Upcoming Biopic About Fitness Icon Richard Simmon Actually Looks Good
First off, let me say upfront that I am not a Pauly Shore fan. In my 20 plus years in radio, he was the worst guest ever. When I heard he was going to be portraying fitness icon Richard Simmons, I cringed. Despite their physical similarities, I just couldn’t see it. After watching a short on the upcoming biopic, I have changed my mind.
If you grew up in the 1980’s, you know who Richard Simmons is. He was on every daytime talk show and every nighttime show. As a kid I remember seeing him on David Letterman. You’d see his infomercials lots too. His ‘Deal a Meal’ program focused on portion control and eating healthy. His most popular exercise routine was ‘Sweatin’ to the Oldies’. You can still find it on YouTube. His exercise routines were low impact, helping people of all fitness levels. Since they were low impact, those who were overweight could still participate. Simmons is a man that obviously truly cared about helping people.
His appearance always got your attention. In the 80’s, my dad played racquetball every day at the YMCA in Gastonia. And when he played, he wore those tiny racquetball shorts. Seeing Richard Simmons in the same shorts always made his noticeable. Of course, the shorts paled in comparison to Simmons over the top energy and personality.
Seeing a short about the upcoming film, ‘The Court Jester’, changed my mind about Shore playing Simmons. Shore definitely doesn’t capture all of Simmons’ energy and vibrancy, but I’m not sure anyone can. I will say I was surprised about how he did capture Simmon’s warmth.
No One Is Quite Like Richard Simmons
Despite being the butt of jokes for decades, Simmons’ truly did help lots of people. His exercise videos/DVD’s are numerous and he’s also written many cookbooks and inspirational/self-help books. Although I’ve never met the man, it does seem like his concern for others is genuine. Since he experienced being overweight, I think he understands how so many people feel and what they go through. Self-loathing can grab you quickly, and I think Simmons helped so many people love themselves, which is so important.
When watching the short, this is what you see: the kindness and understanding that Simmons has. Honestly, I was surprised at how moved I was watching it. Shore seems to capture Simmons true concern and caring for others. I wasn’t expecting that. Maybe it hit me so hard because I’ve always been stocky/chunky. Or maybe it hit me hard because I’ve always had issues with food and an obsession with my weight. No matter, Shore seems to get it.
There’s no word on when the biopic will come out or if it will be on any streaming service. Just seeing the short is making me interested in seeing the final project. All of us need to remember Simmons first rule: Love yourself.
