Richard Simmons

For other people named Richard Simmons, see Richard Simmons (disambiguation).

Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons, August 15, 2007
Born	Milton Teagle Simmons (1948-07-12) July 12, 1948 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
Occupation	physical fitness expert
Height	5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m)
Website	http://www.richardsimmons.com

Richard Simmons (born Milton Teagle Richard Simmons July 12, 1948) is a fitness expert who promotes weight-loss programs, most famously through a line of aerobics videos and television programs. He is known for his humor and flamboyant personality.

Early life

Richard Simmons was born on July 12, 1948 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Simmons was raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana and attended Cor Jesu High School(now Brother Martin High School). He was an obese child, weighing 268 pounds at the time of his high school graduation.

His first job, in New Orleans, was selling pralines. After starting college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 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. With his Art degree, Simmons worked in advertising in New York City and also for Coty Cosmetics and Revlon. During his time in New York he also worked as a waiter.

Fitness career

Upon moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s, Simmons worked as the Maître d' at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. He became interested in fitness, but was dissatisfied with the unhealthy fad diet methods and established gyms and exercise studios of the day which favored the already fit customer.

Although he was overweight in his younger days, after becoming interested in fitness, Simmons eventually lost .

He later opened his own exercise studio, originally called The Anatomy Asylum, where the emphasis was placed on providing encouragement on healthy eating in proper portions and enjoyable exercise. The business originally included a salad bar restaurant called "Ruffage," that he eventually removed in favor of focusing on exercise. The establishment, now called Slimmons, continues to operate in Beverly Hills, California and Simmons teaches motivational classes and aerobics throughout the week.

Recently, Simmons has begun a push to get physical education incorporated into the No Child Left Behind Act [1]. He reports having met with Rep. George Miller (politician), the chairman of the House education committee, in hope of winning the Democrat's support for a plan to have elementary schools provide 150 minutes of PE each week.

Media attention

With his business proving highly successful, Simmons began to draw media attention, beginning with an appearance on the television show Real People where he was shown at work and introduced customers whom he had helped to lose weight. Positive viewer reaction landed Simmons a recurring role as himself on the American soap opera General Hospital [2], which in turn led to further media focus as well as personal appearances in shopping malls, where he taught exercise classes. For a time in the early 1980s, Simmons even had an Emmy Award winning talk show, The Richard Simmons Show, where he focused on personal health, fitness, exercise, and healthy cooking.

Simmons has appeared as himself on numerous TV shows, including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, CHiPs and Saturday Night Live. He has also appeared on an episode of Arrested Development called "Bringing Up Buster". He hosted a short lived TV show called DreamMaker in 1999. Simmons has been featured in commercials for Sprint Cellular Phones, and Herbal Essence Shampoos. In Canada, Simmons has appeared on television advertisements promoting Simmon's mattresses in Canada (the company is a division of the US-based Simmons Bedding Company,) although, Simmons has no business connection with the company, other than through advertisement (strictly based on his name). The company has stated that they hired him purely on name and that he appeals to their target audience of women over 35.

He currently has a show on Sirius Stars, Sirius Satellite Radio channel 102, called Lighten Up with Richard Simmons, Sundays 3pm - 6pm ET live, with replays of the previous week before the live show, and the current week replays airing after the live show .

Personal life

Personality

Simmons is notable for his high-energy and motivational demeanor, an attribute he often uses to help encourage people to lose weight. His trademark attire is candy-striped Dolfin shorts and tank tops decorated with Swarovski crystals.

Simmons has always been known for his "personal touch," interacting at a personal level with the people using his products. This began when he started personally answering fan mail he received while 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. He also talks 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.

Controversy

On March 24, 2004, Simmons was arrested and charged with assault after allegedly slapping Chris Farney, a motorcycle salesman, at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. The salesman spotted Simmons in the crowd and said, "Look, Richard Simmons! Drop your bags, let's rock to the '50s." Simmons allegedly replied, "It's not nice to make fun of people with issues," then lightly slapped Farney's face. The motorcycle salesman, who did not suffer any injuries, called the police. All charges against Simmons were dropped.

Hurricane Katrina response

In September 2005 Simmons appeared 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 appeared 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 DC to promote and raise awareness about The Strengthening Physical Education Act of 2007 (bill HR 1224).

Richard Simmons in Pop Culture

• Simmons briefly studied to become a priest.
• In the The Simpsons episode 138th Episode Spectacular[3], Mr. Burns forces Homer to leave his property by unleashing a 'mechanical Richard Simmons' in a fictitious outtake.
• In Family Guy episode "Death Is a Bitch", a drunken Peter Griffin proves his immortality by taunting scary looking bikers with the questions "Hey, aren't you Richard Simmons?" and "Aren't you Richard Simmons' best friend, Richard Simmons?".
• Simmons was a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show in the 1990s. He refused to appear after Stern insulted Simmons one too many times. Simmons finally reappeared on Stern's show on November 16, 2006.
• Simmons was also a frequent guest on Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) and The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS). 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. Simmons did not appear on the Letterman show for six years, finally returning on November 29, 2006. During that appearance, 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 under it exploded and started burning. Though initially scared, 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 malfunctioning light.)
• An animated version of Simmons appeared in a Johnny Bravo episode as a man who used to bully Johnny when they were kids.
• In an episode of Rocko's Modern Life Rocko and Heffer went to a gym where a workout assistant resembled Richard Simmons. In fact, Richard Simmons voiced this character, evident in the credits. And that character returned in a TV commercial in the show in a commercial that said, "Sweatin in your undies." This second appearance did not feature a voice with the character.
• In the episode Waking Nightmare of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, a Richard Simmons is sent to wake up Mandy.
• In the 1996 film The Nutty Professor, Eddie Murphy (in heavy makeup) plays a parody of Simmons called Lance Perkins, an exuberant fitness expert who listens sympathetically to an obese woman tearfully recall being the butt of a cruel fraternity prank. Perkins also markets his own "Mega-Shake" product, similar to Simmons' line of nutrition products and diet plans.
• Private Dick Simmons, from the machinima series Red vs. Blue, is named after Richard Simmons.

Print and 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
• 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

Audio cassette

• Project Me (six tape set)
• Sweatin' and Sharin'
• Colors of Your Life (single tape)
• Colors of Your Life (six tape set)
• Take a Walk
• Take a Hike
• Take a Classical Walk
• Walkin' on Broadway
• Walk Around the World
• Never Give Up (book on tape, read by Simmons)

Compact discs

• 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) (vinyl)

Visual media

DVDs

• Richard Simmons and the Silver Foxes
• Disco Sweat
• SuperSweatin': Party Off the Pounds
• SuperTonin': Totally Tonin
• SuperTonin': Totally Tonin' with Toning Rings

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

External links

• The official Richard Simmons website
• Richard Simmons is a Diet and Fitness Coach at AOL Coaches
• Richard Simmons at IMDb
• Richard Simmons at NNDB
• Richard Simmons 2006 Interview on Sidewalks Entertainment
• Interview with Richard Simmons
• Richard Simmons audio interview on physical education at Education Week