Richard Simmons stepped away from the spotlight 10 years ago, maintaining a deeply private life and speaking out only when he feels he must.
Most recently, he responded to news of a biopic in development starring Pauly Shore.
“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore,” Simmons wrote on social media Wednesday. “I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read. I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”
A short film starring Shore, “The Court Jester,” will be screened Friday at the Sundance Film Festival and will also be made available Saturday on YouTube.
RICHARD SIMMONS DIDN’T APPROVE PAULY SHORE MOVIE: ‘I HAVE NEVER GIVEN MY PERMISSION’
Richard Simmons said in a statement on Facebook he has “never given permission” for the movie starring Pauly Shore. (Getty Images)
Shore spoke about his desire to play the fitness guru after the online popularity of his “Sweating with the Wiez” videos, which parodied Simmons’ famous “Sweatin to the Oldies” workout series, prompting viewers to compare the two.
“If I get the opportunity to star in a Richard Simmons biopic, I will deliver because I take things very seriously,” Shore said on Instagram. “I will immerse myself in the body, soul and spirit of Richard Simmons.
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“Richard, if you’re watching, nothing but love, brother, nothing but love. And let’s see if we can do this. We can merge our forces, and we can bring a beautiful, beautiful piece for the people to see and we can spread your word.”
Shore also said he had reached out to Simmons about the biopic, “and his representatives said that Richard loves me and my mom (he has known us both for decades), but Richard is politely passing. He said Richard, at this time, wants to remain private, which we all need to respect. Richard, we all miss you, love you very much and want nothing but the best for you. You are in all of our hearts. You can always reach out to me if you change your mind.”
Representatives for Shore did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The film’s studio, the Wopler Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “While we would love to have him involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him and tells a dramatic story.
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“We know he is deeply private, and we would never want to invade that. However, he is an amazing person that changed millions of peoples’ lives, and the effect he has had on the world needs to be recognized.”
Simmons has not been seen in public since 2014, and his withdrawal from the spotlight has sparked rumors and concern from fans, including a podcast titled “Missing Richard Simmons.”
Richard Simmons attends the 87th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013 in New York City. A year later, Simmons left the public eye, occasionally commenting via social media or his representative. (Scott Roth/FilmMagic)
There were allegations in 2016 that Simmons was being held hostage by his housekeeper, which he denied in a phone interview on “Today.”
“No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” he said at the time. “You know, I do what I want to do as I’ve always done, so people should sort of just believe what I have to say because, like, I’m Richard Simmons.”
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He added that the idea was “just very silly” and said of his housekeeper, “Teresa Reveles has been with me for 30 years; it’s almost like we’re a married couple.”
His publicist at the time, Tom Estey, also denied the claims, telling People magazine Simmons made a choice “to live a more private life.” He added that when Simmons “decides that he wants to come back, that’s when he’ll come back.”
Simmons denied claims he was being held hostage by a housekeeper in a phone interview with “Today” in 2016. (Bobby Bank/WireImage)
Simmons also refuted claims he was transgender and had transitioned to become a woman. In a court filing in a defamation suit in 2017, Simmons said, “I am male. I am not transgender. I have never sought nor obtained any medical treatment or procedure designed to transition from male to female.”
In 2022, a documentary, “TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons,” was released, claiming the reason for his absence was knee surgery that slowed down his exercise regimen, leaving him “not the same guy anymore.”
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“Doctors told him back in 2014, around the time he disappeared, that he needed a left knee replacement,” the documentary said. “And if he didn’t get one, he might never be able to exercise again. Now, this is key to the disappearance of Richard Simmons.
“The prospect of surgery, of becoming sedentary, caused Richard to sink into a deep depression. … We know still to this day Richard still hasn’t gotten corrective surgery on his left knee. He walks with a cane, and that explains a lot. He’s just not the same guy anymore.”
After the documentary aired, Simmons took to his Facebook page, posting a photo of a smiling emoji holding up a thank-you sign with the caption, “Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love!”
A documentary, “TMZ Investigated: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons” claimed knee surgery slowed down his exercise regimen, leaving him “not the same guy anymore.” (Moses Robinson/Getty Images)
A spokesperson for Simmons told Fox News Digital at the time they had no comment about the allegations made in the documentary.
Simmons began his career in fitness when he opened a gym in Los Angeles in the 1970s and rose to fame in the ‘80s and ’90s with his workout videos, “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” and flamboyant personality and costumes.
Simmons was known for his energetic personality on talk shows. (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)
He was a frequent guest on daytime and late-night shows and routinely advocated for health and exercise.
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Last year, on Simmons’ 75th birthday in July, his one-time rep Estey told “Entertainment Tonight,” “This is a big milestone. I just want to see him happy, which he is.”
Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
