities. I love it. It is my escape.

'You can run. You can hide. But you can't escape my love.' ~ Enrique Iglesias

You can slap me now for quoting Enrique. But I'm so proud of myself for mentioning the term 'melting pot'.

Throughout my weeks, months, and years here in the Scott Fitness community, I have grown quite accustomed to the music selection – notably, the '80s pop and techno. While I'm carrying dirty, sweaty, soiled hand towels to and from the washing machines, restlessly struggling to find the closed captioning function on the television remote, or pumping my fist and shouting with glee after an Alex Gordon home run, you might catch me singing some of the great Scott Fitness tunes - usually butchering the lyrics as I always do: Seriously, though, while I'm cavorting around the gym, discussing the latest Royals happenings with you, the innocent gym rat, I usually try not to bite. The only time I will bite is when a circumstance you can't control – a Royals loss – has left me upset for the evening, longing still for some more Morrissey.

One of the things I have discussed with John Scott is beginning a Scott Fitness sitcom, starring John, Jonetta, and of course, you – the customer! That's still in the works, but we have plenty of great ideas. Hey, if you have any suggestions drop me a line. I work afternoons at River Market on the weekends, and occasionally you can catch me suffering through a John Mobley butcher session at Westport. But don't you suggest anything that involves a surfboard and a shark, I've heard it already."

Scott Fitness is Haunted!!!

Jack Dempsey Shift Report: December 01, 2008

"I mentioned to John about strange noises in the gym. As an avid paranormal buff myself, it may be my active imagination, but hey ... don't judge! I've heard several noises in the gym the last few nights I've worked here. Last night, I heard many noises coming from the back of the gym when nobody was here. Today, under the same circumstances (fans, heat, etc.) I didn't hear anything from the back. However, when I was cleaning one of the bathrooms, I heard audible clanking noises coming from the bathroom next door... but nobody was there. (Nobody was in the gym at the time).

They say ghosts feed off energy. A gym would certainly be a place with a lot of human energy! I wonder if anyone has reported objects being moved or standing out of place? Any strange 6 a.m. stories? My sitcom idea has come to life! Oh, joy!

(Also, when in the back of the gym, something tapped me on the shoulder and asked me when Jonetta's Project Poolside class was. Awestruck, I thought this was a ghost ... but it was John Scott himself. (Damn. Get a tan, John!)"

Famous Dempseys in History:

Actor, Patrick Dempsey	Former Baltimore Orioles Catcher, Rick Dempsey	The Fish, Jack Dempsey	Boxing Champion, Jack Dempsey
And, finally, Scott Fitness Tiddlywinks, Solitaire, and smack-talking champion, Jack Dempsey. (No relation to any of the former ... except the fish, of course.)