Fitness guru Richard Simmons dead at 76, cause of death revealed

Richard Simmons, renowned for inspiring overweight individuals to get active and adopt healthier eating habits, passed away on Saturday.

Simmons, famous for his vibrant tank tops and short shorts, brought boundless energy to television as the lively court jester of physical fitness. He turned 76 on Friday.

According to an email from Richard Simmons’ publicist Tom Estey to The Associated Press, the fitness guru passed away at his Los Angeles home. “We lost an Angel today – a true Angel,” Estey said.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers responded to a 911 call from Richard Simmons’ home on Belfast Drive and arrived at 9:57 a.m. on Saturday.

“Upon arrival, one rescue ambulance discovered a 76-year-old male who was pronounced deceased on-scene by firefighter/paramedics due to apparent natural causes.

“As a result, no hospital transport was necessary,”  LAFD Captain Erik Scott said.

Just two days before his passing, Richard contemplated his aspirations for his legacy.

“I never thought of myself as a celebrity. People don’t know this – I’m really a shy person and a little bit of an introvert,” he told People.

“But when that curtain goes up that’s a different story. I’m there to make people happy.

“But the accolades I get from emails. I mean, today most probably, we’ll answer over 100 emails.

“And they’ll say, ‘I’m your No1 fan’, and I just write back, and I say, you know, ‘Don’t say that because I’m a human being just like you. And I know that you do good things, too.’”

Simmons’ brother, Lenny Simmons, confirmed the death in a statement.

“I don’t want people to be sad about my brother,” Lenny Simmons said. “I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives.”

“We are in shock,” Lenny added. “Please respect the family at this difficult time.”Tom Estey, Simmons’ longtime publicist, said in a statement, “Today the World lost an Angel.”

A day before his sudden passing, Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday and took to the social media to thank everyone for the birthday wishes.

“Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life!” Simmons wrote. “I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”

He signed the post “Love, Richard.”

Simmons, who grew up in New Orleans, battled weight issues from a young age, tipping the scales at nearly 200 pounds by age 15. By the time he graduated from high school, he weighed 268 pounds, as documented on his website.

From 1980 to 1984, he hosted the Richard Simmons Show that focused on personal health and fitness.

He also gained fame through his aerobic exercise videos, such as 1988’s Sweatin’ to the Oldies and its sequels in 1990 and 1991.

Simmons expanded his early success with frequent appearances on various TV shows, ranging from The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson to game shows like Match Game and The New Hollywood Squares. He became a staple of late-night television during the ’90s and 2000s, appearing on shows hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman.

Throughout the years, Simmons sold millions of workout videos. He owned a Beverly Hills exercise studio and restaurant frequented by celebrities like Barbra Streisand and Paul Newman.

Following his recent withdrawal from public life, during which he disclosed a skin illness in March 2024, speculation about Simmons’ health and well-being had circulated. His death was initially reported by TMZ.

We are so very sorry for this loss. May he rest in peace.

NBA player R.J. Hampton has confessed in a new video that he hurt the mother of his child, leaving bruises. This admission has come as a big shock to many.

NBA G League player R.J. Hampton admitted on video that he left “bruises” on his ex, Tiffany Jeffcoat, who is the mother of his child.

On Monday, Jeffcoat, who has over 1.5 million followers on TikTok, posted a video of herself confronting Hampton. She said he was trying to take their 1-year-old son, Halo, from her while they were traveling.

In the video, Hampton can be heard yelling at Jeffcoat, saying, “Shut the f–k up talking to me, b–ch! Please!” as their son climbed near his feet. Hampton also said, “I don’t care if you got me on recording. I could care less.”

On Monday, the influencer shared a video of herself confronting the NBA first-round draft pick, claiming he was trying to “take” away their 1-year-old son, Halo.
tiff.jeffcoat/TikTok

Hampton, 23, said he was “afraid” Jeffcoat would accuse him of abusing her when he took their son.

Jeffcoat responded by reminding him that he had hurt her before. Hampton, who is 6-foot-4, got angry and told her, “Get the f–k outta here with that stupid stuff.”

She then reminded him that she has pictures of the bruises he allegedly left on her arms. Hampton seemed unbothered, saying no one would “care.”

Jeffcoat told him, “But they came from your hands.” Hampton responded, “Of course they did. Did I punch you? Did I slap you? So shut the f–k up!”

Jeffcoat replied, “Just because you didn’t punch me doesn’t mean it’s okay. Wow.”

Hampton also insulted her mom, saying he didn’t care if his son’s grandmother was “dead or alive.”

In another TikTok video, Jeffcoat said she was “stranded” in Oklahoma with “no hotel, no car” and claimed Hampton took their son from her.

She said, “R.J. literally grabbed Halo off the ground, walked out, got in the car, and left. He didn’t tell me where they were going… didn’t take any of his stuff. He’s not allowed to do that.”

Jeffcoat said she called the police, but they couldn’t help because it was “a civil matter.”

Page Six tried to contact Hampton’s representative for a comment but didn’t get a response right away.

Not much is known about Hampton’s relationship with Jeffcoat.

After Jeffcoat’s video went viral, Hampton turned off the comments on his Instagram.

Hampton was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 24th pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

In September, he was traded to the Delaware Blue Coats, a team in the NBA’s G League.

In August, Hampton celebrated his son’s first birthday with a sweet post on Instagram.

He wrote, “Mr. Freaking Halo Man!! Bubs I can’t believe you are 1 year old  Daddy wants you to stay little forever and ever!!” and shared a bunch of pictures of him with his son.

Hampton wrote, “Honestly, buddy, you are the greatest blessing God ever gave me. You’ve taught me so much about who I am and who I want to be for you! ”

He said he would always be there for Halo and would “continue to set a great example for you and work hard every day to give you everything you deserve, and that’s the world!!”

He finished with, “You are my heartbeat, I can’t imagine life without you, and life before you doesn’t matter anymore. Me and you, little man!! The legacy continues, and I can’t wait for you to have the best day. Happy 1st birthday, Halo. I love you forever