KISS frontman Gene Simmons, 76, made a surprising on-air comment this week while promoting the American Music Fairness Act in Washington, D.C., legislation aimed at ensuring musicians get fair compensation.
Appearing on Atlanta-based Scripps News, Simmons spoke with anchor Maritsa Georgiou about his advocacy work. But at the end of the segment, the conversation took an unexpected turn.
After Georgiou introduced him as “one of the founding members of KISS,” Simmons asked, “By the way, are you still modeling?”
The anchor, caught off guard, replied, “What?” Simmons repeated the question, and Georgiou clarified, “Modeling? I don’t model, sir.” Simmons responded with a shrug and a quip: “Oh, I assumed.”
The brief exchange ended professionally, with Georgiou thanking Simmons for his time and wishing him well on his Capitol Hill appearances.
Simmons is no stranger to eyebrow-raising moments. In 2024, he made headlines as a guest judge on “Dancing With the Stars,” where his commentary drew criticism for being overly focused on contestants’ looks rather than the dancing. He called dancer Emma Slater “a beautiful woman” and told contestant Chandler Kinney she “fogged up my glasses” while also commenting on the attractiveness of football player Danny Amendola and his partner. Fans quickly took to social media to express their outrage.
Outside of TV controversies, Simmons has been coping with the death of his former KISS bandmate, Ace Frehley, who passed away on October 16 at 74. Simmons opened up about regrets regarding his relationships with Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, admitting he sometimes avoided confrontation and tough love that could have helped them.
Despite the drama on and off stage, Simmons continues to make headlines, both for his music and his unfiltered public persona.