“And that put a lot of stress on his knees.” “Richard found comfort in food and he gained a lot of weight,” doc producer Charles Latibeaudiere further revealed.
ROCHARD SIMMONS FULL
“He was born without a full set of bones in his foot and it causes physical and emotional problems.” “Something that happened to him at birth is directly connected to his disappearance - a birth defect that significantly affected one of his legs,” TMZ managing editor Fabian Garcia declared in the doc.
Richard Simmons hasn’t left his house in years. The new documentary “TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons,” streaming now on FOX and Hulu, claims the entertainer has been holed up in his Hollywood Hills home due to a painful ailment that he has battled with since birth - and has kept secret from his adoring public. Getty Imagesīut in 2014, Simmons - who had recently, tearfully referred to himself as a “court jester” - suddenly vanished from the spotlight - and he hasn’t made a public appearance since.ĭespite wild rumors that Simmons was being held hostage by his housekeeper and that he was undergoing gender reassignment surgery to live as a woman named “Fiona,” the real reason behind Simmons disappearance has remained a mystery - until now.
ROCHARD SIMMONS TV
He was fixture on TV talk shows, appeared in informercials, penned a dozen best-selling cookbooks and released workout tapes and DVDs that sold millions of copies and made him a beloved household name. Simmons was a ubiquitous presence in American life from 1980s until his vanishing in 2014. The flamboyant fitness guru was a ubiquitous force, fronting informercials, publishing cookbooks and selling tens of millions of workout videos that revolutionized the exercise industry forever.įrom 1980 onward, the frizzy-haired, gleefully eccentric entertainer was also a fixture on daytime and late-night TV talk shows, quipping with comedians and becoming one of the most beloved celebrities in the country. He is also the author of three best-selling cookbooks.For more than three decades, it seemed you couldn’t go anywhere in America without seeing Richard Simmons. With titles that include “Sweatin’ to the Oldies”, “Dance Your Pants Off”, “Party Off the Pounds”, “Disco Sweat”, “Blast Off the Pounds”, “Platinum Sweat”, and “Sit Tight” (a workout designed for people who cannot stand), Richard offers a routine for everyone.Īs the author of nine books, including the New York Times Best Seller, “Never Say Diet”, Richard released his autobiography, “Still Hungry After All These Years” in 1998. His 65 fitness videos, which have sold over 20 million copies, pair lively music with rockin’ routines and Simmons’ humorous banter and encouragement. Deal-A-Meal and the FoodMover were revolutionary in their ability to help people keep track of calories and portions.
ROCHARD SIMMONS SERIES
Knowing that exercise and weight loss regimes must go hand-in hand, Simmons created a series of best selling products that integrate the two components. The show ran for four years and received several Emmy Awards. Simmons’ success as a fitness expert and advocate led to numerous local and national television and radio appearances including a four-year run on “General Hospital”, followed by his own nationally syndicated series, “The Richard Simmons Show”. He opened his studio SLIMMONS in Beverly Hills, where he continued to teach classes and host inspirational seminars until 2013.
In 1974, after consulting with doctors and nutritionists to ensure the safety of a program tailored to the needs of everyone, from the overweight and obese, to seniors and the physically challenged, a determined Simmons established an innovative place where the overweight of the world were welcomed with open arms.
After traversing LA, and unable to find a facility welcoming people of all shapes and sizes, his only alternative was to create that safe haven. There was no significant fitness movement in the country at the time, and to no avail, Simmons attempted to find a health club that wasn’t for people who were already in shape. Simmons prevailed in his own weight battle before relocating to Los Angeles in 1973.