The KISS frontman stands by his recent comments made during his gig as a guest judge on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars', which sparked accusations of misogyny.
- Oct 12, 2024
AceShowbiz - Gene Simmons has defended his controversial comments on "Dancing with the Stars" after receiving accusations of misogyny. The KISS legend was a guest judge on the show's "Hair Metal Night" episode, where he made remarks about the contestants' appearances.
Some viewers criticized Simmons for focusing more on the female competitors' looks than their dancing abilities. However, Simmons has stood by his comments, stating that he "stands by every word [he] said."
"I had a great time. The contestants were great. The show was great," Simmons said to Daily Mail. "Watch the show. It was a lot of fun."
Simmons also emphasized that "everybody's got something to say" and that "media? Everybody's got something to say."
During the episode, Simmons praised former NFL player Danny Amendola and dancer Witney Carson's performance, saying, "It's difficult to look at you and to figure out which one is more hot, hot, hot." He also told 24-year-old actress Chandler Kinney, "Chandler, you've fogged up my glasses. I don't know what to tell you. You move me, not just with your gyrations and so on, but your beautiful face and how you were into the emotion of it."
When asked about Simmons' comments, Kinney's partner Brandon Armstrong, expressed discomfort.
In April, Simmons defended "Dance Moms" alum JoJo Siwa after her new look resembled his iconic black-and-white KISS garb. "JoJo is cool. Anybody who doesn't get it is just jealous, period," he said.
Simmons' comments have been met with mixed reactions. Some have defended him, arguing that his remarks were simply meant to be complimentary. Others have criticized him, accusing him of perpetuating sexist stereotypes.