What Changed Richard Simmons? The 'Fat People Die Young' Note

By | July 11, 2020

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Richard Simmons has been a flamboyant fitness evangelist for over four decades. What makes him such a tireless fanatic? A near-death experience -- if only a theoretical one. Simmons was fat for the first two decades of his life, and a concerned someone -- we'll never know who -- told him he was going to die if he didn't change his ways. The message hit home in a big way, and Simmons changed his life. Then he made it his mission to help others change theirs.

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Source: (RealityBlurred).

Before he became Richard Simmons, the flamboyant dolphin short sporting, costume wearing, campy king of the workout video, he was Milton Teagle Simmons, born in New Orleans in 1948. Simmons was the child of a master of ceremonies and a traveling fan dancer and both parents were excellent cooks. Simmons was 70 pounds overweight by the time he was a freshman in high school. After high school, he attended Florida State University where he earned a BA in Art. He was not happy with his name and at the age of 11, changed it to Richard, adopting the name of his uncle, who would eventually pay his college tuition.