Richard Simmons became a cultural phenomenon for helping people get fit! He first began to establish himself in the fitness world by opening his gym Slimmons, but he quickly became a national sensation through media coverage and his subsequent books, videos, and audio recordings, all geared towards helping people get fit with his often aerobics-based workouts. In addition to his own releases, Richard, 75, appeared in numerous TV shows as himself, as well as talk shows and commercials.
It’s been about a decade since Richard made any public appearances, and his absence from the public eye has led to much speculation about what he’s been up to, including some wild rumors. In 2016, Slimmons shut its doors for good, and he’s occasionally released public statements to stop rumors. Most recently, Pauly Shore announced that he’d be starring in biopic about the fitness star, but Richard took to social media to denounce the film.
When Did Richard Simmons Retreat from Public Life?
Richard made his final public appearance in 2014, per The New York Post. Since he stopped making public appearances, many rumors surfaced about what may have been the reason that he seemingly disappeared. There were even a few podcasts and documentaries that questioned why he suddenly stopped making public appearances. It’s been said that he has had issues with his knees, leading him to stay out of the public eye.
What Has He Said Since Leaving the Spotlight?
While he has not made public appearances since 2014, Richard called into Today to dispel a rumor that he was being held against his will in 2016. “I’m doing good. My health is good,” he said briefly in the message. “No one is holding me in my house as a hostage. I do what I want to do as I’ve always done.”
In that interview, Richard also explained that he was having trouble with his knees, and he also said that he wanted to focus on himself rather than public life. “Right now, I just want to sort of just take care of me,” he said. “I just don’t want to be traveling anymore. It certainly has taken its toll on me.” Later, he also said that he was “fine,” and said that he’d be “back,” but didn’t expand on when he’d return.
Despite keeping away from the public, Richard did release a statement in August 2022, thanking fans for birthday wishes. “Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love!” he wrote on Facebook. “Love, Richard.”
Richard Simmons Speaks Out Against Biopic
Pauly Shore announced plans to star in an upcoming biopic about Richard in an Instagram post on January 17. He shared a video of him doing some of Richard’s classic aerobic moves, and spoke about the plans for the film, and where he’s at in the process. Shortly after the announcement, the fitness star revealed that he had not approved the project.
Richard took to his Facebook to share that he hadn’t given permission in a rare statement, where he also explained that he didn’t currently have a manager or publicist. “You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” he wrote. “I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”