Key Takeaways

  • Richard Simmons’ early life was marked by a volatile father, a seemingly detached mother, and societal pressures related to his weight and perceived effeminacy, leading to the development of compensatory behaviors.
  • Despite societal perceptions and his own public persona, Richard Simmons’ early life and memoir reveal a complex individual grappling with his identity, family dynamics, and the pervasive anti-fatness of the era, which significantly shaped his later career.
  • Richard Simmons’ journey through disordered eating, including extreme dieting and the use of diet pills, was a direct response to societal messaging and personal experiences of shame and rejection, highlighting the dangerous impact of these pressures from a young age.
  • Richard Simmons’ early career was marked by a series of perceived rejections and unexpected opportunities, including being kicked out of an exercise class which directly inspired him to start his own gym.
  • The initial gym, “The Anatomy Asylum,” was intentionally inclusive, attracting gay men and overweight women who felt unwelcome in other fitness establishments, and its success was later rebranded as “Slimmons.”
  • The podcast hosts reflect on the public’s limited understanding of Richard Simmons’ personal struggles and aspirations, suggesting a cultural tendency to overlook the complexities of public figures who present a consistently cheerful persona.

Segments

Childhood Bullying and Dieting (00:19:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Richard Simmons experienced intense bullying and societal judgment for his weight from a very young age, leading to early and harmful dieting practices and the internalization of anti-fatness.
  • Summary: This segment covers Richard’s experiences with bullying at school, his parents’ reactions to his weight, a doctor’s restrictive diet prescription, and the use of diet pills, all of which contributed to his disordered eating patterns.
Early Career and Identity Exploration (00:36:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Richard Simmons’ early adulthood in Italy offered a period of self-discovery and acceptance, including acting roles and artistic pursuits, before a harsh message about his weight prompted a return to extreme weight loss methods.
  • Summary: The discussion shifts to Richard’s time in Italy, his art degree, brief acting roles (including in Fellini’s Satyricon), and his enjoyment of being a ‘happy meatball,’ which was abruptly interrupted by a note warning him about fat people dying young.
Weight Loss Methods and Trauma (00:40:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Richard Simmons’ pursuit of weight loss led to severe anorexia and subsequent hospitalization, followed by a period of recovery and continued struggles with disordered eating, exacerbated by his experiences in the restaurant industry and fitness studios.
  • Summary: This segment details Richard’s extreme weight loss through starvation, his hospitalization, the unhealthy coping mechanisms he adopted while working in restaurants (purging, laxatives), and his initial positive experience at a fitness studio that was later rescinded.
Rejection and Inspiration (00:52:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Being asked to leave an exercise class due to discomfort from other attendees was a pivotal moment that directly motivated Richard Simmons to create his own inclusive gym.
  • Summary: The conversation details Richard Simmons’ experience being asked to leave an exercise class and the subsequent realization that this rejection fueled his desire to open his own fitness space where everyone would feel welcome.
The Anatomy Asylum Launch (00:53:18)
  • Key Takeaway: A chance encounter with a wealthy customer led to the immediate financing and launch of Richard Simmons’ first gym, initially named The Anatomy Asylum.
  • Summary: This segment covers Richard Simmons’ meeting with a customer who offered to finance his gym idea, leading to the establishment of his first fitness studio, which was later known as Slimmons.
Slimmons’ Inclusive Appeal (00:56:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Slimmons’ success was significantly driven by its appeal to gay men and overweight women, who found a welcoming environment absent in more exclusive or intimidating gyms of the era.
  • Summary: The discussion highlights how Slimmons became popular with specific demographics, contrasting it with other gyms that were perceived as nightclubs or bodybuilding-focused, and emphasizing its ‘all comers welcome’ philosophy.
Early Media Portrayals (00:58:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Early media coverage of Richard Simmons, such as an LA Times profile calling him a “freaked-out Jack Lelane,” often focused on his eccentric persona rather than his personal journey or aspirations.
  • Summary: This part of the conversation touches on how Richard Simmons was portrayed in early media, including a specific LA Times article, and how these portrayals might have missed the deeper aspects of his life and career.