Actor/comedian Pauly Shore wants to make a biopic about fitness guru Richard Simmons. After fans pointed out the uncanny resemblance between the two, Shore is trying to take the meme to the screen.
“I’ve noticed all the reactions to me playing Richard Simmons in a new biopic,” Shore wrote in a social media post. “So I reached out to him. I heard he’s living deep in Big Bear. We’ve been playing phone tag (yes, he still has a phone). I’m trying to make it happen for you guys. Be optimistic. In the meantime, hit up Hulu, Amazon, Disney, HBO and all the big producers. I definitely can morph into this guy. I’ll see you at the Academy Awards 2025.”
After decades of helping countless people lose weight with his popular fitness programs, Simmons quietly retired from the industry. He has stayed out of the spotlight now for nearly a decade. So much so that there was even a rumor in 2017 started and fueled by the “Missing Richard Simmons” podcast, that his housekeeper Teresa Reveles was holding him hostage. [Hence Shore’s comment about him actually having a phone.]
Accusations Simmons’ rep Tom Estey called a “complete load of crap.” “Theresa is the housekeeper, she’s the caretaker, she is extraordinary, she is amazing, she takes impeccable care of Richard and she has for as long as I have been working with Richard,” Estey said. “We did not cooperate nor participate in this podcast because we didn’t feel the need to nor did we want to.”
In the meantime, plenty of memes have been made about how much Shore looks like Simmons. Now it seems that “The Weasel” is looking to make a comeback playing off of that fact. If the film will ever be made, or if Simmons will even agree remains to be seen. Even if Simmons doesn’t agree, Shore could always do something like “Paint,” where Owen Wilson plays a character clearly based on the real-life Bob Ross.
We’ll keep you posted on updates about this possible Simmons biopic if/when they become available.
