ST. SIMMONS Written by Greg Wayne MGMT: MUTINY Ryan Casey 213.259.3772
[email protected] FADE IN: An impish, middle-aged man with a delightfully frizzy afro, wearing a sparkly red tank top and dolphin shorts grins at us... The twinkle in his eye is the most mischievous thing imaginable. He’s outrageously, fabulously effeminate. He’s a glorious bundle of light and love... He’s RICHARD FUCKING SIMMONS. RICHARD It’s sweatin’ time! Multicolored lights blast on behind him, revealing rows of HAPPY PEOPLE of all shapes and sizes in workout gear. Richard leads them in a fun, energized, cheekily-sexy aerobics routine. The TODAY SHOW bug appears in the lower corner of the screen. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE (V.O.) For forty years, this has been the Richard Simmons the public has been accustomed to seeing -- energetic and irresistible. INSERT VIDEO: Richard beams and waves to SPECTATORS from atop a turtle float at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE (V.O.) But the fitness guru disappeared from the public eye in 2014, leaving many -- including his closest friends -- deeply concerned. INSERT PHOTO: A too-skinny Richard forces a smile on a red carpet. His afro has seen better days. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE (V.O.) But Simmons is now breaking his silence, after opening up to us by phone. Richard, via phone, tries to conjure the liveliness seen in the video clips. But there’s a despondency he can’t hide... RICHARD (V.O.) Savannah, it’s Richard Simmons. How are you? 2. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE (V.O.) I’m good, Richard.