FITNESS GURU IS JUST FINE
Police check on a ‘happy’ Simmons
Los Angeles Police recently visited Richard Simmons at his house on a welfare check after rumours persisted that his housekeeper has been holding him hostage.
They found him “perfectly fine” and “very happy,” People magazine reported Thursday. The article did not say when police had made the check.
But TMZ, quoting “law enforcement sources,” said it was about two weeks ago.
On Feb. 15, 2014, the fitness guru disappeared from the public eye and stopped speaking with close friends. He hasn’t been seen since, leaving many to wonder about his safety. Recently, interest in the reclusive celebrity has grown with the launch of Missing Richard Simmons, a podcast hosted by former Daily Show producer Dan Taberski.
It’s quickly become the most popular podcast on iTunes.
On it, an old rumour resurfaced: that his maid Teresa Reveles is holding the aerobics instructor at his home against his will.
“There was something about his housekeeper holding him hostage and not allowing people to see him and preventing him from making phone calls and it was all garbage and that’s why we went out to see him. None of it is true,” Det. Kevin Becker told People. “The fact of the matter is we went out and talked to him. He is fine. Nobody is holding him hostage. He is doing exactly what he wants to do. If he wants to go out in public or see anybody, he will do that.”
In March last year, Simmons tried to silence the rumours by calling in to the Today show.
“No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” he said.
“You know, I do what I want to do as I’ve always done. So people should sort of just believe what I have to say because like I’m Richard Simmons.” The Washington Post