His reputation as the pioneering fitness guru of the 1980s, with his classic Sweatin’ to the Oldies workout videos, is the stuff of legend. His colorful personality earned him both kudos and ridicule. Once seen never forgotten, Richard Simmons was an enduring presence in American media, but what motivated the motivator? The following are 10 revealing facts about the finely-tuned fitness instructor.
Religion was nearly Richard Simmons’ calling
Richard Simmons nearly wound up wearing a collar, instead of spandex. Born in New Orleans in 1948, he embraced Catholicism from a young age; after leaving high school, he spent nearly two years at a Dominican seminary in Iowa. Speaking to the Chicago Tribune in 1984, the fitness guru shared, “I didn’t look anything like a priest […] I was rather on the loud side. I mean, there was nothing calm or poetic about this mouth of mine.”
That being said, the experience did inform his later life. “I may not be performing my exercises in a church, but my exercise studios are a religious experience,” he said.
A pioneer of video…
…Not in technical terms, but in relation to his audience. Video put famous faces like Jane Fonda in people’s homes, although the chances of viewers resembling celebrities were unlikely. With his Sweatin’ to the Oldies (as in music) series, Richard Simmons put all types of individuals in the frame, which made his productions stand out, as well as sell untold copies – we’re talking more than 20 million.
“Being an instructor, you have a lot of responsibility,” Simmons told Biography, saying, among other things, that “you have to keep them motivated” and “you have to kind of spin a web around someone, a spell, that they don’t think they’re working out.”
This sensitive approach was much appreciated by the public.
Richard Simmons appeared in two Frederico Fellini films
Richard Simmons was something of a performer. His role on General Hospital (1963-present) was testament to that. His interest in acting led him to work for one of the all-time great art house directors, Federico Fellini. Both Satyricon (1969) and The Clowns (1970) feature Simmons, although not in the form audiences know him today.
When he slimmed down, the fitness guru reportedly destroyed all pictorial evidence of his former self. This makes Fellini’s movies an unexpected, yet unique record of how things used to be.
Replacing Alex Trebek on ValueTelevision
Late Jeopardy! (1964-present) host Alex Trebek was the initial face of ValueTelevision, a 1987 home shopping show. Occupying an hour-long slot, it was hoped distributor Lorimar had a hit on their hands. Unfortunately, viewers simply weren’t buying it, so Richard Simmons was brought in to replace Trebek and get the nation purchasing.
Even his enthusiastic sales pitches couldn’t inspire couch potatoes, meaning the program went off-air soon after.
Richard Simmons avoided restaurants
In 2008, Richard Simmons was being interviewed by the Denver Post, where it was revealed restaurants weren’t exactly his favorite places. “Rarely does he do restaurants because people are always curious about what’s on Simmons’ plate,” the piece states.
The fitness guru also reportedly felt uncomfortable about eating around other diners while staying in hotels. This was due to the pressure his presence would place on their meal choices, meaning he often kept out of the way and ordered room service.
David Letterman nearly put Richard Simmons in hospital
Soap operas, game shows and movie makers were only too keen to have the eye-catching Richard Simmons appear on-screen. He had some small-screen shows of his own and, naturally, the talk show circuit wanted a piece of the fitness craze action.
He visited the Late Show with David Letterman (1983-2015) on numerous occasions, where the host would have fun pranking his larger than life guest. However, when talking to Men’s Health, Simmons was under the impression he wasn’t liked. “You’re just not allowed to talk to him,” he told the publication. “Or if you are, he’s very standoffish […] Maybe that’s just how he is with me, I don’t know.”
Tensions existed between them when, in 2000, Letterman sprayed Simmons with a fire extinguisher, triggering an asthma attack. Despite expressing love for the awkward interview master, the fitness guru stayed away from the Late Show for six years after the incident.
Richard Simmons really loved his dogs
For Richard Simmons, man’s best friend was definitely his dog – or, rather, dogs. The Denver Post wrote that he named his three canines “after characters from Gone With the Wind (Scarlett, Pittypat, Melanie).” While he was away, he wanted the trio to know they weren’t far from his thoughts, so he’d call “his house every night to talk with his dogs and sing to them.”
Now that’s doggy devotion.
Sarcasm? No thanks
Richard Simmons came across as a fun personality, but, like anybody, he had his sore spots. A passenger at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix found that out the hard way in 2004, when he made a less-than-courteous remark in the fitness guru’s direction.
It’s said the man had spotted Simmons and shouted, “Hey, everybody, it’s Richard Simmons. Let’s drop our bags and rock to the ‘50s.'” The rocker in question responded by going up to the man (described as a “motorcycle salesman who stands more than six feet tall and competes in the martial-arts sport of cage fighting”) and slapped him in the face!
An assault charge was leveled, but the matter was settled out of court.
Richard Simmons never shied away from giving advice
Richard Simmons disliked competitiveness and shaming in the field of fighting fat. However, that didn’t stop him from talking to strangers he felt needed a quiet word about their weight. A patron at an eatery may well have received a surprise when Simmons took a seat and talked to them about their ill-advised, yet delicious food choices.
When interviewed by Biography, the fitness guru said of these interactions, “My job is to give them hope. Because with hope you can cope. I’m a good listener, and then I try to give them the best advice I can give them.”
An anonymous note kickstarted Richard Simmons’ fitness career
Richard Simmons’ career in fitness began through unconventional means. The New York Times did a feature in 1981 referencing an unsolicited source who left a note on his car in 1968. It read, “Fat people die young. Please don’t die.” Whether this was down to his job as a plus size model or other reasons, the young Simmons took the random communication to heart. Sadly, this led him to develop an eating disorder, surviving on lettuce and water for over two months.
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Whatever the misguided intentions of the anonymous note writer, it took Simmons’ life in a positive direction. “Hey, I became a millionaire,” he told the Chicago Tribune. “I became successful, but I still don’t look like Tom Selleck. I look like the best Richard Simmons I can be, and that’s good enough for me.”