Please be advised that the nearest copy of Sweatin’ to the Oldies may be behind you.
Richard Simmons, the fitness guru known for his bedazzled tops and dangerously short shorts, has teamed with Air New Zealand to create the airline’s new in-flight safety video. His high-energy take on a safety demonstration is so colorful he warns passengers it won’t be easy, noting, “In the next three minutes we’re going to work hard, work out and get you fit to fly!”
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The first step to a safe flight involves putting away baggage. So amid a sea of spandex-clad extras, he tells passengers to “stretch and slide – you’re a giraffe!” In the event the plane should plunge into the sea, he suggests that everyone grab a life jacket and “blow and blow and blow. . .Yeah, you’re pumping it up!” The exercise puns reach their height at the 2:07 mark. “If the lights go out in an emergency and the lights come on down here, it’s time to move!”
Phil Keoghan, the New Zealand-born host of The Amazing Race, makes a cameo at the 1:20 mark. And former TV New Zealand broadcaster Paul Henry does too. (Knowing who he is will help NewsFeed’s non-Kiwi readers get the joke at the 2:30 mark.)
Despite Simmons’ choreographed squats, Air New Zealand public affairs manager Mike Tod says that safety takes center stage in the video, not Simmons. “Safety is paramount and non-negotiable at Air New Zealand, and Fit to Fly will again get our passengers sitting up and taking notice of these important pre-flight messages in an engaging and fun way. Simmons’ fitness moves will definitely ensure that all eyes are on the safety briefing.” (via New Zealand Herald)
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