# Richard Simmons - just an act? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196 "2005-03-18T20:07:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/1 "2005-03-18T20:07:17Z")
Inspired by [this thread,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=307448) I have to ask… A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Richard Simmons was just a normal, moderately hyper, cheery exercise guy. But over the years, he seems to have evolved into an over-the-top caricature of his former self, where he’s _expected_ to be excessively flamboyant and hyper whenever he shows up. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I have to wonder – is it just an act? Does Mr. Simmons spend his weekends chugging beers and watching football games on TV, and saves the “flamboyant nut” stuff for when he’s “on”? Or has fame and fortune really gotten to him, and we should expect child molestation charges any year now? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/2 "2005-03-18T20:13:35Z")
My guess (based on recent off-camera behavior like slapping people in airports) is that he reined himself in during the early days, and that as he became more popular and accepted, his behavior became more a reflection of his true self. That, and BushCo has been too busy lying and fighting wars to keep him under control. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/3 "2005-03-18T20:46:46Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > That, and BushCo has been too busy lying and fighting wars to keep him under control. But there was a period pre 9/11 when they had their chance but they blew it and didn’t react fast enough. Now the problem with Simmons has grown to the point where this administration is going to have to spend a great deal of taxpayer money to reign him in. Fools! And Rumsfeld gets no pass on this either. He had Bush’s ear but chose to concentrate on Iraq instead. The mind - it boggles profusely. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/4 "2005-03-18T20:54:38Z")
Yeah, and the American people had a chance to do something about it with this last election, but nooooo. They were shallow and short-sighted and swallowed all of Bush’s bullcrap and so now we’re stuck with at least four more years of Simmons the way he is now. Way to go, Pubbies! Oh, yeah…Diebold sucks! ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/5 "2005-03-18T21:04:22Z")
That’s the problem with a two party system. Neither one has much interest in cleaning up the Richard Simmons problem. In fact, in 2000 you couldn’t really tell the difference between Al Gore and George Bush when they talked about that issue. Damn Bill Clinton and his strategy of triangulation! Now we have to live in a world where its not even safe formy kid to walk down the street without worrying about sweatin’ to the oldies! I believe I will consider voting for a third party candidate! _KODOS: Go ahead. Throw You’re vote away!_ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/6 "2005-03-18T23:49:42Z")
Does that make Richard Simmons a weapon of mass destruction? “Smithers-release the robotic Richard Simmons!” ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/7 "2005-03-19T01:50:48Z")
So, the whole “Preservation of marriage” biz is just to keep Richard Simmons from getting married? 😕😉 \ Still wondering if it’s an act or not… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/8 "2005-03-19T01:57:28Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Still wondering if it’s an act or not… Please don’t ruin a perfectly good thread by expecting an actual response to your OP. Humph! Some people. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/9 "2005-03-19T02:04:53Z")
Well, actually there is a response at the beginning of my first post. The remainder was a playful jab at jungie, who has been known, on rare occasion (rare occasion?) to drag Bush into threads were it wasn’t necessary. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/10 "2005-03-19T03:50:45Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > So, the whole “Preservation of marriage” biz is just to keep Richard Simmons from getting married? 😕😉 > > \ > > Still wondering if it’s an act or not… Do you seriously want to see Richard Simmons procreate? :eek: As to if it’s an act. I can’t really say. He seems to have gone through a number of different styles. Anything from a cheery excercise guru, to a flamboyant cheerleader, to a blubbering female version of Oprah. I’d say it’s likely he’s good at showmanship and does what he feels the audience wants. The airport incident, though, tells me he may have let everything go to his head and has become just another egomaniac that expects the world to love him because, well because it’s him. Whatever the case I’m sure Halliburton is involved somehow. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/11 "2005-03-19T04:00:13Z")
It is an act. Haven’t you noticed that you never see Richard Simmons and Jack Palance at the same time? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/12 "2005-03-19T04:40:03Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > He seems to have gone through a number of different styles. Anything from a cheery excercise guru, to a flamboyant cheerleader, **to a blubbering female version of Oprah.** I can’t figure out if this is a poke at Richard, or at Oprah. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/13 "2005-03-19T06:11:30Z")
Total gossip, but a reliable friend in West Hollywood once told me some interesting stories about Rixhard Simmons and a friend of his who was a high priced callboy/hustler. According to my friend, not much of what you see on televison is an act. He really is like that all the time. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/14 "2005-03-19T06:35:50Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Total gossip, but a reliable friend in West Hollywood once told me some interesting stories about Rixhard Simmons and a friend of his who was a high priced callboy/hustler. According to my friend, not much of what you see on televison is an act. He really is like that all the time. Classic from the old _National Lampoon’s_ “Letters from the Editors” section: All right, girls! No hubby is going to want you big and chubby! So if you want to be slim and trim for that handsome him, do what I do: Keep on your tip-toes, bounce around, do those household chores with an extra bit of gusto, and get boned up the ass twice a day. Oh, what a giveaway! – Richard Simmons ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/15 "2005-03-19T06:39:46Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Total gossip… I would have figured the really shocking gossip would have been something like “Dude, I saw Richard effing Simmons making out in a Jag convertable with Anna Nichole Smith. I shit you not!” ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/16 "2005-03-19T15:43:04Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > I would have figured the really shocking gossip would have been something like “Dude, I saw Richard effing Simmons making out in a Jag convertable with Anna Nichole Smith. I shit you not!” My mind is boggling over the issue of who would be the beard. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-simmons-just-an-act/295196/17 "2005-03-19T17:02:31Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Inspired by [this thread,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=307448) Or has fame and fortune really gotten to him, and we should expect child molestation charges any year now? Yeah… cause flamingly gay guys love to touch the kinder… :dubious: