Naturally, they became suspicious of the involvement of his longtime housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, and alluded to Simmons being held hostage by her. People should always believe what I have to say, because Im Richard Simmons.. After a six year absence, beloved fitness guru Richard Simmons is "back" to help you get into shape during quarantine. of Idaho, 67-Year-Old Black Woman Makes History, Finally Earns High School Diploma, Black Twin Sisters From Texas Make History, Graduate Simultaneously With Masters Degrees, Black Woman Makes History as the Owner of a 5,000 Sq Ft Warehouse, Manufacturing Potent Jamaican Black Castor Oil. Airs tonight at 8/7c on @foxtv pic.twitter.com/SkFIJy6gts, Ultimately, the documentary lands at the conclusion that Simmons left the public eye because of a double knee replacement that affected his ability to exercise and his desire to retire. Famous for his workout videos like "Sweatin' to the Oldies," his colorfu. Richard Rich Porter (July 26, 1965 January 4, 1990) was an American drug dealer who rose to prominence in Harlem during the War on Drugs in the mid1980s police described him as being a highlevel crack dealer who sold about 50,000 worth of crack a week. Missing Richard Simmons quickly generated buzz and media attention, with its first four episodes ranking No. 0 seconds of 24 secondsVolume 0%. You know, I had hurt my knee, and I had some problems with it, and then the other knee started giving me trouble because Ive taught like thousands and thousands of classes, and you know right now I just want to sort of take care of me., During the call, Simmons, whose reclusiveness inspired the popular podcast Missing Richard Simmons, assured fans that his health was "good.". In doing so, he created a legacy that few can ever replicate. Meanwhile, according to the new doc, Threes Company star Suzanne Somers revealed a sad encounter with Simmons behind-the-scenes at a talk show. Fuse Sweat, a new streaming television channel that launched Wednesday as a free . Market data provided by Factset. The pressure of being an uplifting figure for so many people in public made him become a recluse in private. What really happened to Richard Simmons? Filmmaker Dan Taberskis released the Missing Richard Simmons podcast in February 2017. The account of events, as told by Fritzs closest friends and family, includes research gathered from newspaper clippings, magazine articles, social media, blogs, and court transcriptsfully disclosed. and he said, 'She'll make fun of me," the 75-year-old shared. "Doctors told him back in 2014, around the time he disappeared, that he needed a left knee replacement," the doc alleged. In August 2022, TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons was released, and fueling more speculation about his disappearance. After decades in the spotlight, the 74-year-old suddenly stopped teaching at his workout studio in 2014. Who was Richard "Fritz" Simmons? The Harlem Plug also offers a detailed chronology of the early roots of the drug culture in Harlem that brought lucrative opportunities for Fritz and others. The latter, a restaurant owner who dealt cocaine in the Bronx, was taken in handcuffs at Burgers 'N Things to a nearby gas station. Two years after nearly losing his life, Fritz received 15 kilos of cocaine from the cartel. Faison, played by Wood Harris in Paid in Full, wrote the films original screenplay. I think it was in his head; I think it was emotional, that he wasnt enough.. He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live., On Wednesday, Simmons, 74, published his own short note to Facebook, simply saying: Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love. The Harlem Plug is a biography that offers insight into Fritz, his family, his early childhood, his work ethic, his return to Harlem, and how and why he opted for the drug trade. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, was being held hostage by his housekeeper, undergoing gender reassignment surgery to live as a woman named Fiona,. Validity sits on her new book, The Harlem Plug: The Richard Fritz Simmons Story. He had it and then let it go., What really happened to Richard Simmons TMZ separates the truth from the B.S. Taberski simply wanted to track down his old friend after Simmons mysteriously stopped showing up to the workout class he had taught for more than 40 years. While the documentary explored some far-out theories including that Simmons was being held hostage by his housekeeper the real explanation was finally revealed. He would be found hidden in plain sight at 109 West 112 Street adorned in nondescript overalls and braided hair, not to mention his worn-out shoes. He reigned as the most powerful drug lord for over a decade and made millions of dollars under the radar of the NYPD and was never arrested. It only took Fritz two weeks to get rid of the 15 kilos, earning the nickname The Consignment King. Soon thereafter, Ace was helping Fritz transport boxes of kilos from the Bronx to Harlem. Market data provided by Factset. A TMZ executive producer also revealed that he spoke with an LAPD officer who has been in contact with Simmons in recent years. How Did Flint Lockwoods Mom Die? Their direction of the film disappointed Faison to the point that he stayed away from the set. Simmons put up a fence around his property shortly after his disappearing act. What Really Happened To Fran Lockwood? You have done so much good in so many peoples lives. The doc uses these clips to establish the distinguishable difference between his public persona and private life. One person never transported Barnes drugs from the pick-up location to the drop-off location. He had it and then let it go.. As Farber shows in Crack, moving large-scale cocaine, running a crack house, or controlling a block requires precise planning, careful advertising, start-up money and reliable workers. The flamboyant, frizzy-haired fitness guru didnt have an easy start. Instead of assembling a crew to handle the drugs like most drug dealers do, Fritz gave the coke away on consignment. Now, some claim it was this early but enduring damage that spearheaded his eventual rise to pop culture legend and his later downfall into a world of loneliness and despair. Your email address will not be published. While recovering from five gunshot wounds, resulting from a dispute over money Fritz owned to a supplier whod given Fritz a bad batch of drugs, Fritz maintained a relationship with an individual from the Medelln Cartel. Richard Simmons pal recalls time before disappearance: We had so much fun, Richard Simmons breaks silence, tells The Post hes living the life he has chosen, Suzanne Somers: My last meeting with broken Richard Simmons before disappearance, Us Weekly transition off to a rocky start. In August 2022, TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons was released, and fueling more speculation about his disappearance. 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LOL Well by now you know that Im not missing, just a little under the weather. Thats why he disappeared.". The Harlem Plug is a 266- page biography of Richard Fritz Simmons written by the author, Harlem Holiday. contributor for USA Today. SUZANNE SOMERS SAYS THIGHMASTER SAVED HER AFTER BEING FIRED: 'I'M STILL STANDING', "I said, 'Why?' This prophetic foresight proved correct. Along with larger-than-life individuals from Harlem, the sub-borough is known for its fashion. And before [Richard] "Fritz" [Simmons] died and Ace went to jail, '91 was their year to stop and concentrate on buying property. His bestselling fitness tape, Sweatin to the Oldies, grossed more than $200 million alone. But doesnt that show you hes got a heartache? I do what I want to do, as Ive always done. (David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images). The LAPD performed a welfare check on Simmons at his plush Hollywood Hills home in 2016, amid concerns his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles was holding him against his will. Richard Simmons has helped to change so many peoples lives, as they looked to him for health and fitness motivation. Though a millionaire many times over, Fritzwas very low key and had frugal habits. Arent you sick of hearing and reading about me?! 1 in their release weeks on the iTunes podcast chart as Serial fans and lovers of true . Simmons disappearance sparked a podcast titled "Missing Richard Simmons," as well as numerous conspiracy theories alleging the star was being held hostage in his Hollywood Hills home by his housekeeper. It was Bee who introduced Fritz to the dope game. Simmons hasnt been seen in public since 2014, but he did phone the Today show back in 2016 to refute wild rumors that he was being held hostage by his housekeeper. I wanted to tell Fritz story because the streets were talking, spreading lies, Holiday says during our interview. Twitter @HarlemHoliday, PRESS CONTACT: 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Now, this is key to the disappearance of Richard Simmons. Some hours later, Crumpler's wife received a ransom demand for . However, in 2014, Simmons stopped performing in public, citing problems with his knee. Nor is she into stretching the truth. How and why he joined the drug cartels is also captured in detail. I watched the documentary about you last night. "I wanted to tell Fritz' story because the streets were talking, spreading lies," Holiday says during our interview. The star was a frequent guest on Late Show with David Letterman, on which he often bantered with the shows legendary host. Fritz obscurity can be credited to his business acumen of achieving the impossible, doing something that hasnt been done. Teresa Reveles has been with me for 30 years. Then they began swimming and dancing, lacing up at the sides and turning golden brown., As a teenager, Simmons tastes matured, but he still opted for calorie-heavy options, writing: Puberty was graduating from Thousand Island salad dressing to Caesar salads from hot dogs and hamburgers to beef stroganoff from ice cream in a cone to crme brule.. Despite wild rumors that Simmons was being held hostage by his housekeeper and that he was undergoing gender reassignment surgery to live as a woman named Fiona, the real reason behind Simmons disappearance has remained a mystery until now. How Did Jayo Sama Die? "And if he didnt get one, he might never be able to exercise again. According to him, Simmons "doesnt want to be remembered as this frail, old guy. Prior to his exposure on television, he began his career when he . "I wanted to write from the perspective of his family and close friends." Fritz' spirit juxtaposes mythical aura, but he's no myth. His 1988 VHS Sweatin To The Oldies became the biggest-selling home fitness video of all time, grossing more than $200 million. As much as Fritz kept his circle small, he was in total harmony with everyone on 112th street. Hoda Kotbs Today Absence Due to Family Health Matter, Copyright 2023 NTVB Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, The Flays in L.A., Bear Grylls Final Challenges, the Richard Simmons Mystery, Bye-Bye Kevin, TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons. TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons - TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons: What really happened to Richard Simmons? Im glad I have hair on my head, you know? he told Entertainment Tonight in 2011. The concern inspired the podcast Missing Richard Simmons, hosted by Dan Taberski, who took Simmons's fitness classes and said he had been to dinner at Simmons's house. Harlem Holidays work of creative non-fiction seamlessly depicts how one loving, loyal family, rooted in forgiveness and integrity, can be impacted by loss, trauma, and poverty, and ultimately, segues into criminal activity. Somers described how she noticed Simmons may have had some insecurities before he retreated entirely. Richard Simmons' Final Year in the Public Eye The documentary, titled TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons , premiered on Hulu and FOX on Aug. 22. Over the years, rumors have swirled about the reasons why Simmons left the spotlight, with some fans wondering if the star was being held hostage by his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles a theory Simmons himself debunked during a March 2016 telephone call to TODAY's Savannah Guthrie. We've received your submission. Richard Simmons has not made a major appearance in public since 2014. ", Still, Simmons has endured some heartache. From 1980 onward, the frizzy-haired, gleefully eccentric entertainer was also a fixture on daytime and late-night TV talk shows, quipping with comedians and becoming one of the most beloved celebrities in the country. He took the opportunity to address his fans through an April 2017 statement to People magazine: Hello to everyone who has shown concern for me and sent their good wishes. The 74-year-old New Orleans native has certainly accomplished a lot and has . Keeping an extremely private home life seems to have been his coping technique, but it did lead to some loneliness, and Somers believes his insecurities intensified over the years. Richard fritz simmons rich porter intro to the harlem messiah. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Fritz spirit juxtaposes mythical aura, but hes no myth. Richard is eternally grateful for the continuous outpouring of love and gratitude he has received from across the Globe. In the final episode of . The less people knew about what Fritz did, and how he moved, kept him alive and out of jail.. There was no crew, no crack houses, no intricate drug trafficking operation. But cops found that the superstar was articulate, relaxed and lucid appearing to be living happy at home with only his housekeeper as company. Milton Teagle "Richard" Simmons (born July 12, 1948) is an American fitness personality and public figure, known for his eccentric, flamboyant, and energetic personality. There were three more attempts on known drug dealers between January and March 1991: Roberto Mercedes, Richard "Fritz" Simmons, and David Crumpler. Full, wrote the films original screenplay can ever replicate explanation was revealed..., Sweatin to the Oldies, & quot ; his colorfu with David Letterman, on which he bantered. You sick of hearing and reading about me? Harlem Plug is a 266- page of! He spoke with an LAPD officer who has been in contact with Simmons in recent.. 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