I guess now we've got everyone's opinion on terrorism.

January 13, 2002 8:18 PM

I guess now we've got everyone's opinion on terrorism. As much as I love Kiss, I don't know that this is who I'd consult at this particular juncture. I guess his opinion is as valid as the next guy's though. Perhaps he could breathe fire at Al Qaeda for us, I dunno.
posted by jonmc (14 comments total)

Two things strike me here.

One, Gene had one of the greatest death scenes ever in the movie Wanted: Dead Or Alive in which he played, surprisingly, a terrorist.

Second, I love this part of the transcript:

"President Bush, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)"

Classic.

Gene was born in Haifa, Israel, though, so maybe he has a little more background in living under the threat of terrorism than the average American (although he was only nine when he emigrated).
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:27 PM on January 13, 2002

God, that Gene Simmons is on a roll. I got this over email, and I can't say I'm sure it's 100% true, I'm fairly confident it is (it came from someone closely tied to radio):

Transcript of 12/11/2001 Fresh Air (NPR) interview that never aired...


Terry Gross interviews Gene Simmons
------------------------------------------
TG : Now, clothes that you've worn on stage. You wear fishnets...
GS : No, fire your research person, no fish nets.

TG : I was sure I'd seen you in them, but I trust you.
GS : Don't ever do that, I'm a man.

TG : Let's get to the studded codpiece -- Do you have a sense of humor about that?
GS : No it holds in my manhood, otherwise it would be too much for you to take. You'd have to put the book down and confront life. The notion is if you're going to welcome me with open arms you also have to welcome me with open legs.

TG : That's a really obnoxious thing to say
GS : No it's not, why should I say something behind your back that I can't tell you to your face

TG : Has it come to this? Is this the only way you can talk to a woman, with that schtick.
GS : Let me ask you something. Why is it schtick when all women have ever wanted since we crawled out of caves is, "why can't a man just tell me the truth and speak to me plainly". So if I do that, you can't have it both ways.

TG : So you really have no sense of humor about this do you?
GS : I'm laughing all the way.

TG : Yea to the bank!
GS : Of course, don't I sound like a happy guy?

TG : Not really to be honest with you.
GS : I was going to suggest you get outside of the musty place where you can count the dust particles falling around you and get out into the world and see what everybody else is doing.

TG : Having sex with you?
GS : Well if you chose but you'd have to stand in line.

TG : Ok well we might as well get to this since you keep bringing this up...
GS : I didn't, you did.

TG : You write that you've had 4600 sexual liaisons.
GS : You're supposed to say so far.

TG : So far. To you this will be asking the obvious but why have you wanted so many encounters?
GS : M-a-n, the notion is plain.

TG : I'd like to think the personality you presented on our show today is a persona that you've affected as a member of Kiss, but that you're not nearly as obnoxious when you're at home or with friends.
GS : Fair enough, and I'd like to think that the boring lady who's talking to me now is a lot sexier and more interesting than the one's who's doing NPR, studious and reserved.
posted by mathowie at 8:31 PM on January 13, 2002

Gene was born in Haifa, Israel, though, so maybe he has a little more background in living under the threat of terrorism than the average American (although he was only nine when he emigrated).

Plus, Kiss did write a killer song called "War Machine." Maybe, It could be played as morale booster.
posted by jonmc at 8:32 PM on January 13, 2002

Matt, that rocked. No wonder it was never broadcast on NPR.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:35 PM on January 13, 2002

Matt, that last exchange is beautiful... and in a demented kind of way symbolic of the "culture clashes" we see on the web and in the world at large. Everyone take note, the barbarians are neither as "obnoxious" as they seem and the intellectuals not as "boring" as they seem.
Now, if you'll excuse me(I'm listening to "King of the Night Time World" as I type this) I'm going to put on some fishnets and a codpiece and dance around my apartment.
BTW, has anyone asked Ace Frehley his opinion on all this?
posted by jonmc at 8:39 PM on January 13, 2002

well, he's an idiot. his thoughts are as immature and as awful as his music. he sounds like a nazi at times...
posted by quarsan at 4:01 AM on January 14, 2002

i'm going to see gene tomorrow at a book signing here in toronto, maybe we can convince him to stay here and be mayor... he's no more comical than our current one...
posted by spunkster at 5:25 AM on January 14, 2002

he sounds like a nazi at times...

Well, that was intelligent.

Not that I agree with a lot of what Gene has said in the past , especially regarding his relationship with women, but I do beleive that he has a right to do whatever works for him...

I would love to know what he has said in the past to make you thing that he sounded like a nazi... are you aware his mother is a product of those times? That she is so scarred by the nazis, that she refuses to talk about it?

nH
posted by niteHawk at 6:17 AM on January 14, 2002

I can't believe anybody would talk to Terry Gross that way. That's ballsy.
posted by jennyb at 7:09 AM on January 14, 2002

I'm enh on Gene Simmons, but I agree with jennyb, it's cool that someone would be unimpressed enough by Terry Gross to be that open about his contempt for the whole tired "Fresh Air" schtick.
posted by rodii at 8:29 AM on January 14, 2002

He was just as charmingly loathsome when he was on The Daily Show, but Jon Stewart is much better at rolling with the punches than the pinched and proper folks at NPR. But Simmons' attitude towards women is really repugnant.
posted by Skot at 8:44 AM on January 14, 2002

Terry Gross is really annoying. Has anyone else noticed that she is incredibly slow-witted? Not the best trait for an interviewer.
posted by cell divide at 9:09 AM on January 14, 2002

But Simmons' attitude towards women is really repugnant.

Skot, he's being charming loathsome, remember. I'm sure the God of Thunder has his tongue firmly in what has to be one big-ass cheek. Besides, I'll take charming crudeness over dull enlightenment any day of the damn week.

I also remember a Simmons interview where he said that between him and his wife, Playboy bunny Shannon Tweed, on "Parent's Day" his kids easily kick everyone's ass.
posted by jonmc at 9:47 AM on January 14, 2002

Terry Gross is pretty annoying. My local NPR station recently changed the time that she comes on and I wound up listening to her instead of classical music when I had to undergo an MRI the other day. Although, the IV sedatives did make her a little less annoying.
posted by AFrayedKnot at 10:16 PM on January 14, 2002