15 Things You Need To Know About The Missing Richard Simmons Podcast

If you haven't started listening to the podcast "Missing Richard Simmons", then you know at least one person who has told you that you should start. Filmmaker Dan Taberski created the podcast and hosts it, and it's got the perfect podcast voice. You know the one -- it's kind of deep, definitely melodic, and it will make you want to keep listening. If you haven't heard of Richard Simmons before, here's the deal: he was a famous fitness instructor who created his own gym in L.A. called Slimmons. He also had several fitness videos (one was called "Sweatin' To The Oldies"). Yeah, this is all in the past tense, but not because he's passed away. Nope, he's still very much alive. The reason why all this is in the past tense is because Richard Simmons hasn't been seen in public in a matter of years. Read on to find out 15 things that you should know about the "Missing Richard Simmons" podcast.

15 Richard Disappeared In 2014

As the story goes, Richard Simmons disappeared on February 15th of 2014. This was shocking to everyone who knew him because he was such a people person. It was also super surprising since he had always taught his classes at his Slimmons gym in Beverly Hills. His fans and clients were really sad once they realized that they not only were not going to attend Richard's classes anymore, but they were not even going to see him ever again. Of course, they kept hoping that he would return to the gym, but it ended up closing its doors. So before you listen to the podcast, you have to know the reason for its very existence, and that is the fact that Richard Simmons has been very reclusive for several years now. There are more questions than answers when it comes to the story of Richard Simmons. We bet you are already interested!

14 You Will Be Obsessed

The truth about podcasts is that sometimes they can be really dull and other times, you can be so addicted, you don't know how you ever survived without listening to this show before. You're going to be addicted to "Missing Richard Simmons" and you will for sure become obsessed in no time. As soon as you start listening to the first episode, you will want to cancel all your plans for the next few hours and just binge listen to them. Is binge listening a thing? It totally should be, a least when it comes to this podcast in particular. You will text all your friends and email all your relatives and be desperate to find someone, anyone, who is listening to this and loving it as much as you are. Since this podcast is honestly a mystery at heart, you will be just as invested as you would be if you were watching a fictional drama.

13 It's Really Well Done

Major props to Dan Taberski because this podcast is seriously awesome. It feels like there is a natural narrative from the very first few minutes and it is almost like you are reading a really well-researched, beautifully constructed feature article. It is definitely a piece of journalism and it is a great addition to the podcast genre. The episode titles are great too. The first is called "Where's Richard?" and the fourth is called "O Brother Where Art There?" and the final episode is called "A Day At The Beach." Don't you just want to listen to those podcast episodes based on those episodes alone? The podcast definitely is not sensationalistic or scandalous. It might seem that way based on the premise, but that is just not the case. It is much different than you might expect and it is extremely well-crafted. You will seriously be impressed.

12 There's Some Criticism

Of course, whenever anyone does anything and puts a piece of art out into the world, there are going to be haters. There just have to be. No one will love absolutely everything that you do. So there are definitely a lot of haters when it comes to the "Missing Richard Simmons" podcast -- and there has definitely been a lot of criticism. Richard's long-time manager, for example, has said publicly that he thinks the podcast created more worry than was necessary and was kind of a negative force. He even said that to Dan in one of the podcast episodes and Dan's response was that, well, people were worried and concerned even before the podcast was even just a mere idea. Dan is definitely right but unfortunately, there are still people out there who do not believe that this podcast should have happened. But we need answers so we can't help ourselves!

11 There Are Crazy Rumors

Since this is kind of a crazy story, there are crazy rumors, too. That's just how it goes. The rumors of what's up with Richard Simmons range from him hiding thanks to some knee surgery, wanting to quit his fitness career, being held hostage by his housekeeper (which has been rejected by police), gaining a lot of weight, and even becoming a woman. These seem to be just that -- crazy rumors -- and nothing that you or anyone else should really worry about too much. When a situation is confusing and it's mysterious, that's when your brain starts turning and you start thinking about the worst that could possibly happen. It's hard to believe that the real story could be super normal and even kind of boring -- that maybe Richard just wanted to stop teaching and stop talking to people, and maybe he just wanted to live his life and chill out.

10 There Are Interviews With Richard's Friends And Family

If you are wondering why you should listen to this podcast, you should know that you will hear a few interviews with the people closest to Richard. His manager appears in an interview and talks about how he's worked with Richard since forever and even hung out with him the day before the podcast interview took place. He sees him on a regular basis and they're in a good place. Dan also gets the chance to talk to Richard's brother who says that Richard seems pretty peaceful and they even spent Christmas together. You will also hear from Moro, one of Richard's friends who is totally convinced that something is not right with Teresa, Richard's housekeeper and close friend. You probably won't believe him and will think it's just a rumor since there seems to be lots of evidence that everything is totally fine, but it's still interesting to consider.

9 You Will Have Your Own Theories

It's pretty much impossible to listen to a podcast that is essentially a real-life mystery or watch a fictional drama and not come up with your own theories. So you will definitely come up with a few theories of your own when you check out "Missing Richard Simmons." You might believe some of the theories that fans and critics alike have come up with, or you might think of something on your own. Chances are, you will become pretty consumed with your idea of what happened and it will be a bit frustrating to realize that you won't know the truth. Because that's something else you have to know about this podcast: Dan doesn't have all the answers and no one else does, either. At least not people who aren't named Richard Simmons. But still, you'll think of a few things that could be possible, and you won't be able to help it.

8 You Will Need To Talk To Someone About It

This is not a podcast that you can listen to all by yourself in a dark room (or even all by yourself on the way to work or walking down the street to grab coffee or groceries). You can listen to it alone, sure, but you're going to want to find some people to talk to after. You won't be able to contain your excitement and your love for this podcast and you won't want to keep it to yourself. If your best friends aren't already tuning in, you will have to convince them so you guys can have some serious conversations about it. Same goes for your coworkers, family members, and boyfriend if you have one. You will be doing your nearest and dearest a favor since chances are, they will love this podcast as much as you do and will be glad that you recommended it to them. Wouldn't you be happy if someone recommended an epic podcast to you?

7 There Are Only Six Episodes

While many podcasts last pretty much forever -- some popular ones have been going on for five years and counting -- this podcast is pretty short-lived. There are actually only six episodes. The podcast started streaming on February 15, 2017 and the final episode streamed on March 20th, 2017. So there is honestly no time like the present to get started on your listening party if you have not already. You can listen to these episodes in a matter of hours since each one is only about half an hour (between 33 and 37 minutes, usually). So this is the perfect podcast to accompany you on your morning or evening commute, when you are heading out to run some errands, or when you aretravelingg. The time will definitely go by super fast since you will be so fascinated by the episodes and you will not want to stop listening.

6 People Say He's Okay

Another thing you should definitely know? That people say that Richard Simmons is okay. Everyone from his brother to manager to the LAPD has said that he seems totally and completely fine. Many people have publicly announced that his health is good and nothing horrible is going on in that department. That's great news, right? Of course. You should definitely be aware of this so you don't start listening to the podcast expecting some deep, dark secret or something really disturbing. You're not going to get that because that kind of stuff just doesn't exist. It's easy for your imagination to get the best of you and to think that something sinister is going on, but that's just not the truth. Remember that this is real life, not a movie or a TV show. That can be tough to remember since the podcast feels like such a story, but it's true.

5 It's Super Compassionate

The coolest part about this podcast is that it's incredibly compassionate. At first you might think that Dan is invading Richard's privacy, but as soon as you start listening, you'll realize that's not the case at all. Everyone says really kind things about Richard, Dan included. The very reason that he decided to do this podcast was because he has been a fan of Richard for a while now. He first met Richard when he attended one of his fitness classes in Beverly Hills and ever since then, he has respected Richard's vibrant personality and amazing ability to get people inspired. A lot of the people talking on the podcast are fans and friends of Richard and he helped some of them through very tough times such as trying to lose weight or going through other personal problems. Richard was great at being a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen to.

4 The Title Has Two Meanings

When you think about it, "Missing Richard Simmons" means two different things. One reading of this title is that Dan and everyone else literally misses Richard and want the best for him and wonder what he is up to. The other reading? That Richard is, well, missing. This is an interesting thing to think about, especially right before you tune into the six podcast episodes since it helps frame the premise in your mind. It makes you realize that on the one hand, he has definitely disappeared and where he really is and what he is really doing is still mostly a mystery. But on the other hand, the reason why people care so much is because people really, really miss him. They love him, they have considered him a big part of their lives for a long time, and honestly, they just want the chance to say goodbye.

3 The LAPD Recently Went To Richard's Home

Breaking news in terms of this whole story: the LAPD recently visited Richard's home. What did they find? That he is fine. Totally fine. Honestly. This was considered a "welfare check" and they admitted they were concerned thanks to the podcast and all the buzz and chatter about what is going on with him. The detective told the media that Richard is just taking some time for himself." This was a massive deal since it proved that he really does seem to be okay and that there is nothing horrible going on. It is always better to know the truth because without those facts, your mind is going to wander and you are going to wonder all kinds of awful things. Was this news comforting to fans and friends of Richard? Probably. But they definitely still wish that they could see him again and actually talk to him.

2 It's A "Love Letter"

Dan told Entertainment Weekly that at its core, this podcast is a "love letter" to Richard Simmons. He said, "I want this to be a gesture to Richard, to tell his story and to let him know that he is maybe a little more understood than he thinks. Once that is done, regardless of whether or not [he] decides to talk to us, I think I will have achieved my goal. That is its purpose, to reach out to him. This is our grand gesture. It is complicated, but it is a bit of a love letter." Interesting, right? If that quote alone does not make you want to run and download these six podcast episodes, then nothing would. Because that is a pretty awesome, epic quote. And Dan's words just prove how much he cares about Richard and how he does not have any ulterior motivates or negative reasons for producing this podcast.

1 The Conclusion Will Surprise You

Will you find out exactly what happened to Richard Simmons and what the real story is? Yes. And no. Think about the conclusion of the first season of the super popular podcast "Serial." Sarah Koenig ultimately decided that she didn't really know if Adnan was guilty or innocent. This was a disappointing episode for fans who really were dying to know what the answer was. Of course, this was a lesson in not thinking that real life is like the movies or television: while a series finale of a TV show can give you the answers that you're searching for, things aren't quite as easy to wrap up with a bow in real life. Sarah didn't have all the answers and Dan doesn't either. But you will still be surprised by the conclusion of "Missing Richard Simmons" and will have a whole lot to think about. So why aren't you listening yet?!