Richard Simmons Shares Uplifting Message as He Reflects on Being ‘Made Fun’ of: ‘I Am Glad to Be Me!’
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The fitness guru, 74, offered some encouraging advice to those struggling with self-esteem
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Richard SimmonsRichard Simmons isn’t letting anyone bring him down!
The 74-year-old beloved Sweatin' to the Oldies legend shared a candid message of self-love with his Facebook followers on Tuesday, noting that he's confident in himself, even when others use him as a punchline.
“For as long as I can remember, people have made fun of me,” Simmons wrote in the message. “And people still make fun of me. But you know what? I am glad to be me! You should be glad that you are you.”
The fitness guru then recommended songs he has revisited that have helped him through difficult times: Gloria Gaynor's Disco classic “I Will Survive,” the Broadway standard “I Am What I Am” (from Jerry Herman's 1983 hit La Cage aux Folles) and “This Is Me" — the Oscar-nominated ballad from 2017's The Greatest Showman.
"These songs will uplift you," he wrote, signing off, "Love, Richard,”
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Simmons shared he has been "made fun" all his life in a post on FacebookThe latest post from Simmons sparked a wide response of love and support from fans in the comment section, as many expressed how they’ve “missed” the star.
Though he's been out of the spotlight for years now, Simmons has been using his Facebook page recently to share inspiring messages of support and love.
"All I want for all of you is to be happy and peaceful," he wrote on Jan. 19. "Please don’t let anyone be mean to you or put you down.You don’t deserve that. Never forget I keep all of you in my prayers every single night Know your worth."
A post on Jan, 24 read: "I don’t know what you are going through in your life, but I want you to stay as positive as you can. Things will get better. I promise you."
"Take your left hand and put it on your right shoulder. Take your right hand and put it on your left shoulder. Now squeeze and give yourself a big hug!" he wrote Jan. 25. "Don’t wait for someone else to hug you. Hug yourself every day and know what a wonderful person you are!"
Facebook has also been a place for Simmons to clear up rumors about himself.
After news broke earlier this month that a feature-length Simmons biopic was in development at Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization — with comedian Pauly Shore starring as the fitness star — Simmons explained on the social media platform that he has “never given my permission for this movie.”
“I have had a lot of people ask me for interviews,” he wrote on Jan. 22 . “But right now I don’t want to do them. It is a gray and rainy day here in Los Angeles, but my heart is filled with your kindness towards me. Love, Richard."
The Wolper Organization commented on Simmons' lack of involvement in the project in a statement to Variety: “While we would love to have [Simmons] involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him and tells a dramatic story.”
“We know he is deeply private and we would never want to invade that,” the production company added. “However he is an amazing person that changed millions of peoples’ lives, and the effect he has had on the world needs to be recognized.”
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Simmons' post comes as he is being portrayed by Pauly Shore in a new biopicNever miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Shore, 55, also plays the fitness guru in the short film The Court Jester by director and writer Jake Lewis, which premiered at the Sundance Film festival on Jan. 19.
In September 2023, Shore spoke to PEOPLE about the fan reaction to having a Simmons biopic after the impact he has had on their lives.
"He helped so many people," Shore said. " … He was all about positivity and helping people. And there's so much angst and divisiveness in the world, so I think a dose of that positivity is what people need. A Richard Simmons movie could unite America!"
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