Kiss Singer Gene Simmons Tells Depressed People To Kill Themselves

Opposing Views ^ | 8-1-2014 | Michael Allen

[Citizen Zed]

Last month, Kiss singer Gene Simmons falsely claimed that the wealthiest one percent paid 80 percent of "all taxes" and created "all the jobs."

Eager to spread more love, Simmons recently teed off on his former Kiss band mates Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, and anyone suffering from depression or drug addiction.

When asked by SongFacts.com if he still gets along with Criss or Frehley these days, Simmons responded, "No, I don't get along with anybody who's a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim."

"Drug addicts and alcoholics are always: 'The world is a harsh place.' My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany," added Simmons. "I don't want to hear f--- all about 'the world as a harsh place.' She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, 'I'm depressed, I live in Seattle.' F--- you, then kill yourself."

[Citizen Zed]

“Get some sunshine, a lot of sunshine.”

Your body makes vitamin D from sunshine and ... drumroll ... Cholesterol.

So eat whatever you want, especially yummy fatty foods, in moderation of course.

And move around - walk a little more outside. But don’t give Michelle Obama any credit for your change of behavior.

[dmz]

Oh, don’t worry about me, I will never “need” to learn about depression.

<><<><><><><>><

My mom was diagnosed bipolar after age 60. She passed at 78 a couple of years ago. I learned about this the hard way. I hope your smugness is not misplaced.

[A_perfect_lady]

It’s not. I don’t have it and I won’t become the human sacrifice of anyone who does. Simple as that.

[southern rock]

Simmons is an idiot

No, He's a tasteless greedy bastard who ran his band into the ground and jumped up and down on it to finish the job, but he's actually very intelligent. And he makes sense quite often.

[wardaddy]

I don’t like how he treated his wife

[wardaddy]

He sounds like many a poster here on some threads

Tough guy and girl talk.

I diverge

[GeronL]

tasteless greedy pervert, male skank, who usually is very smart, but was probably drunk this time

[southern rock]

One of the people he was talking about in this article I know well .... and Gene’s comments on that score are accurate.

Really? Peter or Ace? C'mon. Give us a hint. ;p

[B4Ranch]

>>The point is, that these people aren’t sick at all. They are just unhappy and blame their unhappiness on everybody else.<<

I’ll add to the group by including PCP and Heroin users into the crowd that I wish would overdose. I am fed up with Mexican cartels and the DEA making billions off of American drug users. If anyone is hooked on drugs or booze they need to overdose and solve their problem.

[Drumbo]

he is an atheist, right? his former band sucked too.

Wrong. He was educated at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in Brooklyn, New York, a Jewish institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah. He's likely not devout, certainly not orthodox, but to call him an atheist is ignorant. He doesn't talk about religion much, but that doesn't make him an atheist. Here's a clip from Fox & Friends where he actively defends Tim Tebow (who he's signing to his new Arena Football league) for being Christian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1vefIauuwc

"Here's a guy who believes in his God ... (journalists) never pick on a guy who tortures dogs or is ... commits or perhaps has gone to jail for murder, but if he believes in Christ his Lord then he's open season ... it's like what country are we living in."

And BTW, his only former band is "Wicked Lester" (circa 1969). KISS are currently on a North American tour that lasts through November: http://www.kissonline.com/tour Tonight they perform at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA. As to talent, that's a matter of opinion, but I'll bet my talent that Gene has sold more records than you. I'm amused at your clueless comments. Google is your friend and will help you seem less stupid.

[Qiviut]

One of the two.

[felixandbowinkle]

I wasn’t sure that is why I posed it as a question. He certainly sounds quite heartless and records sold does not equate talent. Their music sucks, if you can even call it that. Have a good one!

[Drumbo]

I'm sorry I was harsh, but your post was completely off-topic, uninformed and had nothing to do with what was being discussed. The entire article was taken out of context and is old news (if news at all). The comments Simmons made were in relation to the feud with former band-mate Ace Frehely.

In short, Ace (a hopeless alcoholic and drug addict) has complained for over 30 years of his treatment by Simmons and Paul Stanley. Simmons and Stanley own and run Kiss completely. According to Simmons, Frehely and Peter Criss were given the opportunity to be partners as well, including sharing the investments and the risks but, they opted to only take money as "at-will" employees under contract. When their various addictions and "depressions" caused them to miss shows, promotions and other work-related functions or show up incapacitated, according to Simmons, they were eventually fired under the terms of their contracts. Frehely claims he left of his own free will (in 1982, again in 1996 after the reunion tour and finally in 2002 after the "farewell" tour) but, none-the-less, he sued Simmons and Stanley, convinced Criss to join in and the litigation languished in court for many years costing Kiss a ton of money, time and lost revenue because they refused to "settle" and pay off the malcontents. Frehely's life has spiraled out of control ever since, despite a net worth of $1.5 million, he makes ends meet and generates publicity by cashing in on his Kiss legacy - making appearances and writing about what monsters Simmons and Stanley are (Simmons' net worth is over $300 million these days). Youtube is plastered with Frehley's whining to anyone who'll listen (e.g. Howard Stern, Opie & Anthony, et.al.). It's Frehely who hides behind the "depression" and threatens suicide. Gene Simmons simply spoke his mind after 30+ years of the victimhood broken record. He knows as long as Frehley can make a buck on the Kiss name, his threats of killing himself are just drama. That's the story behind Simmons' remarks to the best of my knowledge, but there are two sides to every story so I could be wrong and I kept my mouth shut about it.

Simmons' religious views (or lack of) and talent (or lack of), have nothing to do with anything in the topic and saying "former band" when Kiss are actively touring and doing a new reality TV show next season just pushed me over the edge. You're entitled to your opinions and tastes but, Kiss found a market and exploited it whether you or I like it or not, an admirable Capitalistic trait in my book. Gene's a patriot, suffers buyer's remorse for supporting Obama in 2008 and is a charitable, sober guy who believes in free speech. He supports our troops, visits them, contributes time and money to vets and Wounded Warriors and is outspoken in his love and defense of Israel. He's a recovering liberal (like I was 30 years ago) and I'm pulling for him. He may or may not be a jerk, but I agree with him more often than not these days. I was sure a guy who wore a Yamaka at his wedding was an unlikely atheist, but I can't document it because he keeps that aspect of his life private and so what if he is an atheist?, it's a free country. Frehley has always been a short-sighted, self-centered, drug-addled neurotic that plays the victim more than the guitar most days.

I saw your post as uninformed, off-topic and disruptive, even trollish and I over-reacted. If I had it to do over I'd stay silent and I hope you feel the same. Sorry about my rants - I'm withdrawing from nicotine (which is no excuse, but) I'm quite grumpy and I'm old enough to know better. FReep regards.

[felixandbowinkle]

okay..I am glad the man is conservative and supports our troops. I did not know that.

[dontgivein]

Take off your wig, Gene, and let it shine.