Milton teagle simmons

The late, elusive Richard Simmons, star of Sweatin’ to the Oldies and The Richard Simmons Show, recounts stories from his personal life and career in a series of montages edited from interviews and television appearances. Relying on positive affirmations and quaint aphorisms, he softens the more painful aspects of his lived experience, including a lengthy stint in self-imposed isolation that lasted until his death in 2024. Simmons becomes a Pagliacci-like figure –– a joyful, comic inspiration for those struggling with self-acceptance, who, at the same time, shoulders the burden of a clown’s inherent sadness.

Milton Teagle Simmons, 05:36, 2016