CNN
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Richard Simmons, the perennial Nineteen Eighties exercise persona who was outlined by his uplifting spirit, has died, in response to his longtime publicist Tom Estey.
Estey mentioned Simmons died early on Saturday morning. He had celebrated his 76th birthday the day earlier than. “We misplaced an Angel right now – a real Angel,” Estey added.
CNN has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Division, Hearth Division and LA County Medical Examiner for added particulars.
From 1980 to 1984, Simmons hosted the “Richard Simmons Present,” which had a deal with private well being and health. This system gained 4 Daytime Emmys.
Simmons was additionally well-known for his cardio train movies, together with 1988’s “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” and its subsequent installments in 1990 and 1991.
From there, and because of his unflappable smile and playful persona, Simmons was in a position to leverage his early stardom into common appearances on all method of TV reveals, from “The Tonight Present starring Johnny Carson” to a number of recreation reveals together with “Match Recreation” and “The New Hollywood Squares.” He was a late evening fixture all through the ’90s and aughts on reveals hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman.
In 2003, Simmons told CNN that his expertise as an obese youngster ultimately put him on a path towards health.
“By the point I used to be 8 years outdated, I used to be 200 kilos,” he mentioned on the time. “Uniforms couldn’t match. My father would sew inserts below my arms and in my legs.”
As he received older, he turned to harmful strategies in an effort to maintain his weight down.
“I realized learn how to throw up. Then I started taking 30 or 40 laxatives a day, after which I started ravenous for 2 and a half months, simply consuming water, and nearly died.”
On the age of 16, a stranger helped flip Simmons’ life round.
“Somebody left a observe on my automobile,” he recalled. “It mentioned, ‘Expensive Richard, you’re very humorous, however fats folks die younger. Please don’t die.’”
“I received some elementary faculty books (on) the six meals teams. Now, we give it some thought because the pyramid. I began studying about strolling and exercising. Slowly however certainly, I went (down) the appropriate path.”
Finally, that path led a trim and wholesome Simmons to Beverly Hills, the place he opened one of many first cardio studios in 1974 and named it “Slimmons.”
He went on to seamlessly parlay his position of motivational health teacher into his famed TV persona, and prided himself on connecting with different obese folks to encourage them to take steps to enhance their well being.
“I name wherever from 50 to 80 folks a day. I do about 200 e-mails a day. … I don’t supply false hope for anyone,” he mentioned in 2003. “I inform them that it’s going to take a while. They’re going to have to like themselves. They’re going to need to be affected person.”
He has remained out of the general public eye lately, however the circumstances surrounding his whereabouts and wellbeing have offered a justifiable share of web fodder.
Every so often, Simmons shared private updates on his social media pages, writing in a January Fb post, “I simply attempt to dwell a quiet life and be peaceable.”
In March, his social media exercise led to a decidedly un-peaceful moment, when he posted an ominous message to X and Fb: “I’ve some information to inform you. Please don’t be unhappy. I’m …. dying. The reality is all of us are dying. On daily basis we dwell we’re getting nearer to our loss of life.”
He added: “Why am I telling you this? As a result of I need you to get pleasure from your life to the fullest each single day. Rise up within the morning and have a look at the sky… rely your blessings and revel in.”
One other second that introduced Simmons consideration earlier this yr got here when he commented on a proposed biopic about him that’s slated to star actor Pauly Shore.
“You could have heard they could be doing a film about me with Pauly Shore. I’ve by no means given my permission for this film. So don’t consider every thing you learn,” Simmons wrote in a statement to his Fb on the time.
Shore is about to star as Simmons within the upcoming biopic that’s being produced by the Wolper Group, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., in response to a information launch despatched to CNN on Wednesday. (CNN’s dad or mum firm is Warner Bros. Discovery, which additionally owns Warner Bros.)
Shore additionally portrayed Simmons in an unrelated quick movie titled “The Courtroom Jester,” which premiered on the Sundance Movie Competition earlier this yr and is on the market to stream on YouTube.
For his birthday, Simmons wrote on X on Friday, “Thanks…I by no means received so many messages about my birthday in my life! I’m sitting right here writing emails. Have a most lovely remainder of your Friday. Love, Richard.”
He additionally spoke to People on the event of his 76th birthday. He joked that he was going to have a good time by blowing out a birthday candle “on a zucchini” in a nod to his historical past as a proponent of excellent well being and self care.
“I really feel good! I’m grateful that I’m right here, that I’m alive for an additional day,” Simmons mentioned on the time. “I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do day-after-day, which is to assist folks.”
CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this report.
This story has been up to date with further info.