Huell Howser interviews Richard Simmons (1980)

From his short time at CNN, Huell got to sit down with fitness guru Richard Simmons and have a most memorable interview. It also includes many clips from Richard's television show from the early 1980s.

[@bs5064]

The man legitimately made it his life mission to help people. Selfless guy. RIP.

[@jszoradi8650]

Will miss you Richard. You sure brought laughter in our lives. 💔😪

[@JACOBSJohn818]

Bout the time i became aware of Richard. '79' or '80' ..R.I.P. 🙏

[@jrwheeler81]

I've never seen Richard so calm and so serious! He was ridiculously young here (only 32)! I think this is the youngest I've ever seen him.

[@veggiedisease123]

Youngest I've seen Huell too

[@AdamsOlympia]

My first memories of him were in 1988, when I was just ten. That’s when I think he really blew up, when he released Sweatin to the Oldies.

[@catherinestgermain3362]

It's so nice to see Richard Simmons really serious once in awhile!

[@redcurrantart]

Simmons was ridiculously pretty when he was young

[@jrwheeler81]

He was cute back then!!!

[@jennifervance1732]

youtu.b e/Zy38gZ swzEas

[@sharksport01]

It's the lip gloss and boxed perm.

[@HT-vi6kb]

Yeah he was

[@asiaoharasbutterflies9425]

He had that “no makeup makeup look”

[@EsotericOccultist]

2 awesome guys. RIP Huell

[@christopherjudge1138]

I remember watching Richard's show, every morning on Channel 5, WCVB-TV, in the early '80s! What a talented guy he was!

[@knitterscheidt]

interesting to see Simmons as he develops his later persona

[@jzen1455]

He’s plays up his flamboyancy for the media.

[@trapdoored]

damn i think im a richard simmons stan now. this made me cry and hes now one of my role models. i hope hes doing well. he deserves all the happiness in the world. 🥺

[@lisaann915]

Oh my! Dana Carvey totally got his "Church Lady" from Richard!!

[@AmericastCasi]

i thought the same when i saw that too

[@user-sg6sv9oi6i]

I did as well. How about that. 😂

[@adamwatkins1150]

I do believe Richard was FLIRTING with Huell here...he could have gone another direction with that comment on the size of the microphone.

[@deonnadyson]

Right... lol

[@MrJuly1990ish]

LMAO!!! I caught that too @6:22

[@MeadeFatLoss]

Nope

[@joylinemaenzanise7651]

Even the way he was looking at him told me he may just like the dude.

[@avocadowisdom8785]

Ommg... Richard was flirty on this interview!! Hahha love it!

[@rivernet62]

He wanted him some California gold! 🤣

[@marleonetti7]

im sure he was a nice guy but there are no pictures to be found anywhere on the internet of a fatter version of him so i fear that his story about being fat in his past was all an act to help his show biz career and be accepted by the overweight community sort of speak .

[@frozenwarning]

He continued to help people for the rest of his career. That was his main focus. Many have testified that he called them personally to check on their progress And try to keep them motivated. It’s sad for you to be so suspicious that you can’t believe he had genuine motives when there’s so much evidence to support that he did, Just because you can’t find a picture of him when he was at his worst. Maybe there are no pictures of him like that. There are pictures of him later in life there’s one where he’s wearing a speedo and nothing else and you can see all of the sagging skin the stretch marks the large nipples . The way every person who’s been overweight looks when they lose a lot of weight . Maybe he didn’t want to be photographed back when he was big. He probably had a lot of shame around it that he had to get through . He said he used to hide the evidence of his eating so that his parents wouldn’t find out. Why would he want to be in photographs During that time? Those weren’t the days where everyone was walking around with cameras all the time it was a lot easier to avoid having your picture taken. There are absolutely no pictures of me smiling when I was a teenager because I thought my teeth were ugly. I desperately avoided having my picture taken, and a few snaps that people managed to get my mouth is closed. But let me tell you, I spent a large part of my teenage years with a smile on my face. I just didn’t want people to see it in pictures. I think the showbiz career was a foot in the door to enable him To do his real work in life. Have a nice day.

[@horrorgirl1986]

Richard Simmons was pretty hot when he was young. But anyway he's a genius when I weighed 400 pounds then lost over 250 pounds he was one of my favorite workout instructors on VHS. This is a great historic interview of seeing his early shows that were on television. Thank you for the upload

[@JavaScriptJolt]

Yeah he was hot when he was younger. Kind of reminds me of Billy Crystal and Adam Ant.

[@Mrmotivatoroftheus]

Such a fun interview! I wish all the episodes of The Richard Simmons show were on vhs or dvd!!! Love you Richard 💗💗💗

[@lianereinshagen4204]

This is a wonderful man 🎉❤

[@tamicook9202]

RIP Richard Simmons. 🤍

[@ellena.walker8128]

I Thank you so much Richard. For the love you share to help us all to get healthy. Really miss you in seeing you in the public. 2-18-2022

[@Mmdmade]

Love Huells tucking his arm under when Richard asked if he wanted to arm wrestle 😂. Huell not having it.

[@JippersinCornwall]

RIP Richard

[@robinfun2123]

I never thought that I would say this about him..........he was kinda handsome here 😏

[@terrigurganus3720]

That's true Richard food can kill!

[@LifeAfterLosing]

This was my first car. My mom actually bought it new in 1990 and gave it to me in 1995. Never one issue for her or for me. I loved that car and ended up trading it in for a new 1997 Hyundai Accent when j turned 18. That was a great car too and I had that for 6 trouble free years.

[@ihorperec4990]

Wow, so young and cute. 💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@melaniexoxo]

Two of my favorites.

[@audreyritzer9203]

Great message!

[@gregsvlogshow]

Howser worked for CNN? LOL Great interview, thanks for sharing.

[@Chris-od8si]

Jesus. Richard was handsome as fuck when he was younger

[@mefaun]

RIP Richard Simmons

[@absolutetruthgirl]

Love you richard!🥰

[@villanelle3011]

It’s funny there’s a Huell Howser channel! Someone should make a Richard Simmons channel too! ☺️❤️

[@justmissjamey]

Sad Richard Simmons went into hiding. He seems like he would be an interesting person

[@user-mn8or7we1u]

Richard was a true original. Loved that he openly wore pantyhose!

[@melaniexoxo]

I can so relate to Richard here. I’m super quiet and get silly and crazy and loud sometimes. People accuse me of being on drugs 😂😭

[@user-sg6sv9oi6i]

Wow! Same here. My ex thought I was bipolar. I'm not - I have ADHD.

[@contour157]

3:42 Richard did SNL's "Church Lady" first

[@user-sg6sv9oi6i]

💯🎯

[@dxmxo9427]

He was handsome here wow

[@davidralphs4]

He's still handsome. True beauty is within.

[@Demosthenes84]

I'm pretty sure this person is referring to objective physical beauty.

[@contour157]

Richard is in love with huell.. so obvious.. right from the start..

[@adamn7516]

Richard public persona during interviews in those days was much more reserved and less flamboyant.

[@Becauseimme]

Pauly Shore is going to be nominated for an Academy Award for this role. He’s made for this role.

[@scott7521]

Doesn't have 1/10th the energy or character of RS.

[@Boxofcrap]

My mom used to watch Richard Simmons and bought all his tapes, but just watched for entertainment basically, occasionally working out.

[@redape6870]

i wonder if it was love at first sight.

[@buzman1985]

Just like you and cake.

[@todaynow1563]

Richard Simmons at an early age had it down, thus he was a very popular person for people to watch with weight issues, he made you feel good and then you bought his things, thus his revenue. Both work hand in hand.

[@ChrisXperince]

Howard stern was definitely not making fun of him and Richard knew it, they have the same type of humor

[@swanofnutella4734]

Harry!? ....Harry, where ARE you?

[@happybear4658]

Lol 😂

[@nancybarta8167]

He is still going .....new vids last year for exercising.

[@heidifluteatl]

I was a college kid at the University of Maine when Richard Simmons hit the world. This interview is so good! I'm so glad it's available to see all these years later. I'm curious Mr howell, it says at the beginning Cable News Network, was this CNN or a precursor to cnn? Thanks for posting it Heidi in Atlanta

[@scootmcgoot570]

Richard is crazy as a damn betsy bug but that guy cares....ALOT.....about your diet

[@fabgourmet]

I think I'd give just about anything to participate in the Miss Supermarket of 1980 competition...

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

I think that was a video showing two dudes who had secret sparkles in one another’s eyes for each other.

[@melissageiger71]

WOW, I think this is where the church lady came from I'll bet..

[@scott7521]

I totally thought the same!

[@ghostsignal]

Give us The Richard Simmons Story starring Pauly Shore!

[@sharksport01]

It's dumb.

[@Bill-cv1xu]

3,:40, inspiration for Church Lady?Hmm...

[@micaylab1]

Richard is like Tim Curry's near identical little brother!😆😂

[@sharksport01]

Chuck Barris

[@81aherna]

I always knew he was gay before I knew what being gay was. Rip Richard Simmons.

[@ericlopez9107]

Two Queens feeling very awkward toward each other...lol!!!!!!

[@JohnJohnson-mo4bn]

Hahaha....Exactly what I was thinking.

[@jzen1455]

I wonder if Huel and Richard messed around?

[@MeadeFatLoss]

No

[@atilla429]

It's possible

[@ericinla65]

2 GAY MEN TALKING - Fun to listen too now that we know.

[@EphemeralProductions]

How do you know huell is gay? Seriously! I genuinely want to know because I looked him up and couldn’t find anything about it.

[@dagny8336]

So much better than what he morphed into.

[@EphemeralProductions]

That’s your personal opinion. Some will prefer this version of him some prefer his later incarnation. Me I like both incarnations. :)

[@billmason2785]

Rip Richard Simmons

[@EmbraceBoredom-pr7rt]

He's still alive

[@JippersinCornwall]

@@EmbraceBoredom-pr7rthe’s not now

[@JippersinCornwall]

2 years too early

[@billmason2785]

@@JippersinCornwall I had heard a rumor that he had possibly passed away maybe TMZ tv?

[@OnionFestival-si7tr]

2 sad bummers.

[@scootmcgoot570]

Im guessing cocaine was a big part of his diet in the 80s

[@stanborg4755]

Very campy and a narsacist. I had to look up campy after I learned that Charles Nelson Riely was known to be campy.