Richard Simmons, Flamboyant Fitness Icon, Dies at 76

Richard Simmons was easily identifiable in his short shorts, flashy tank tops, and frizzy hair. He was among the most unique, vivid, and popular fitness celebrities in the last 50 years.

Richard Simmons died on Saturday at his Los Angeles home; a spokesman told NPR. He was 76. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department told NPR that officers investigated a death at a Hollywood Hills location. NPR used public records to link the address to Simmons’ house.

Police did not specify the cause of death, but no foul play was suspected.

Richard Simmons built a fitness empire in the 1970s encompassed tapes, classes, books, goods, infomercials, his program, and numerous television appearances.

It helped that his business venture coincided with new technologies – at least in the 1980s. Simmons released fitness classes on VHS cassettes to be played on VCRs. During his lifetime, he created over 65 workout DVDs, including “Sweatin’ to the Oldies,” which sold over 20 million copies.

Milton Teagle Richard Simmons was born in New Orleans and describes himself as a compulsive eater as a child. Others teased and mocked him because of his weight.

“I grew up without any physical education,” he remembered on NPR’s Tell Me More in 2008. “I was 200 pounds in eighth grade. And when I graduated high school, I weighed about 300 pounds. I was a sad, perplexed teenager who couldn’t figure out what I wanted out of life or why I had such a strong relationship with food.

According to Simmons’ website, he experimented with diets and laxatives before settling on “a lifestyle of balance, moderate eating, and exercise.” His life’s job became making exercise enjoyable for all types of bodies.

Simmons started his Beverly Hills studio in 1974, catering to clients looking to reduce weight and fit. It was originally called The Anatomy Asylum, but it was eventually renamed SLIMMONS. It also included one of the earliest salad bars in the area, dubbed “Ruffage.” Simmons remained there until 2013.

Simmons’ exercise technique was lively and inviting. In a commercial for one of his popular “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” videos, he exclaimed, “If you’re looking for a lively, entertaining, stimulating, humorous, colorful, frolicking, playful, inspiring, safe, low-impact workout that’s full of kicks, thrills, gusto, fervor, passion, fury, bustle, and action, you don’t have to look any further.” “This is it!”

No other fitness celebrity resembled Richard Simmons. According to historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, the people in his sessions were unlike anyone else in era-specific fitness films. “They were all different ages and genders. Most notably, many would have been deemed overweight according to the standards of the period.”

According to Petrzela, author of Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America’s Exercise Obsession, the inclusion of overweight individuals in fitness throughout the 1970s and 1980s was groundbreaking. Petrzela says Simmons has recently faced criticism for fat-shaming.

“That criticism is not misplaced,” she argues. “But I also think it’s so important to see the way that … the important work that he did in expanding people’s sense of who deserved to exercise, who was welcome at the gym and who was deserving of finding joy through movement and in communities of movement.”

Richard Simmons became a recluse after reaching his 60s. Many of his fans were perplexed why this outgoing and happy individual remained silent and did not leave his house.

Several films, including one made by TMZ and aired on Fox and Hulu, and the podcast Missing Richard Simmons have explored the topic. Simmons acknowledged his supporters briefly in a message issued in 2022. Previous interviews, including one on the Today show in 2016, mentioned health difficulties and a desire to spend time alone.

Richard Simmons’ philosophy was simple. He advocated for positivism, portion management, and at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity. That message spoke to people who didn’t see themselves in the typical realm of fitness and felt like they were the last person chosen for the squad.

Source: npr.org