Richard Simmons: Difference between revisions
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'''Milton Teagle Simmons''' (born July 12, 1948),<ref name=Birth/> known professionally as '''Richard Simmons''', is an American [[physical fitness|fitness]] [[celebrity|personality]] who promotes weight-loss programs, prominently through his ''Sweatin' to the Oldies'' line of [[aerobics]] videos and is known for his eccentric, outgoing and frequently [[wikt:flamboyant|flamboyant]] personality. Currently, he also provides the voice of Coach Salmons on the Disney Channel animated series ''[[Fish Hooks]].'' |
'''Milton Teagle Simmons''' (born July 12, 1948),<ref name=Birth/> known professionally as '''Richard Simmons''', is an American [[physical fitness|fitness]] [[celebrity|personality]] who promotes weight-loss programs, prominently through his ''Sweatin' to the Oldies'' line of [[aerobics]] videos and is known for his eccentric, outgoing and frequently [[wikt:flamboyant|flamboyant]] personality. Currently, he also provides the voice of Coach Salmons on the [[Disney Channel]] animated series ''[[Fish Hooks]].'' |
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Simmons began his career by opening a gym called Slimmons in [[Beverly Hills, California]], catering to the overweight, and he became widely known through exposure on television and through the popularity of his consumer products. He is often parodied, and a frequent guest of late night television [[talk shows]] such as ''[[The Late Show With David Letterman]]''. Simmons continues to promote health and has broadened his activities to include political activism, notably in support of a bill mandating non-competitive physical education in public schools as a part of the "[[No Child Left Behind]]" act.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=6038493 Richard Simmons Obesity Crusade - ABC News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/kids-arent-well-rounded-theyre-justrounded "Kids Aren't Well-Rounded; They're Just...Rounded" | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
Simmons began his career by opening a gym called Slimmons in [[Beverly Hills, California]], catering to the overweight, and he became widely known through exposure on television and through the popularity of his consumer products. He is often parodied, and a frequent guest of late night television [[talk shows]] such as ''[[The Late Show With David Letterman]]''. Simmons continues to promote health and has broadened his activities to include political activism, notably in support of a bill mandating non-competitive physical education in public schools as a part of the "[[No Child Left Behind]]" act.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=6038493 Richard Simmons Obesity Crusade - ABC News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/kids-arent-well-rounded-theyre-justrounded "Kids Aren't Well-Rounded; They're Just...Rounded" | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
Revision as of 15:08, 10 June 2012
Richard Simmons | |
---|---|
![]() Simmons in September 2011 | |
Born | Milton Teagle Simmons July 12, 1948[1] |
Nationality | American |
Education | Cor Jesu High School |
Alma mater | University of Southwestern Louisiana, Florida State University |
Occupation(s) | Physical fitness expert, voice actor, Political Activist |
Years active | 1974–present |
Television | The Richard Simmons Show Fish Hooks |
Height | 5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m) |
Website | www.RichardSimmons.com |
Milton Teagle Simmons (born July 12, 1948),[1] known professionally as Richard Simmons, is an American fitness personality who promotes weight-loss programs, prominently through his Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos and is known for his eccentric, outgoing and frequently flamboyant personality. Currently, he also provides the voice of Coach Salmons on the Disney Channel animated series Fish Hooks.
Simmons began his career by opening a gym called Slimmons in Beverly Hills, California, catering to the overweight, and he became widely known through exposure on television and through the popularity of his consumer products. He is often parodied, and a frequent guest of late night television talk shows such as The Late Show With David Letterman. Simmons continues to promote health and has broadened his activities to include political activism, notably in support of a bill mandating non-competitive physical education in public schools as a part of the "No Child Left Behind" act.[2][3]
Early life
Richard Simmons was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.[1] Simmons was born to show business parents[4] and raised Catholic in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended Cor Jesu High School (now Brother Martin High School).[5] He was obese throughout his adolescence and by the time he graduated from high school, he weighed 268 pounds.
His first job, in New Orleans, was selling pralines at Leah's.[6] After starting college at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, he transferred to Florida State University. While enrolled there, he studied as an exchange student in Florence, Italy. He graduated with a BA in Art. After graduation, Simmons moved to New York City where he worked in advertising, as a waiter, and for cosmetics companies Revlon and Coty Cosmetics.
Fitness career
Upon moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s, Simmons worked as the Maître d'hotel at Derek's,[7] a restaurant in Beverly Hills. He developed an interest in fitness, but was dissatisfied with the unhealthy fad diet methods[clarification needed] and the established gyms and exercise studios of the day which favored the already fit customer. It was his interest in fitness that helped him lose 123 lb (56 kg).
Simmons later opened his own exercise studio, originally called The Anatomy Asylum, where emphasis was placed on healthy eating in proper portions and enjoyable exercise in a supportive atmosphere. The business originally included a salad bar restaurant called "Ruffage," the name a pun on the word roughage (dietary fiber), though it was eventually removed as the focus of the Asylum shifted solely to exercise.[8] Now called Slimmons, the establishment continues operations in Beverly Hills, and Simmons teaches motivational classes and aerobics throughout the week.[9]
On February 16, 2010, Simmons was on the Dr. Oz Show. At that time it was stated that Simmons has kept off his own 100+ pound weight loss for 42 years, has been helping others lose weight for 35 years, and that in the course of his fitness career has helped humanity lose approximately 12,000,000 pounds.[10] Simmons now uses the web as a method of outreach by running his own membership based website, and also indicates on his home page that he has established official pages on numerous social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube.[11]
In media
Simmons began to draw media attention due to the success of his health club that began with him on the television show Real People where he was shown at work. He introduced customers whom he had helped to lose weight. He later made guest roles on the celebrity game shows: Battlestars, Body Language, Super Password, the ABC version of Match Game, the syndicated version of Hollywood Squares, Win, Lose or Draw and Nickelodeon's Figure It Out.
Positive viewer reaction landed Simmons a recurring role as himself on the American soap opera General Hospital,[12] over a four-year period.[13] This in turn led to further media notoriety, as well as being in shopping malls, where he taught exercise classes. In the early 1980s, Simmons hosted two shows; Slim Cookin, and an Emmy Award-winning talk show, The Richard Simmons Show, in which he focused on personal health, fitness, exercise, and healthy cooking.
Simmons has been featured as himself on numerous TV shows, including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, CHiPs, Saturday Night Live, The Larry Sanders Show and on an episode of Arrested Development, "Bringing Up Buster". In 1999, he hosted a short lived TV show called DreamMaker. Eight years later he filmed a pledge drive special for PBS, called Love Yourself and Win.
Simmons has been featured in TV advertisements for Sprint, Yoplait, Herbal Essence Shampoos,and toward the end of 2007, he was in a "This is SportsCenter" commercial on ESPN as the show's "conditioning coach." In Canada, Simmons was in an advertisement for Simmons mattresses. The mattress company hired the exercise celebrity because of the similarity in name, and for his appeal to the company's target audience of women over 35[citation needed]. Beyond this, there is no further business partnership between the two.
For three years, he hosted a radio show on Sirius Stars, Sirius Satellite Radio channel 102, called Lighten Up with Richard Simmons. The show is no longer in production.
- Simmons was a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show in the 1990s. While he resolved at one point to refuse future involvement after Stern insulted him one too many times, he finally was on Stern's show on November 16, 2006, then returned again January 24, 2012.[14]
- Simmons was also a frequent guest on Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) and The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS).[15] On November 22, 2000, they had a falling out after an incident that occurred on that night's show. Simmons (while dressed as a turkey) was sprayed in the face by Letterman with a fire extinguisher after Simmons grabbed Letterman as if to hug or kiss him, causing Simmons to have a severe asthma attack.[16] Simmons did not attend the Letterman show for six years, finally returning on November 29, 2006. During that time, Letterman once again set Simmons up for a prank. While Richard Simmons was demonstrating a steamer branded with his name, Letterman insisted on placing a tray under the steamer which Simmons did not believe belonged there. When Simmons turned the steamer on, something in the tray exploded and caught fire. Though initially frightened, Simmons took the incident in fairly good nature, even joking that he "felt like Michael Jackson" (referring to a mishap where Jackson's hair was set on fire by a pyrotechnics accident).[17]
- Simmons also was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He and Leno went door-to-door to market Simmons' health program, only to have people spew as many insults at him as they could.[citation needed]
- Simmons was a guest on the U.S. version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?
- Simmons is on tracks 1 and 10 of Bob Rivers's 1997 holiday album More Twisted Christmas.
- Simmons has multiple times been on The Glenn Beck Program on HLN.[18]
- Simmons is featured heavily in the film clip of 'Hawker Boat' by Tobacco, taken from the album Fucked Up Friends.[19]
- Simmons provides the voice for Coach Salmons, a reoccurring character modeled after his own likeness, for Disney Channel's animated television series Fish Hooks, a Disney Channel Original Series that premiered on September 24, 2010. On December 8, 2010, it was announced that the show has been picked up for a second season.[20]
- In 2011, Simmons starred in "Fit to Fly with Richard Simmons", an Air New Zealand inflight safety briefing video modeled after his aerobic workouts.[21]
Personal life
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Richard_Simmons_2007-08-15.jpg/220px-Richard_Simmons_2007-08-15.jpg)
Personality
Simmons is noted for his flamboyant, high-energy, motivational demeanor, an attribute he uses to help encourage people to lose weight. His high energy level is always featured in his workout videos. His trademark attire is candy-striped Dolfin shorts and tank tops decorated with Swarovski crystals.[citation needed].
Simmons is known for interacting at a personal level with people using his products. This began by personally answering fan mail he received as a cast member of General Hospital. Simmons still personally answers emails and letters, and makes hundreds of phone calls each week to those who seek his help.[22] He also talked to people on the air during his radio show, and holds weekly live chats in the "clubhouse" area of his website. His appearances also include a "meet and greet" time, so that people can speak to him one on one.[citation needed]
Simmons claims to have few friends, saying "I don't have a lot to offer to one person. I have a lot to offer to a lot of people." Aside from his three Dalmatians and two maids, Simmons lives alone in the Hollywood Hills.[22] Although there has been frequent speculation about his sexual orientation due to his campy personality, Simmons has never publicly discussed his sexuality.[23][24][25][26][27]
Hurricane Katrina response
In September 2005 Simmons was on Entertainment Tonight to discuss the effects of Hurricane Katrina on his family in his hometown of New Orleans and his involvement in aiding those affected by the hurricane. On August 29, 2006 Simmons was on Your World with Neil Cavuto while making a return visit to New Orleans one year after the flooding, a visit he repeated on March 2, 2007, now talking about his recent trip to Washington D.C. to promote and raise awareness about The Strengthening Physical Education Act of 2007 (bill HR 1224).
Print and other media
Books
- Never Say Diet ISBN 0-517-40284-X
- Never Say Diet Cookbook
- The Better Body Book
- Reach for Fitness: A Special Book of Exercises for the Physically Challenged Warner Books 1986 ISBN 0-446-51302-4
- Deal-A-Meal Cookbook
- Richard Simmons' Never Give Up: Inspirations, Reflections, Stories of Hope Warner Books, 1984 ISBN 0-446-60085-7
- Farewell to Fat Atlantic Books 2002 ISBN 1-57719-102-1
- Sweetie Pie
- Still Hungry After All These Years: My Story Gt Pub Corp 1999 ISBN 1-57719-356-3
- The FoodMover Cookbook
- Cookin' on Broadway
- Steam Away the Pounds
Audio
Analog compact cassette
- Project Me (six tape set)
- Sweatin' and Sharin'
- Colors of Your Life (single tape)
- Colors of Your Life (six tape set)
- Secrets of the Winners (single tape)
- Take a Walk
- Take a Hike
- Take a Classical Walk
- Walk Across America
- Walkin' on Broadway
- Walk Around the World
- Never Give Up (book on tape, read by Simmons)
Compact disc
- Richard Picks the Hits, Volume 1
- Richard Picks the Hits, Volume 2
- Country Cardio
- Oh Happy Day
- Fitness Fiesta
- Wicked Workout
- Big Screen Burn
- Shimmy Into Shape
- In the Mood to Lose
- Classical Chillout
Vinyl record
- Reach (Elektra Records, 1983)
Digital compact cassette
- Colors of Your Life (single tape) (Goodtimes Entertainment, BASF 90 Min. 1998)
Visual media
DVD
- Richard Simmons and the Silver Foxes
- Disco Sweat
- 60's Blast Off
- 80's Blast Off
- SuperSweatin': Party Off the Pounds
- SuperTonin': Totally Tonin
- SuperTonin': Totally Tonin' with Toning Rings
- Sit Tight
- Sweatin' to the Oldies
- Sweatin' to the Oldies 2
- Sweatin' to the Oldies 3
- Sweatin' to the Oldies 4
- Sweatin' to the Oldies 5
- Love Yourself and Win
- Boogie Down the Pounds
- Tonin' to the Oldies
Video cassette
- Everyday with Richard Simmons
- The Stomach Formula
- Get Started
- Reach for Fitness
- Richard Simmons and the Silver Foxes
- Sweatin' to the Oldies
- Sweatin' to the Oldies 2
- Sweatin' to the Oldies 3
- Sweat and Shout (also sold as Sweatin to the Oldies 4)
- Day By Day (Volumes 1-12)
- Pump and Sweat
- Step and Sweat
- Tone and Sweat
- Disco Sweat
- Stretchin' to the Classics
- Dance Your Pants Off!
- Tonin' Uptown
- Tonin' Downtown
- Groovin' In The House
- The Ab Formula
- No Ifs Ands or Butts
- Love to Stretch
- Blast Off
- Broadway Sweat
- Tone Up On Broadway
- Broadway Blast Off
- Platinum Sweat
- Sit Tight
- Latin Blast Off (also marketed as Sudar Mucho)
- Mega Mix Blast Off
- Mega Mix 2 Blast Off
- Disco Blast Off
- 60's Blast Off
- 80's Blast Off
- Blast and Tone
Notes
- ^ a b c d "Richard Simmons". IMDb. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
- ^ Richard Simmons Obesity Crusade - ABC News
- ^ "Kids Aren't Well-Rounded; They're Just...Rounded" | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
- ^ Simmons (1999) p.21-32
- ^ Brother Martin High School
- ^ Chandler, Rick (January 19, 2007). "Church of Richard Simmons: Fitness advocate leads workout at Stateline". Tahoe Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
- ^ Simmons, R (1999) Still Hungry After All These Years, ISBN 1-57719-356-3, p.157
- ^ Simmons, R. (1999) p.177-184
- ^ Romano, Tricia (December 23, 2009). "A Celebrity Sweats: It's Richard!". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ Richard Simmons' Story, Pt. 2 | The Dr. Oz Show
- ^ Richard Simmons Official Site and Clubhouse: Weight Loss and Fitness Tools and Motivation
- ^ Richard Simmons - IMDb
- ^ Richard Simmons Official Site and Clubhouse: Weight Loss and Fitness Tools and Motivation
- ^ McShane, Larry (2007-02-07). "Stars cross paths at Sirius studios". North Jersey Media Group. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
- ^ Richard Simmons (I)
- ^ McIntee, Michael Z. (December 26, 2006). "Show #2661". CBS Late Show with David Letterman. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
- ^ Richard Simmons Steamer: richard simmons exploding steamer hilarious david letterman clip
- ^ "CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ YouTube - Tobacco - Hawker Boat
- ^ http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2010/doc/dc_new_120810.doc
- ^ YouTube - Канал користувача airnewzealand
- ^ a b Pang, Kevin (2008-06-04). "The many secrets of Richard Simmons". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
- ^ Sullivan, Andrew (12 December 1999). "The Way We Live Now: Counter Culture; Not a Straight Story". New York Times. p. §6 p.4. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ Garelick, Rhonda (September 1995). "Outrageous Dieting: The Camp Performance of Richard Simmons". Postmodern Culture. 6 (1). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISSN 1053-1920.
- ^ Kendall, Lori (22 March 2008). "James Bond, Peter Pan, and A Sticky Night of Love: irony and masculinities in amateur animated videos". The Journal of Men's Studies. 16 (2): 124. ISSN 1060-8265.
The montage of Gay Peter Pan's phone contacts includes out celebrities like Richard Simmons and Rosie O'Donnell
- ^ Rinaldi, Ray Mark (23 April 2000). "Heroes are hard to find when the're hiding". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. F3.
We've always allowed gay men on the tube — did anyone besides my grandmother really think Liberace was heterosexual? What about Paul Lynde? Richard Simmons? — but the rules are clear. It's all right to be a flamer as long as you agree to keep it secret
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^
Wieder, Judy (21 January 2003). "The real Rosie: 365 days of amazing challenges and feisty decisions turned America's sweethheart into the fighter she's always been—and The Advocate's leading lady for 2002. (Person of the Year)". The Advocate (15): 52. ISSN 0001-8996.
When Kathy Kinney came on my show and outed Richard Simmons, I didn't try to "in" Richard Simmons. The gay community accused me of in-ing Richard Simmons, like I was trying to make people think that he was straight. I will tell you this: If Richard Simmons ever wants to discuss his private life with me on national TV, he's welcome to do so. It is not anyone else's right to do that before he decides it's time. That's the reason I said to Kathy Kinney, "We'll be right back with a commercial." I'm simply saying that that right belongs to him. [Loudly] And no matter what community you feel he's a part of or what he represents to you, it is not as relevant as his own truth.
References
- Richard Simmons 2006 Interview on Sidewalks Entertainment
- Richard Simmons discusses his physical education campaign with education blogger Kevin Carey
- Richard Simmons audio interview on physical education at Education Week
- Interview with Richard Simmons
- Richard Simmons Pushes to Get Kids Active in School interview with USA Today
- Fitness Guru Takes Message to Congress on NPR
External links
- 1948 births
- Living people
- Aerobic exercise
- American exercise instructors
- American health and wellness writers
- American motivational writers
- American radio personalities
- American television personalities
- American voice actors
- Florida State University alumni
- People from New Orleans, Louisiana
- American restaurateurs