Richard Simmons - Richard Simmons Never Give Up: Inspiration, Reflections, Stories of Hope

Good afternoonmay I speak with Helen Lambert?

and whos this?

Its Richard Simmons calling.

Sureand Im Mother Teresa! (Click!)

This is not the first time someone has accused me of not being Richard Simmons. In my line of work you get used to it.

I redial the numberits ringing.

Yeah, and who are you now?

Doug, please dont hang up the phone again.

I found myself talking a little faster, I am really Richard Simmons and Im calling because your wife wrote me

Heyhow did you know my name was Doug?

Because, like I said, your wife, Helen, wrote me a long letter about her weight and she told me all about you!

What did she say about me?

Doug, this stuff is personal. Please let me talk to Helen!

Shesshes not here. She went to pick up the pizza. Oh my GodI shouldnt have told you that! Hey Rich, please dont mention the pizza thing please, shell kill me!

What kind of pizza?

This stuff is personalif I cant ask you what Helen said about me, you cant ask any pizza questions!

Thats fair. Ill call back in an hour. Bye, Doug.

Wanna come over for a slice?Just kiddingbye!

I waited an hour and dialed the Lambert number. Doug answered the phone again. He pretended to be surprised and I played along with him.

Honey, youre never going to believe whos on the phone! Its Richard Simmons! His performance deserved an Oscar!

Helen and I talked for a while. She was a little down about her weight and I tried my best to cheer her up. I managed to have her laughing by the end of the conversation. Thats always one of my goals. I call myself the phone clown. Making people laugh and feel better about themselves is my specialty and I practice every day.

There are times I feel possessed by the Chatty Kathy doll because I spend so many hours on the phone with people I have never met. Many of you know that I do this. While you are reading this book you may be chuckling to yourself about the time I called you.

This all started back in the late 70s when I got the opportunity to spread my lo-cal message on the very popular soap opera, General Hospital. The effect of each letters story was overwhelming and whenever one of them tugged particularly at my heart, I would be moved to pick up the phone and talk to the other person. Fourteen years later its the same: people keep writing and I keep calling.

Why? There are two important reasons. Reason Number One, I know that the growing overweight and out of shape population needs constant encouragement. Reason Number Two, this daily interaction with you helps me continue my lifelong crusade. Its practice what you preach. For me, that also meanseat what you preach.

When I tell others to hang in there and take care of their health, I am talking to myself as well. You see, after all these caloric counting years, I still struggle with food. Youd think it would be easy for me by now, but its not and it never will be.