Richard Simmons Transitioning Into A Woman? His Brother Responds To ‘Missing’ Rumors And More

Rumors swirled about the well-being of Richard Simmons, the fitness guru, after he was not seen in public for more than three years. One bit of gossip claimed he was being held prisoner by his housekeeper. Another said he was in hiding because he was transitioning into a woman. His whereabouts spurred a podcast, aptly titled “Missing Richard Simmons.” Still, his brother, Lenny Simmons, maintained the “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” star was in good health and his hiatus was self-imposed.

“My brother is fine,” Lenny Simmons, 70, told People Magazine Wednesday. “He’s not sick. There’s nothing medically wrong with him at all. My wife Cathy and I were out there for Christmas and spent five days with him.”

READ: Where Is Richard Simmons Now?

He slammed the accusations that said the fitness guru was transgender. “These things about him transitioning to a woman are ridiculous,” he said. “…I can assure you, he’s not transitioning into anything but himself.”

The star, who spent more than 40 years in the limelight, just wanted a break. “He’s 68 years old now and he’s in good health, but he just wants time for himself,” Lenny Simmons told People Magazine about his brother.

Richard Simmons’ rep, Tommy Estey, echoed a similar sentiment, telling the publication: “He’s helped millions of people lose millions of pounds. And for 40 years, he took care of everyone but himself.”

However, the fitness guru looks different than the way people remember him. Still, his health is fine. “He looks great, he’s trim and he has a beard, salt and pepper,” his longtime manager, Michael Catalano, said.

With multiple saying Richard Simmons is OK, it sounds strange that so many would be concerned about him. But a major reason for that is because the “Missing Richard Simmons” podcast was started by his friend, Dan Taberski.

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“This isn’t a podcast about a celebrity and the fans who love him,” Taberski told Entertainment Weekly last month. “This is about Richard Simmons the man and all these people who he made intense personal relationships with.” The show shot to the No. 1 slot on iTunes.

The eccentric, curly-haired icon, has not yet issued a statement on his health or location, but Etsey insisted the star was fine. “We did not cooperate nor participate in this podcast because we didn’t feel the need to nor did we want to,” Estey told E! Online March 6. “All these things distract from his legacy and I will not allow that to happen because this man is a world treasure… This man is a saint, so treat him like a saint and leave him alone.”

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