Richard Simmons, the '80's fitness guru probably best remembered for his Sweating to the Oldies videotapes, died yesterday at age 76.
I remember seeing him on TV well before those tapes, on The Richard Simmons Show, but what will always stick in my memory is a controversial visit he made to my high school.
I think it was junior year when he offered to visit Pius XI to speak on fitness, and the offer was accepted. And yet, for reasons unknown, the school did not mandate an all- school assembly and made it a very loose, voluntary attendance: you not only needed that block free to attend, in the middle of the day, you had to ask to go.
Simmons was insulted and pissed and rightfully so. As that school harbored a horrific sex abuser in the leadership office, I can't say that was the school's worst error in my time there. But it was one of them.
RIP sir.
