NEED TO KNOW
In an awkward on-air moment, Gene Simmons appeared to flirt with a news anchor.
On Monday, Dec. 8, the KISS frontman, 76, was interviewed by Scripps News anchor Maritsa Georgiou on a wide range of topics including being recognized at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors and his advocacy for the American Music Fairness Act. However, at the end of the 10-minute interview, Georgiou appeared surprised when the rock star asked, “By the way, are you still modeling?”
She paused before asking, “What?” At that point, Simmons repeated his question, and the journalist responded, “I don’t model, sir.”
He then shrugged and said, “Oh, I assumed.”
Georgiou laughed and replied, “Well, I appreciate that.”
Scripps News later shared the moment on their Instagram Story, which Georgiou reshared alongside three see-no-evil monkey emojis.
The singer’s appearance came just one day after he was recognized by President Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center Honors alongside his KISS bandmates, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, George Strait and Gloria Gaynor.
In the interview, Georgiou noted that Simmons has been critical of Trump in the past. He responded, “You’re not going to work on the clickbait stuff, cause I know that’s more enticing. I’ve had an up and down relationship with God himself, or herself, I criticize anybody I damn well please. I may not agree with everything, but so what?”
As for his romantic life, Simmons has been married to former model Shannon Tweed since 2011. The two first met in 1983 and were together for 28 years before officially tying the knot. They share two children: Nicholas “Nick” Simmons, 36, and Sophie Simmons, 33.
Amy Sussman/FilmMagic
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In 2023, Simmons told The Guardian that he would never leave Tweed, even if she cheated on him as he’s admittedly done in the past.
“Would I ever leave if Shannon dilly-dallied like I had? No, absolutely not. That will never happen,” he said at the time. “This will be the only marriage I ever have because my definition of marriage isn’t based on that stuff, it’s based on somebody who in a real sense will give their life for you.”
He continued: “We’ve proved it in creating two new, wonderful, amazing forms of life — our kids. Nobody else can do that. At the end of the day, my life will be judged by Shannon, Nick and Sophie.”
