Richard Simmons’ Family Slams Pauly Shore's Take On Biopic As 'Unauthorized'
Looks like Pauly Shore may have to pull the brakes on his ongoing project about Richard Simmons!
The Simmons family made a complete 180 in their public interaction with the comedian amid his role in the late fitness icon's biopic.
Pauly Shore's determination to continue filming Richard Simmons' biopic may not be on the same page with the fitness guru's family.
Pauly Shore Does Not Have Richard Simmons' Family Blessings On Biopic
The family issued a serious disclaimer on Richard's X (formerly Twitter) account today about Shore's comment to Entertainment Tonight "concerning his attempts to proceed with an unauthorized movie about Richard."
The account urged the public to remember Richard's initial stance about the planned biopic and then added a statement from Richard's brother, Lenny, which read:
"Dicky absolutely wrote his own posts. He worked on them a week in advance, going over and over them to get the right message."
Lenny continued that Richard would read his posts to Cathy and him beforehand, and he has never texted, emailed, or called Pauly with anything on occasion, "not even to wish him 'Good Luck' as Pauly has stated many times."
Shore Stated Financial Requirement To Produce The Biopic
This latest development has certainly dampened the comedian's enthusiasm, which he displayed on Monday at LAX.
The Blast noted that Shore clarified that Simmons' death would not stop the project, but the huge budget required to execute it may delay its release.
He disclosed his intention to get the Wolper Organization under Warner Bros. company to sign off about $5-10 million for the production. He noted his readiness to accept deferred payment if the film comes to fruition.
The new disclaimer is not Shore's first disappointment with the Simmons family. The fitness icon distanced himself from the comedian's project back in January on his Facebook and wrote:
"You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don't believe everything you read."
The legend's tone supposedly changed a few days later, and he wished the comedian "good luck" on the project. Shore was reportedly not convinced it was the legend's handwriting, but with this new statement, his guess was right.
Shore Was Involved In A Lawsuit In January
Perhaps the comedian's controversial nature led to the Simmons family's decision. We can only speculate.
The actor was held in a lawsuit drama by two victims who accused him of causing bodily harm after an assault incident at "The Comedy Store" in 2022.
The victims, Sean Kehoe and his daughter Kirra Lyn Potts explained that Shore's bodyguard violently grabbed and attacked Sean under Shore's permission, and witnessing the incident has caused his daughter Kirra a great deal of emotional distress.
Sean and Kira did not indicate the cause of the attack in the lawsuit, but they demanded compensation in the form of damages, legal fees, and repayment of all damages incurred during the altercation.
Richard Simmons Enjoyed Feeding Neighborhood Skunks
The fitness icon may not have been Shore's biggest fan during his lifetime, but he enjoyed spending time with the neighborhood skunks as a way to unwind.
Richard's housekeeper and long-time family staff member, Teresa Reveles, revealed that the late icon spent his last days filled with joy.
The Blast gathered that he would feed the family of skunks who dropped by his backdoor in West Hollywood peanuts every night.
She stated that he built a bond with the animals so much that he could touch their noses, and she would always warn him about the possibility of them having rabies.
"I can't stop crying. I still can't believe what happened," Simmons' longtime staff declared. She refused to stop the interview to honor his memory, adding, "I want to celebrate Richard. He died happy."
The TV Legend Spent His Last Days Communicating With Fans
Reveles continued that the fitness enthusiast also shared part of his last days with his beloved fans by calling them and replying to their emails.
He even planned to appear in an ABC documentary about his life and a sit-down interview with Diane Sawyer. He was also geared up for his Broadway debut with a musical based on his life.
However, the tides changed on the morning of his 76th birthday, and he told his housekeeper that his legs hurt and he could not go down the stairs.
"Let's go to the hospital. Maybe you broke your leg," Reveles replied, but he told her, "No, Teresa. Not on my birthday. Why don't we wait and we do it in the morning."
Unfortunately, the legend passed on the following morning, and the cause of his death is yet to be announced.
