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Fox airs a TMZ special on Richard Simmons August 22, noting that the fitness maven from the '80s has not been seen for more than eight years. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Simmons was born as Milton Teagle Simmons in 1948 with a disfigured upper leg, asthma and without . Despite amassing millions of dollars, Fritz never moved out of his cramped apartment at 109 112th street. Despite wild rumors that Simmons was being held hostage by his housekeeper and that he was undergoing gender reassignment surgery to live as a woman named Fiona, the real reason behind Simmons disappearance has remained a mystery until now. On Monday night, FOX aired "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons," which explored his rise to stardom and surprising departure from the public eye. The concern inspired the podcast Missing Richard Simmons, hosted by Dan Taberski, who took Simmons's fitness classes and said he had been to dinner at Simmons's house. Meanwhile, according to the new doc, Threes Company star Suzanne Somers revealed a sad encounter with Simmons behind-the-scenes at a talk show. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, was being held hostage by his housekeeper, undergoing gender reassignment surgery to live as a woman named Fiona,. Richard Simmons has broken his six-year silence, with his spokesperson telling The Post that the beloved fitness icon is "living the life he has chosen.". Harlem, NY The Harlem Plug is the 266-page biography of Richard 'Fritz' Simmons written by author Harlem Holiday and released during Women's History Month through her imprint, Harlem Westside Publishing. But in 2014, Simmons who had recently, tearfully referred to himself as a court jester suddenly vanished from the spotlight and he hasnt made a public appearance since. 914-768-3192 Most of the inhabitants of Harlem benefited from Fritz in one way or another. Hes just not the same guy anymore., Levin, 71, adds that the decision for Simmons to retreat from public life has also been about preserving his brand: He wanted to be remembered as vibrant and healthy not an elderly man with medical problems., But the documentary also hinted that Simmons may be relishing his quiet life away from the camera, claiming he has always been withdrawn and a loner.. He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live," Estey said in a statement. Meanwhile, his contemporaries cruised uptowns avenues in cars costing at least $50,000. Numerous conspiracy theories concerning Richard Simmons' whereabouts have been offered over the years. But during a 2000 appearance, Letterman, 75, hosed Simmons down on-air with a fire extinguisher, leaving the fitness guru visibly upset. LOL, he jokingly added. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where she spends her free time hiking, reading and snugglingwith her "Friends" box set. The Harlem Plug is a biography that offers insight into Fritz, his family, his early childhood, his work ethic, his return to Harlem, and how and why he opted for the drug trade. At the time, it was announced that Fuse Sweat, a streaming channel, would include Simmons show in its line of programming. If you pulled up on the block with a flashy car, Fritz or one of the guys hustling would tell you to move it, Harrison continued. His blueprint consisted of staying quiet, steering away from violence and going against the norm. This biography explains the agreement with the Medelln Cartel, positioning Fritz as the leading narcotics distributor for New York and New Jersey. Barnes, who is also from 112th street, never left Harlem, but he bought and lived in a luxurious condo in Washington Heights. I dont want to be traveling anymore its taken a toll on me.). What is The Harlem Plug: The Richard "Fritz" Simmons story about? As per Celebrity Net Worth, Richard has an estimated net worth of $20 million. Youve given so much of yourself to the world, and now its your time. His 1988 VHS Sweatin To The Oldies became the biggest selling fitness home video of all time, grossing north of $200 million. This story has been shared 127,060 times. U.S. government backed the overthrow of Albanias government, Henry Kissinger signed off on Argentinas Dirty War. [I wrote The Harlem Plug] not glorifying the lifestyle he chose, but how he was put into a position to choose it as a means to seeking the American Dream, Holiday says. This Robert Greene-like behavior (isolation is dangerous) distinguished Fritz from fellow-heavyweights such as Kevin Chiles, Faison and others who purchased elaborate homes in New Jersey or Long Island. The flamboyant fitness guru was a ubiquitous force, fronting informercials, publishing cookbooks and selling tens of millions of workout videos that revolutionized the exercise industry forever. (Moses Robinson/Getty Images), "He wanted to be remembered as a vibrant, healthy man," the doc claimed, "not an elderly man with medical problems. TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons: With Suzanne Somers, Bruce Vilanch, Phil McGraw, Leslie Wilshire. Diana Dasrath is NBC News entertainment producer and a senior reporter. Keep up with your favorite shows delivered to your inbox! He wanted to be remembered as a guy that millions of people loved and watched. The note follows the release of "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons" on FOX and Hulu, a documentary that covers much of his life and career as a fitness pro, as well as . Now, this is key to the disappearance of Richard Simmons. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. It only took Fritz two weeks to get rid of the 15 kilos, earning the nickname The Consignment King. Soon thereafter, Ace was helping Fritz transport boxes of kilos from the Bronx to Harlem. When I saw spaghetti, I saw worms. The Harlem Plug also reveals events leading up to Fritzs own mysterious, untimely death. I wanted to tell Fritz story because the streets were talking, spreading lies, Holiday says during our interview. Clad in hot pants and bedazzled tank tops, the superstars light-hearted approach helped make fitness feel fun and accessible to overweight Americans who had long been intimidated by sculpted and self-serious trainers. "I am very excited that my groundbreaking fitness series of Sweatin to the Oldies still is so relevant and popular and I hope many new fans will discover this timeless classic," he said in a statement. The star was a frequent guest on Late Show with David Letterman, on which he often bantered with the shows legendary host. However, the right-knee replacement was painful, and delayed work on his left knee. 30S STAR GRETA GARBO HAD A VERY ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE' AFTER LEAVING HOLLYWOOD BEHIND, GREAT-NEPHEW SAYS, Richard Simmons in 2013. Richard Simmons' Final Year in the Public Eye The documentary, titled TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons , premiered on Hulu and FOX on Aug. 22. In 2017, a woman alleging to have known Simmons for 35 years told the outlet that knee problems have kept Simmons in "virtual hiding. Thats why he disappeared.". You havent seen the last of me. In an emotional interview from the 1980s, Simmons admitted, I went through a lot of hurt as a child. Advertisement The incident took place near the 64-year-old's Hollywood Hills home, and miraculously was caught on tape . more. contributor for USA Today. TMZ addresses the various theories and, in the end, has an answer - why Richard just disappeared. You will never know how much it means to me, he wrote. His blueprint consisted of staying quiet, aloof from violence, and doing the opposite of what everyone else was doing. In historian David Farbers book, Crack, he argues that drug dealers of Fritz magnitude think like corporate executives. Many drug organizations ran 812 hour work shifts morning, afternoon and night, and workers received their pay at the end of the work week. Richard Simmons has helped to change so many peoples lives, as they looked to him for health and fitness motivation. And that put a lot of stress on his knees.. The special shared that "the Richard who disappeared is more authentically himself" than his "loud" persona. It was Bee who introduced Fritz to the dope game. Further details reveal his involvement with local kingpins and why the ransom negotiations infamously went awry. But, outside of a nod from Nas on Get Down, a song from his Gods Son album, and urban legend, Fritz story doesnt rise above a murmur. Keeping 300500 kilos a month below the whispers of the FBI is no easy feat. Love, Richard.. After a lifetime in the spotlight, its natural that ghosting the public would cause confusion and raise questions. It also explored the complexity of life as a hustler. As Fritz revealed, similar to other stars like Pete Davidson, he'd been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and that is what was causing his transformation. This story has been shared 127,060 times. SUZANNE SOMERS SAYS THIGHMASTER SAVED HER AFTER BEING FIRED: 'I'M STILL STANDING', "I said, 'Why?' Im so proud of you for taking time for yourself. The less people knew about what Fritz did, and how he moved, kept him alive and out of jail.. Richard Simmons has broken his six-year silence, with his spokesperson telling The Post that the beloved fitness icon is living the life he has chosen.. Also Read This: How Did John Wayne Gacy Die? Richard Simmons was the subject of a TMZ special that aired Monday night on FOX. Richard Simmons was born on July 12, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. You will never know how much it means to me. Instagram @AuthorHarlemHoliday According to a 1992 New York Times report, Chucky was murdered by a kidnapping crew dubbed Wild Cowboys, after Fritz escaped a kidnapping attempt. He has never been the same person since. Simmons has always been concerned with his legacy and image. Email Address Here. Simmons sued the media outlets in May 2017 after they ran articles claiming he is transgender. We know still that to this day, Richard still hasnt gotten corrective surgery on his left knee, TMZs Harvey Levin reveals in the doc. Workout videos soon followed, with viewers falling for Simmons exuberant and eccentric personality. Taberski's podcast began, reigniting the public's interest in Richard. Over the years, rumors have swirled about the reasons why Simmons left the spotlight, with some fans wondering if the star was being held hostage by his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles a theory Simmons himself debunked during a March 2016 telephone call to TODAY's Savannah Guthrie. He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live., On Wednesday, Simmons, 74, published his own short note to Facebook, simply saying: Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love. I just really dont want to do anything. You know, I had hurt my knee, and I had some problems with it, and then the other knee started giving me trouble because Ive taught like thousands and thousands of classes, and you know right now I just want to sort of take care of me., During the call, Simmons, whose reclusiveness inspired the popular podcast Missing Richard Simmons, assured fans that his health was "good.". We've received your submission. Airs tonight at 8/7c on @foxtv pic.twitter.com/SkFIJy6gts, Ultimately, the documentary lands at the conclusion that Simmons left the public eye because of a double knee replacement that affected his ability to exercise and his desire to retire. Filmmaker Dan Taberskis released the Missing Richard Simmons podcast in February 2017. The 74-year-old New Orleans native has certainly accomplished a lot and has . Arent you sick of hearing and reading about me?! Simmons hasnt been seen in public since 2014, but he did phone the Today show back in 2016 to refute wild rumors that he was being held hostage by his housekeeper. One night I was on the Larry King Show and he was either going to be a guest or supposed to be a guest, and I heard through the Larry King people that he didnt want to be on the show with me, Somers detailed. You have done so much good in so many peoples lives. 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