Death of Richard Simmons: Fans and celebrity friends pay tribute to the TV fitness icon

July 14, 2024

Fans and friends of Richard Simmons pay tribute to the legendary TV fitness coach following his death at the age of 76.

The popular fitness guru died in his home on July 13. TMZ reported Saturday that his housekeeper contacted police around 10 a.m. Simmons was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death is not immediately known and has not been released.

The television star, who became famous through his popular aerobics video series, Sweating to the oldies – celebrated his 76th birthday on Friday by thanking his fans on social media. “Thank you… I’ve never had so many messages on my birthday in my life! I’m sitting here writing emails. Have a wonderful rest of your Friday,” the post read. “Love, Richard.”

Following the news of his death, many of Simmons’ fans and friends paid tribute to the fitness guru on social media.

“Richard Simmons preached exercise, nutrition and, above all, kindness,” said Richard Roeper, film and television critic for the Chicago Sun-Timeson X. “He impacted thousands and thousands of lives for the better. I am one of the hundreds and hundreds of TV people who enjoyed his energy and readily accepted those crazy hugs. Rest in peace.”

Richard Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday on July 11, one day before his death (Getty Images)

Hairspray Star Ricki Lake posted a photo of herself with Simmons and fellow TV host Maria Menounos, along with the caption: “I am heartbroken by the loss of this very special person. May he rest in peace. #richardsimmons. I loved him so much.”

TV and radio presenter Sally Jessy Raphael paid tribute to her “dear friend” at X, captioning a photo of the two together: “I am absolutely devastated by the loss of @theweightsaint… we did so many shows together, laughed and hugged so much and I considered him a dear friend who changed so many lives over the years.”

Actor Emerson Collins posted on X: “I am saddened to hear of the passing of Richard Simmons, a man whose joy in what he did made it accessible to so many.”

“Years ago I asked him for a photo after our performance at a benefit. The result of the green room wall was so hilariously bad that I cut it out and made a silly story out of it,” he wrote under an amusing series of green screen photos of himself and Simmons.

Darren Demeterio, former booker for the Late Show with David Lettermanshared his own experiences with Simmons during his numerous appearances on the late-night talk show.

“When I was at Letterman “I always looked forward to seeing Richard Simmons perform,” he wrote under an old photo of himself with Simmons. “Always a great guest, but more than that, what you saw was what you got. A sweet, positive, kind man. This picture will always make me laugh. Thank you Richard, rest in peace.”

Simmons became a fitness sensation in the 1980s, shortly after opening a Los Angeles gym called The Anatomy Asylum, later renamed Slimmons. He made many memorable appearances on television and radio talk shows, including the Late Show with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Show, General Hospital, The Larry Sanders Show, Arrested Development And Whose line is it anyway.

However, Simmons’s series of high-energy aerobics videos helped him achieve star status.

Simmons had not appeared in public since 2014, which prompted him to give a telephone interview Today in 2016 to put an end to rumors that he was being held hostage by his housekeeper.

The news of his death comes months after Simmons announced he had been diagnosed with skin cancer.

“I sat in his chair and he looked at it through a magnifying mirror. He told me he had to scrape it off and put it under the microscope. Now I’m getting a little nervous,” the fitness personality wrote on Facebook in March. “He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C-word. ‘You have cancer.’ I asked him what type of cancer and he said ‘Baseline cell carcinoma.’ I told him to stop calling me names. He laughed.”

Earlier this year, Simmons condemned a new biopic about his life starring comedian Pauly Shore, clarifying that he had not approved the project and reiterating his desire to “live a quiet and peaceful life.”