Yahoo Lifestyle Gene Simmons Slammed For 'Creepy' Comments About Female Dancers On 'DWTS'
Instead of setting heaven on fire, Gene Simmons ignited X (formerly Twitter) ablaze ... but for all the wrong reasons.
While appearing as a guest judge on Tuesday night’s “Hair Metal Night” episode on “Dancing With the Stars,” some social media users slammed the retired KISS bassist and singer, 75, for making “creepy” comments to the show’s female dancers.
Many X users criticized Simmons for centering his comments around the contestants’ looks rather than their actual dance routine.
During one point of the Oct. 8 episode, the former rocker told “Pretty Little Liars” star Chandler Kinney, 24, that she “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,” he said, per Cosmopolitan.
He later haphazardly commented that pro dancer Witney Carson is “one of the more beautiful women on the planet.”
X users reacted to Simmons’ “awful” commentary.
Don't ever bring Gene Simmons back as a judge. That was awful and so uncomfortable. Creepy uncle vibes to all the women. That....Oof yeah. No. #DWTSpic.twitter.com/p7QrvHPFQc
— Melody ♥︎ ملودی 🦜🎗💔 (@Melodious87) October 10, 2024
gene simmons telling someone FIFTY ONE YEARS YOUNGER THAN HIM that she steamed up his glasses is absolutely disgusting she
— 🚀BOS rain show, AMS N1&3 | thank you little mix (@leigh_ilysm) October 9, 2024
why is all of gene simmons feedback just abt how he finds all the woman to be hot
— mol 🧸 (@molfully) October 9, 2024
oh my god someone get Gene Simmons off this show im so uncomfortable for these girls rn
— summer⁴ | free palestine (@pennyxxelliott) October 9, 2024
can we get gene simmons off the stage immediately pls i cannot take these misogynistic comments #dwtspic.twitter.com/rwxxkbUQTz
— katie ❥ | 8 days🌟 (@daydreamxshawn) October 9, 2024
it’s only the first dance and i’m already over gene simmons being a creep #DWTSpic.twitter.com/iEEyoSlPUh
— Cheyanne 🪩 (@alltoochey) October 9, 2024
Gene Simmons is seriously sucking all the energy out of the ballroom with his creepy comments about the female dancers. #DWTSpic.twitter.com/HM8KEIbmZS
— Patty Ann (@pattyla16) October 9, 2024
Other X users accused Simmons for seemingly “underscoring” the show’s contestants of color. Reality TV star Phaedra Parks received 7s from the show’s three regular judges, but earned just a 5 from Simmons.
just gonna not say anything about how horrible gene Simmons underscored all the black cast anyways see y'all next Tuesday where mark ballas comes back#DWTS#dancingwiththestarspic.twitter.com/09IiMBYhWW
— mo⁷🐟 (@FLYGIRLARI) October 9, 2024
gene simmons deciding what score to give everytime a poc finishes dancing #DWTSpic.twitter.com/g2SICcslro
— yee yee (@yeEyEeE06) October 9, 2024
Gene Simmons deciding how to score #dwtspic.twitter.com/KWCB7JyjTA
— DEZ🍊VFL (@dezvfl) October 9, 2024
X users weren’t the only people to call out the “Lick It Up” singer’s critiques.
Us Weekly spoke to Kinney and her pro dance partner, Brandon Armstrong, after the show about Simmons’ statements.
“Brandon has more feelings than I,” the actress told the outlet, adding that her only response was “LOL.”
However, Armstrong expressed stronger views about the musician’s words.
“I said, ‘Hold up now,’” he explained, “I have two little sisters. I heard it. I said, ‘Wait, wait, wait.’”
HuffPost has reached out to representatives for Simmons and ABC for comment.