'I have never given my permission': Richard Simmons denounces upcoming biopic starring Pauly Shore as he wants to live ‘quiet life’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Richard Simmons, the fitness icon who has been out of the public eye for years, has broken his silence to denounce a new biopic about his life.

The movie, which is being produced by Warner Bros subsidiary, Wolper Organization, will star comedian Pauly Shore as Simmons.

However, Simmons says he has never authorized the project and wants to remain peaceful and private.

Richard Simmons says he has no involvement in the biopic

On Wednesday, January 17, Simmons posted a rare statement on his verified Facebook account expressing his disappointment. 

 “Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore," he wrote.

"I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.”

He also revealed that he no longer has a manager or a publicist, and thanked his fans for their love and support.

"I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support," he added.

The biopic was confirmed earlier that day by The Wolper Organization, but they did not mention Simmons’ consent or cooperation.

The production company said in a statement, “While we would love to have him involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him, and tells a dramatic story.

"We know he is deeply private and we would never want to invade that, however he is an amazing person, that changed millions of peoples lives and the effect he has had on the world needs to be recognized.”

Pauly Shore is ‘excited’ to play Simmons and hopes to win him over

Pauly Shore, who is best known for his roles in comedies like 'Encino Man' and 'Bio-Dome,' is set to portray Simmons in the biopic.

He expressed his excitement and admiration for Simmons in a statement to CNN, saying, “I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world. We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self!”

Shore also shared some details about the biopic on an Instagram video on January 17, saying, “We’re in the process right now of meeting with writers and they’re pitching me and the producer their vision for the script—the biopic for me playing Richard Simmons. If I get the opportunity to star in a Richard Simmons biopic, I will deliver.”

He also addressed Simmons directly in the post,  “Richard if you’re watching—nothing but love, brother. Let’s see if we can do this—if we can merge our forces and we can bring a beautiful piece for the people to see and we can spread your word.”

Simmons has been living a ‘quiet life’ since 2014

Simmons, who rose to fame in the 1980s with his energetic fitness videos and TV appearances, has been largely absent from the media since 2014.

His sudden withdrawal sparked speculation and concern about his health and well-being, which led to a popular podcast called 'Missing Richard Simmons' in 2017.

However, Simmons has insisted that he is fine and simply choosing to live a more private life. In July 2020, a representative for Simmons said he was “happy.”