Publicist denies Richard Simmons is being held hostage by housekeeper
Richard Simmons’ rep is striking back at claims made on a popular new podcast that the fitness guru is being held hostage by his housekeeper.
In the third episode of the “Missing Richard Simmons” podcast, longtime Simmons pal Mauro Oliveira repeated his allegations against Simmons’ housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, claiming she was holding the “Sweating to the Oldies” star prisoner in his home.
Oliveira recounted his last meeting with Simmons, in May 2014, during which the fitness fanatic seemed “very weakly, physically and mentally,” he said. “I thought the worst was going to happen. I thought he was suicidal.”
Oliveira -- who also previously served as Simmons’ masseuse -- claimed that when Reveles realized he was there, “She started screaming like a witch.”
“Richard looked at me and said, ‘You got to go.’ I said, ‘Really? Is she controlling your life now?’ and he said yes,” Oliveira said. “And that I have to leave.”
Simmons’ rep, Tom Estey, called Oliveria’s claims a “complete load of crap” in a statement to People magazine and said Simmons has simply chosen to remove himself from the spotlight.
“Theresa is the housekeeper, she’s the caretaker, she is extraordinary, she is amazing, she takes impeccable care of Richard and she has for as long as I have been working with Richard,” Estey said. “We did not cooperate nor participate in this podcast because we didn’t feel the need to nor did we want to.”
The “Missing Richard Simmons” podcast has become the most popular podcast on iTunes after just three episodes. Simmons has not been seen in public in more than 1,000 days.
