Richard is not dying of any illness, just lives the life of a recluse.Richard also doesn’t have any “people” anymore, no agent, no publicist and no assistant. And supposedly Richard is now ok with Pauly doing this project.
“Decades after rising to fame through his exercise videos and gyms, Simmons sought a life away from the spotlight about 10 years ago. These days, he doesn’t have a manager or publicist, and tries “to live a quiet life and be peaceful,” according to his Facebook post.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pauly-shore-richard-simmons-biopic-good-luck_n_65abd4c4e4b041f1ce66267b