We’re a month into the New Year, and most of us made a resolution to get back into shape this year. Maybe we can take a look at some icons of the video fitness industry and get some inspiration. Get your leotard and legwarmers out, put on some shitty dance music, and let’s grapevine our way into Where Are They Now: Let’s Get Physical edition.
I’d be an asshole if I didn’t start with the queen of video workouts: Jane Fonda. She’s Jane Fonda, living legend and humanitarian. Enough said. Here she is showing us youngsters how it’s done.
Next up is the king of workout fitness, meal plans, confetti, and of course the shortest exercise pants in the biz, the one, the only Richard Simmons. I have a huge soft spot for this dude. He’s from New Orleans (he can be forgiven for going to Brother Martin, its fine, really.), was an extra in a Fellini movie when he was gargantuan, and I was once on a plane with the man and he couldn’t have been nicer to everyone wanting to take his photo at 6 am.
His one-man empire spans one fitness center, twelve books, thirty-five fitness VHS/DVDs, meal planning cards in the form of Deal A Meal, numerous TV commercials and appearances. These days Simmons is holed up in his Hollywood Hills mansion with his dalmatians and housekeepers while still running the one man show that is Richard Simmons. And he went back on Stern this year after a long absence! Here’s Richard in that frozen tundra shelling for a cell phone company. Look at those gams! Werk!
Denise Austin must be exhausted at this point. Or maybe cardio has helped her create over 100 workout videos and DVDs. Her tv show Getting Fit ran for 10 years on ESPN and showed us just how many leotards one woman can own. She was also Jack Lalane’s cohost! Look at that. Seriously you would have thought that all of those years on tv someone would have pointed out that the camel that popped up constantly in every single show. She currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia. Here’s Denise shilling for carbs of all things:
Finally we’re going to talk about my personal style icon, the man who brought spandex menswear in a huge way to the United States, never seemed to be far from a coastline, and surrounded by back up dancers: Bodies in Motion’s Gilad. Born in 1954 in Israel where he was a record holding decathlon athlete and a fitness officer (this spandex god has to be ex Mossad, right?), Gilad is the host of the longest running ½ hour fitness show on television, Bodies in Motion. Always flanked by two women, Gilad spent countless hours on the beaches of Hawaii filming his television show before he moved back to the mainland to Los Angeles where he continues to inspire now he does it in track pants or yoga pants. I give that a boo and a hiss. Bring back the black spandex pants Gilad, something Denise Austin’s segment producer should have picked up on for their hiding abilities. Here’s a best of Gilad clip, you know you want this:
All of the videos that these fitness celebrities sell can be found if you follow the Amazon link on the Crasstalk and while you’re over there get yourself some leg warmers. They’re coming back you know. Clear your cookies first.
Who are some of your favorite fitness celebrities? Or better yet, any fun aerobics class stories you want to share? Tell us in the comments.
Images: Jane Fonda 1, Jane Fonda 2, Richard Simmons, Denise Austin, Gilad,
