Pauly Shore is set to star as fitness guru Richard Simmons in an upcoming biopic short called The Court Jester, but the Sweatin’ to the Oldies star is said to be unhappy about it.
Simmons, 75, rose to prominence after opening a gym in Beverly Hills, California, before making appearances on TV and releasing a line of fitness videos throughout the 80s and 90s.
He is known for his flamboyant style and energetic personality, and came to national prominence while being featured on late-night talk shows with the likes of David Letterman and Howard Stern.
However, since 2014, Simmons has largely retired from public life, leading to conspiracies and rumours concerning his health, his gender identity, and whether he was being held hostage in his own home.
The increased interest in Simmons in the last decade has coincided with the production and release of The Court Jester, starring actor Pauly Shore – but it appears that Simmons himself is not happy about the project.
A statement given to Entertainment Tonight by the fitness expert’s representative said: ‘Richard and I are not endorsing this project. It is unauthorized. I spoke to Pauly last year and told him [Richard] is not ready to tell his story.’
Based on on-set pictures and casting calls, the short film looks to be focusing on a particular episode of Ellen, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, in which the US equivalent of Mr. Motivator made an appearance.
The film will debut at the Sundance Film Festival, which runs from Thursday, January 18 until Sunday, January 28, 2024.
Despite the film going ahead, the words published by Simmons’ agent supported a statement that had already been posted by him on his own Facebook page: ‘Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie.’
He continued: ‘So don’t believe everything you read. I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support. Richard.’
However, the film has moved forward regardless, with Pauly Shore saying: ‘I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’ 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!’
In the short trailer for the film, Shore, as Simmons, says: ‘My first rule, like yourself. Your weight doesn’t matter – if you like yourself, you’re gonna be fine. But I’ve been where you are right now, and where I am right now is I just I love myself. Every part of myself. And I think I can show you how to get here.’
The active man has been parodied and studied by numerous TV shows and in many documentaries, with the likes of The Simpsons portraying him in scenes that were later deleted from early episodes in the 1990s.
In the early weeks of the pandemic, Simmons fans’ hearts were warmed when he reappeared to spread some cheer with a new fitness video.
‘This world needs more Richard Simmons during this challenging time…’ one fan said in April 2020, while another commented: ‘Just in time for the weekend – Thank you Richard, miss you.’
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