Richard Simmons has long been known as television’s hyperactive fitness expert who had a passion for making exercise and maintaining a healthy diet fun. Simmons unfortunately passed away this past weekend after turning 76 last week, and the world has been honoring his legacy ever since the news broke.
Richard Simmons became an icon in the early 80’s for his iconic tank top, short shorts, curly hair, and most importantly, zest for fitness and entertainment. He created an iconic career for himself as a hyperactive comedic figure, urging the world to exercise and maintain a healthy diet.
Unfortunately, right after Simmons turned 76 last week, he passed away the next day. Once the news broke, the world remembered and revered Simmons for the icon he became throughout his illustrious career.
According to Tom Estey, Simmons’ publicist, Simmons passed away in his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. Simmons revealed that he had a skin diagnosis in March 2024, and then seemingly disappeared from the public eye to take care of himself.
Simmons legacy will always live on. As a former 268-pound teen, Simmons dedicated himself to a healthy lifestyle that he would go on to share with the world. He hosted an Emmy-winning daytime show, and was the author of best-selling books. He opened exercise studios, made fitness videos, and was constantly trying to tell his viewers how to live their best and healthiest life. He told the Associated Press in 1982 the perfect description of who he is and what he does.
“My food plan and diet are just two words — common sense. With a dash of good humor. I want to help people and make the world a healthier, happy place.”
Simmons had a unique and flamboyant personality that made him instantly recognizable. While he would sometimes become the butt of the joke to those in the industry who thought his presence was “weird,” he continued to help as many people as possible reach their fitness goals, and did it with a smile.
“I think there’s a time to be serious and a time to be silly. It’s knowing when to do it. I try to have a nice combination. Being silly cures depression. It catches people off guard and makes them think. But in between that silliness is a lot of seriousness that makes sense. It’s a different kind of training,” he said to AP.
The “Richard Simmons Show” was broadcast across 200 stations in America and was shown in New Zealand, the Philippines, Australia, Japan, and South America. His first book, “Never Say Diet,” was a huge best-selling success when it was published.
Simmons was also a major advocate for the individuals he helped. He would often have real people in the beginning of their fitness journeys in his videos so that the fitness goals were not only attainable, but realistic.
He also often criticized trendy diets that were advertised to be easy fixes for losing weight, and would emphasize the importance of simple exercise and healthy eating.
“There’ll always be some weird thing about eating four grapes before you go to bed, or drinking a special tea, or buying this little bean from El Salvador. If you watch your portions and you have a good attitude and you work out every day you’ll live longer, feel better and look terrific.”
Simmons often spoke about how he gained so much weight because he believed his parents liked his brother more, and being bullied in school led to him eating in excess. Also growing up, his mother watched exercise expert Jack LaLanne’s TV show often when he was growing up, however, he quickly learned that he wasn’t a fan of LaLanne’s methodology.
“I hated him. I wasn’t ready for his message because he was fit and he was healthy and he had such a positive attitude, and I was none of those things.”
One day, Simmons received an anonymous letter that changed the course of his life: “One dark, rainy day I went to my car and found a note. It said, ‘Dear Richard, you’re very funny, but fat people die young. Please don’t die.” After that, he endured an unhealthy diet where he essentially starved himself.
After the diet, he gained back 65 pounds, and eventually created a plan for himself to lose the weight again, healthily.
Simmons will be remembered for his individuality, tenacity, and ability to bring smiles and laughter to the world while also helping others live their healthiest lives.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
