I don't care what you say, I'll take an ounce of Richard Simmons over a pound of those Biggest-Loser Nazis any day.

Simmons might not have been ripped, and he might have been easy to make fun of--Eddie Murphy certainly got mileage out of his Simmons routine for a good 10 years--but that guy was supportive and empathetic as hell. He understood that, for a hefty portion of the population, exercise was a terrifying proposition, fraught with shame, and that such people needed coaxing, encouragement, and the occasional shoulder to cry on more than they needed berating and belittling.

According to the New York Times piece linked above, despite ample wealth and a relatively advanced age for a fitness guru (61), Simmons is still at it, not only releasing DVDs, but teaching regularly at "Slimmons," his LA studio.

Mr. Simmons, who says he is deeply religious, has an almost spiritual connection with his followers. "I don’t have to teach anymore, I don’t have to work anymore, God has been really good to me," Mr. Simmons said. "But I can’t forget these people — where would they go? Where would these men and women who don’t feel accepted in other places, where would they find a place to work out where they could laugh and feel good about themselves?"

Okay, I believe him. God love him, he still at it. Richard Simmons, one of the good guys.

(white-guy Afro, lip gloss, sequined tank top. Check, check, and....big-time check.)