Richard Simmons issued a rare statement to express his displeasure over a forthcoming biopic starring Pauly Shore.
“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. So don’t believe everything you read,” the reclusive fitness guru wrote on Facebook Wednesday.
Simmons, 75, informed his fans that he no longer has a manager or a publicist because he tries “to live a quiet life and be peaceful.”
“Thank you for all your love and support. Richard,” he signed off the note.
The “Encino Man” star, 55, also portrays the “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” host in the upcoming short film “The Court Jester,” which is set to premiere Friday at the Sundance Film Festival. The short is unrelated to the biopic, which Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization is producing.
“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,” The Wolper Organization said in a statement to Variety.
“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.”
Although production didn’t receive Simmons’ blessing, Shore said he was “excited” to share the TV personality’s story 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 said.
“Whenever he was on TV you could never take your eyes off of him, and he brought such a joy to his appearances that represented nothing but a good time.”
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Simmons has been out of the public eye for so long that in 2017 police had to investigate — and ultimately shoot down — a rumor that the exercise expert had been kidnapped by his housekeeper.
Simmons subsequently sued two tabloids for claiming he was transitioning to a woman and confirmed in court documents that he hadn’t undergone a sex change.
Over the summer, Simmons’ now-former publicist shared a rare update into his private life in honor of his 75th birthday.
“This is a big milestone,” Tom Estey told “Entertainment Tonight” of Simmons’ milestone age.
“I just want to see him happy, which he is.”
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