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Pauly Shore Responds to Richard Simmons’ Criticism About Biopic on January 19, 2024 at 11:49 pm Us Weekly

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Pauly Shore is ready for a comeback with his upcoming role as fitness guru Richard Simmons.

Shore, 55, will play the outgoing fitness icon Simmons, 75, in an upcoming biopic. “I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world,” said Shore in a statement to Variety in January 2024. “We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self! Whenever he was on TV you could never take your eyes off of him and he brought such a joy to his appearances that represented nothing but a good time.”

Later that day, Simmons took to Facebook to note that the film is unauthorized. “You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie,” he wrote. “So don’t believe everything you read.”

Simmons was well-known as a fitness celebrity with his own studio in Beverly Hills. He started to gain media attention in the 1970s and ‘80s with his workout videos and subsequent talk show appearances on shows like Late Night With David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show. Simmons’ fun-loving, joyful personality made him a household name alongside his fitness series, Sweatin with the Oldies, which led to television and movie roles as well as advertising opportunities. In 2014, he disappeared from public life which caused concern among his fans. In a 2016 phone interview with Today, Simmons just said he preferred privacy.

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Related: Richard Simmons’ Reclusive Life: What Little We Know

In recent years, Richard Simmons has lived a quiet life and hasn’t been seen in public since 2013 — here’s what we know about the reclusive fitness guru

This isn’t the only Simmons-centered project that Shore has lined up. He’s starring in a short film, The Court Jester, that premieres on January 19 at the Sundance Film Festival, which wasn’t affiliated with the biopic. In it, Shore portrays Simmons during the 2000s during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when he oversees an overweight production assistant getting yelled at by other staff. The short film, directed by Jake Lewis, will be available on YouTube after its Sundance premiere.

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Scroll for everything to know about Shore’s Richard Simmons biopic:

What Will the Richard Simmons Biopic Be About?

While as of yet there’s been no official plot announced, producer and director Mark Wolper, head of The Wolper Organization, which will be handling the film, gave a few ideas in his statement about working with Shore.

Bobby Bank/WireImage

“There is an amazing, dramatic and uplifting story to tell about Richard Simmons. My company has been making historical dramas and biopics for over 50 years now … we know what works,” Wolper told Variety. “We have been dancing around the idea for years, but it never coalesced until several months ago when I saw the press about Pauly Shore being touted by social media as the ONLY person that could play Richard. I saw the picture of them and realized these two are very similar, they both lived or died by how the world perceived them, they both fought to give their fans what they wanted and they both deserve an amazing comeback story! My company has locked Pauly down to play Richard Simmons and we are in serious discussions with a major writer to develop this as a dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of Little Miss Sunshine.”

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Is Richard Simmons Involved With the Film?

No, Simmons shared via his verified Facebook profile in January 2024 that he did not approve of the film.

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie,” he wrote. “So don’t believe everything you read. I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support. Richard.”

Who Else Is In the Cast?

So far, only Shore has been cast as Simmons and additional casting is underway.

Who Will Direct the Richard Simmons Biopic?

A director has not yet been announced.

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When Will the Richard Simmons Biopic Be Released?

A release date has not yet been announced for the biopic.

Pauly Shore Monica Schipper/Getty Images for IMDb

What Has Pauly Shore Said About Richard Simmons’ Criticism?

Shortly after Simmons’ comments made headlines, Shore responded to criticism by saying he didn’t think the former fitness coach was coming from a “vindictive place.”

“I hope that once he sees the short and he sees what we’re wanting to do with it that he’ll change his tune,” he told photographers in January 2024, per Entertainment Tonight. “I love him. I love what he represents, which is why we want to do it. He’s such a great character and it’d be a good opportunity for me to get back out there as well. People miss me and they miss him.”

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Shore also shared he wanted to portray Simmons after “everyone” told him the pair have a resemblance.

Pauly Shore is ready for a comeback with his upcoming role as fitness guru Richard Simmons. Shore, 55, will play the outgoing fitness icon Simmons, 75, in an upcoming biopic. “I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world,” said Shore in a statement to Variety in January 2024. “We all need this 

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Jennifer Lopez’s Ex Fires Back: “You Are the Problem”

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Ojani Noa Accuses J.Lo of Cheating After “Never Been Loved” Comments

Jennifer Lopez is once again at the center of a media storm — but this time, it’s her first husband, Ojani Noa, turning up the heat. Following Lopez’s recent Howard Stern Show interview, in which she claimed she has “never been truly loved” by any of her exes, Noa has publicly accused the superstar of cheating and playing the victim.

In the viral Instagram post that has now spread across major outlets like TMZ and New York Post, Noa didn’t hold back.

“Stop putting us down. Stop putting me down with your victim card,” he wrote. “The problem is not us. Not me. The problem is you. You’re the one who couldn’t keep it in your pants.”

“You Chose Fame and Lies Over Love”

Noa and Lopez were married briefly from 1997 to 1998, before her rise to Hollywood superstardom. In his explosive statement, he accused her of being unfaithful during their marriage, claiming she prioritized fame over their relationship.

“You have been loved a few times. You’ve been married four times. And have had countless relationships in between,” Noa continued. “You decided to lie, to cheat on me. You begged me to keep the marriage intact to avoid bad press.”

Noa described himself as “faithful, honest, and loving,” saying he uprooted his life and career to support Lopez at the beginning of her entertainment journey. “I left my family, my friends, everything behind for you,” he wrote, “but once fame came calling, you left me behind.”​

Lopez Silent Amid Growing Backlash

As of now, Jennifer Lopez has not publicly responded to Noa’s allegations. During her Howard Stern interview, the singer and actress claimed her former partners “weren’t capable” of loving her, saying, “It’s not that I’m not lovable… it’s that they’re not capable.”

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Her remarks were widely interpreted as referencing all of her ex-husbands — including Marc Anthony, Cris Judd, and Ben Affleck — but it was Noa who reacted first and most forcefully. His comments have ignited widespread debate online, with many questioning whether Lopez’s honesty came at the expense of others’ reputations.

Public Response and Media Fallout

The online reaction has been intense, with social media users split between defending Lopez’s right to share her truth and blasting her for allegedly rewriting history. Meanwhile, entertainment analysts note that the controversy adds to an increasingly turbulent year for the singer, following canceled tours, underperforming films, and ongoing scrutiny over her marriage to Affleck.

This latest backlash has also reignited conversations about Lopez’s highly publicized romantic history. As tabloids and fans speculate whether more exes might respond, the situation underscores an old truth in celebrity culture — that every candid confession comes with consequences.

For now, Jennifer Lopez remains silent. But in the court of public opinion, the debate about who’s really at fault in her love story is only just beginning.

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Selling Your Soul in Hollywood: The Hidden Cost of Fame

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By all appearances, Hollywood is a dream factory — a place where charisma, talent, and luck collide to create stars. But behind the camera lights and red carpets lies a conversation few inside the industry speak openly about: the spiritual and moral price of ambition.

For actor Omar Gooding, the idea of “selling your soul” in Hollywood isn’t a metaphor — it’s a moral process that begins with tiny compromises. In an October 2025 interview, Gooding explained that no one in Hollywood makes a literal deal with the devil. Instead, it’s the quiet yeses, the moments when comfort overrides conviction, that mark the beginning of the trade. “They don’t say, ‘Take this or you’ll never make it,’” he said. “They just put it in front of you. You choose.”

Those choices, he argues, create a pattern. Once you show that you’ll accept something you once resisted, the industry notices. “Hollywood knows who it can get away with what,” Gooding said. “One thing always leads to another.” The phrase “selling your soul,” in this context, means losing your say — doing what you’re told rather than what you believe in.

That moral tension has long shadowed the arts. Comedians like Dave Chappelle, who famously walked away from millions to preserve his creative integrity, often serve as examples of where conviction and career collide. In resurfaced interviews, Chappelle hinted that he felt manipulated and silenced by powerful figures who sought control of his narrative, warning that “they’re trying to convince me I’m insane.”

This isn’t just about conspiracy — it’s about agency. Hollywood runs on perception. Performers are rewarded for being agreeable, moldable, entertaining. Those who question the machine or refuse the script risk exile, while those who conform are elevated — sometimes beyond what they can handle.

We see the ‘collections’ all the time,” Gooding explained. “When the bill comes due, you can tell. They made that deal long ago.”

But the story doesn’t end in darkness. Gooding also emphasizes that in today’s entertainment landscape, artists have more control than ever. With streaming, social media, and creator‑driven platforms, performers don’t have to “play the game” to be seen. Independent creators can build their own stages, speak their own truths, and reach millions without trading authenticity for access.

Still, the temptation remains — recognition, validation, quick success. And every generation of artists must answer the same question: What are you willing to do for fame?

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As Gooding put it, “You just make the best choices you can. Because once it’s gone — your name, your peace, your soul — there’s no buying it back.”

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California Bans AI Clones from Replacing Real Talent

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California just made a dramatic stand for human creativity, defeating the threat of AI actor clones with a sweeping new law that puts people—not algorithms—back in the Hollywood spotlight. With the stroke of Governor Gavin Newsom’s pen in October 2025, the state has sent a clear message to studios, tech companies, and the world: entertainment’s heart belongs to those who create and perform, not to digital facsimiles.

California Draws a Hard Line: No More AI Clones

For months, the entertainment industry has been divided over the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. Studios, lured by promises of cost-cutting and creative flexibility, have invested in software that can mimic an actor’s face, voice, and even emotional range. But for performers, this wave of synthetic reproduction has triggered alarm—encouraged by chilling stories of deepfakes, unauthorized digital doubles, and contracts that let studios reuse a star’s likeness indefinitely, sometimes without pay or approval.

The new California law, anchored by AB 2602 and AB 1836, changes everything:

  • Every contract must explicitly detail how studios can use digital replicas or voice models, preventing once-common “blank check” agreements that overlooked this risk.
  • No one—not studios nor streaming giants—can create or release AI-generated clones of an actor, living or dead, without clear, written consent from the performer or their estate.
  • The law gives families new powers to defend loved ones from posthumous deepfake exploitation, closing painful loopholes that once let virtual versions of late icons appear in new ads, films, or games.

Actors Celebrate a Major Victory

The legislation rides the momentum of the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, where real-life talent demanded control over their own digital destinies. Leaders say these protections will empower artists to negotiate fair contracts and refuse participation in projects that cross ethical lines, restoring dignity and choice in an industry threatened by silent algorithms.

Stars, unions, and advocacy groups are hailing the law as the most robust defense yet against unwanted AI replications.

As one actor put it, “This isn’t just about money—it’s about identity, legacy, and respect for real artists in a synthetic age.”

A New Chapter for the Entertainment Industry

California’s move isn’t just a victory for local talent—it’s a warning shot to studios everywhere. Companies will now be forced to rethink production pipelines, consult legal counsel, and obtain proper clearance before digitally cloning anyone. Global entertainment platforms and tech developers will need to comply if they want to do business in the world’s entertainment capital.

These laws also set a template likely to ripple through other creative fields, from musicians whose voices can be synthesized to writers whose work could be mimicked by generative AI. For now, California performers finally have a powerful shield, ready to fight for the right to shape their own public image.

Conclusion: Human Talent Takes Center Stage

With its no-nonsense ban on AI actor clones, California draws a bold line, championing the work, likeness, and very humanity of its creative stars. It’s a landmark step that forces the entertainment industry to choose: respect real talent, or face real consequences. The age of the consentless digital double is over—human performers remain the true source of Hollywood magic.

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