'Missing Richard Simmons' Podcast: Fitness Icon's Manager Slams Show As 'Fake News' [VIDEO]
The Missing Richard Simmons podcast is being dismissed as "fake news" by the fitness guru's manager.
The popularity of Missing Richard Simmons has led to a heated discussion from the public. While some are drawn in and captivated by the mystery of where Richard Simmons might be, others have voiced their moral concern over invading the health icon's privacy.
Simmons' manager, Michael Catalano, is now weighing in on the podcast and is clearly opposed to its very existence. Catalano spoke with Entertainment Tonight recently about not only the personal toll it has taken on Simmons but the actual quality of the podcast itself.
"The podcast has not revealed one bit of new information and it has given voice to unreliable sources. Everything reported here is at least a year old or more. It is not only full of fake news, it's full of old news," Catalano stated.
While Missing Richard Simmons host Dan Taberski has said he created the podcast as a way of reaching out to an old friend, Catalano suggested that it hasn't helped Simmons' state of mind at all.
"There was nothing about this podcast that made Richard feel good as it refocused the public's attention on lies and misrepresentations," Catalano said. "Richard has been seriously harmed by those looking to make a name for themselves or worse, looking to cash in."
While Simmons himself has not commented on the podcast, Catalano did warn that there will be some type of response in the future.
"There has been considerable damage done and at a time and platform of our own choosing, we will respond," Catalano said.
Missing Richard Simmons quickly became the no. 1 most popular podcast on iTunes, though it has since dropped to no. 3 as of Monday afternoon. It is, however, the no. 1 podcast on Stitcher currently. The sixth episode is slated to drop on Tuesday.
