Renowned Fitness Guru Richard Simmons Passes Away

NEW YORK — Richard Simmons, the vibrant television personality known for his enthusiastic approach to physical fitness, passed away on Saturday, having just turned 76 the previous day.

Simmons died in his Los Angeles home, as confirmed by his publicist Tom Estey in an email to The Associated Press. No further details were provided.

The Los Angeles police and fire departments responded to a house, matched to Simmons’ address through public records, where a man was declared dead from natural causes.

After revealing a skin cancer diagnosis in March 2024, Simmons had retreated from the public eye, leading to speculation about his health. His passing was initially reported by TMZ.

A former 268-pound teenager, Simmons mastered multiple media platforms to share his weight-loss journey and fitness tips. He hosted the Emmy-winning “Richard Simmons Show,” authored best-selling books, and introduced the diet plan Deal-A-Meal. His influence extended to exercise videos like the hugely popular “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” series.

“My food plan and diet are just two words — common sense. With a dash of good humor,” he told The Associated Press in 1982. “I want to help people and make the world a healthier, happier place.”

Despite becoming a target for jokes due to his flamboyant outfits and persona, Simmons used mass communication effectively to promote his message. He appeared on prominent TV shows, including those hosted by Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, and Phil Donahue. However, appearances with David Letterman and Howard Stern often ended with him being pranked or teased to the point of tears. He was also parodied in popular culture, including Neil Simon’s “The Goodbye Girl” and Eddie Murphy’s portrayal in “The Nutty Professor.”

Asked if he believed being silly could motivate people, Simmons said, “I think there’s a time to be serious and a time to be silly. It’s knowing when to do it. I try to have a nice combination. Being silly cures depression. It catches people off guard and makes them think. But in between that silliness is a lot of seriousness that makes sense. It’s a different kind of training.”

His daytime show aired on 200 stations across America and internationally in countries like Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan, and South America. His first book, “Never Say Diet,” was a massive best-seller.

Simmons became known for his compassionate approach to helping the severely obese, including individuals like Rosalie Bradford, who held records for being the world’s heaviest woman, and Michael Hebranko, who credited Simmons with helping him lose 700 pounds. His exercise videos featured real people, making the fitness goals attainable for everyone.

Throughout his career, Simmons remained a staunch critic of fad diets, always promoting balanced eating and regular exercise. In 2005, amid the Atkins diet craze, he told the AP, “There’ll always be some weird thing about eating four grapes before you go to bed, or drinking a special tea, or buying this little bean from El Salvador. If you watch your portions and you have a good attitude and you work out every day, you’ll live longer, feel better, and look terrific.”

A New Orleans native, Simmons was a chubby boy named Milton by his parents. He renamed himself “Richard” around the age of 10 to boost his self-confidence. He often said that he overate because he felt his parents favored his older brother. Teased by schoolmates, he eventually grew to nearly 200 pounds.

Simmons’ mother was a regular viewer of fitness guru Jack LaLanne’s TV show, which Simmons initially disliked. “I hated him,” said Simmons. “I wasn’t ready for his message because he was fit and he was healthy and he had such a positive attitude, and I was none of those things.”

While studying in Italy, he appeared in peanut butter commercials and even worked on Federico Fellini’s film “Fellini Satyricon,” where he felt accepted for who he was.

His life took a turn after receiving an anonymous note stating, “Dear Richard, you’re very funny, but fat people die young. Please don’t die.” Shocked, he began a drastic starvation diet that left him ill. Eventually, he developed a sensible, sustainable plan to lose weight.

In his later years, Simmons withdrew from public life, sparking rumors of him being held hostage at his own home. However, in telephone interviews with “Entertainment Tonight” and the “Today” show, Simmons denied these rumors, saying he was enjoying his time alone. In 2017, a podcast titled “Missing Richard Simmons” fueled further speculation.

In 2022, after six years of silence, Simmons’ spokesperson reassured fans that he was “living the life he has chosen.”

Source: The Associated Press, TMZ