Richard Simmons turns 61 today! Happy Birthday!If you don't know who he is, you are either too young or you've lived under a rock since the 80's. Richard Simmons is the flamboyant, high-energy, motivational weight, dolphin shorts wearing weight loss guru. He had his own weight loss plan, remember Deal A Meal? And he had his own video series "Sweatin' to the Oldies" (now on DVD) which featured actual, life size fat people. He did not have the skinny people seen on other exercise tapes or programs. He chose real plus sized people, like me, in his tapes and programs.
He now has a new weight loss program called Food Mover Program 2009.
Richard has his own website, Richard Simmons.com and is currently campaigning to get Physical Education into the No Child Left Behind Act.
This video is from 01/10/08:
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
13 comments:
His energy tends to be over the top and irksome to me, but I very much appreciate that he used to be fat--very fat, and that he is absolutely devoted to helping people lose weight.
Period.
He speaks to regular people that need to lose weight, not pampered divas with a little paunch.
I was gonna say something.
It was kinda funny.....
I haven't seen Richard Simmons as much on TV as I used to. His informercials used to be on on the time.
Did you ever see when he'd go on Letterman? I could never tell if those two were joking or if they really didn't care for each other.
Sweet!! I met him back in March. What a great guy. Sooo not what I expected.
Love the VGNO post. Thanks!! You rawk :)
@ Stephanie B - I find him kind of annoying too, but out of all the fitness, weight watcher type gurus, he is the kindest, gentlest one. At least he is not THE most annoying...Susan Powter...Stop the Insanity. She's not only annoying, she's manic.
@ Harriet - Oh you were?
@ Harriet - Mmm hmmm. Comment whore!
@ Kitten - I actually thought Letterman was really mean to him a few times. He's kind of lightened up a bit the last time or two.
@ Kat - Oh how cool!
I remember when he had a daily show on TV back in the 80s. Even then, he used 'real' people during the exercise portion. His personality is a little out there, but you can tell he genuinely believes in what he is doing, and sincerely wants to help people.
@ Kelley - Exactly! He genuinely new what people were going through and sincerely wanted to help them. I don't think you could find a more upbeat person.
Funny story about Richard Simmons: I was at a taping of a local tv show (years ago)and he was a guest. He would not stop giving me eye contact, and after the taping asks me my name and tells me to go to a woman's health expo that was happening in an hour in the same city. His cologne precedes him lol and in the convention center, i seriously smelled him coming down an aisle! I look over and he is pushing a woman in a wheel chair and he lets it go, runs toward me like a wild man and hugs me for dear life, grabs my camera and tells someone to take photos, so funny, then he wrote me a lot of letters after that encouraging me to keep staying on task to fitness. Such a funny guy, and great humor.
(and I have, over the last 3 years lost nearly 70 lbs, slow process and the slower it goes it stays off)(that's my tip)
There is something about him that I think is sincere. I just get the feeling that he is kind in real life.
Yeah, and I know what Harriet is up to.
Wow, its hard to believe. He'll probably live till he's 103 or more. Happy B day :)
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