Why Richard Simmons Rejected Pauly Shore’s Idea For A Biopic

Richard Simmons—who died Saturday at age 76—refused to endorse Pauly Shore’s idea to play him in a biopic after Shore released a short film about the exercise guru earlier this year.

Simmons’ representative Tom Estey confirmed for Variety that the fitness advocate died at his home in Los Angeles. On Friday, Simmons posted a thank you note on X to all the fans who wished him a happy birthday.

Simmons was born July 12, 1948, in New Orleans.

“Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails,” Simmons wrote. “Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard.”

Simmons—known for The Richard Simmons Show and his Sweatin’ to the Oldies DVD series—has largely been absent from the public spotlight in recent years.

The fitness icon did, however, issue a statement through his representative in January after the premiere of actor and comedian Shore’s short film The Court Jester at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Shore plays Simmons in the nearly 10-minute short film. The story is centered around an appearance by Simmons on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Wandering backstage during his appearance, Simmons encounters a weight-challenged production assistant, whom he comforts and lends encouragement to.

"I'm really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’ life with the world," Short said of The Court Jester in a statement, per Entertainment Tonight, upon the premiere of the short film. Shore’s intention, of course, was to turn the short film into a full-fledged biopic.

"We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self!” Shore added in the statement. “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."

Unfortunately for Shore, Simmons wasn’t on board with the comedian’s idea t0 make a biopic about his life.

Simmons Refused to Endorse Shore’s Biopic Idea

While The Court Jester features a sequence that shows the compassion that Richard Simmons was known for over his career, it apparently wasn’t enough for the weight loss advocate or his representative to give their blessing to the project.

In a statement to ET, Simmons’ 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."

In addition, per ET, Simmons issued a statement on his official Facebook account that read, "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. 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."

News of Simmons’ refusal to endorse Shore’s biopic idea brought the actor to tears, Variety reported. At the time, Shore’s Simmons biopic was in development at Warner Bros. Pictures’ subsidiary The Wolper Organization, the trade publication noted.

Shore posted a tribute to Simmons on X on Saturday. “I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed. I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens,” Shore wrote. “Please give my mother Mitzi and my father Sammy a big hug and a kiss for me. You’re one of a kind, Richard. An amazing life. An amazing story. They broke the dolphin shorts when they made you. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.”

Sammy Shore co-founded the famed Comedy Store stand-up venue in Los Angeles in 1972 and Mitzi Shore took ownership of the business two years later.

Apart from his standup comedy career, Pauly Shore has starred in such films as Encino Man and Son in Law, and has appeared in several guest roles in such TV series as Futurama, King of the Hill, Nash Bridges, Hawaii Five-O and Workaholics.