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Gene Simmons banned from Fox News

By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 20 November 2017

Gene Simmons has reportedly been banned from Fox News for sexist behaviour in the US news network’s offices. The incident reportedly took place shortly after the Kiss bassist appeared on Fox Business’s ‘Mornings With Maria’ to promote his new book.

On the programme, he was asked for his view on the growing accusations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein. He replied: “The lunatics have taken over the insane asylum when respected business entities such as yourself ask guys that like to stick their tongues out what I think of Harvey Weinstein. OK, I’m a powerful and attractive man, and what I’m about to say is deadly serious. Men are jackasses. From the time we’re young we have testosterone. I’m not validating it or defending it”.

According to The Daily Beast, after this interview, Simmons went back into the Fox News office, barged into a meeting uninvited, shouted “hey chicks, sue me”, and then tore open his shirt. He is then reported to have made jokes about Michael Jackson and paedophilia, before hitting two people on the head with his book and commenting on their perceived intelligence based on the sounds this had made.

Until now a regular Fox News guest, a photograph of Simmons’ face has now reportedly been placed at the security desk at the entrance of the company’s Manhattan HQ marked “do not admit”.

Responding to the Daily Beast report, Simmons said in a statement: “I have appeared frequently over the years on various Fox News and Fox Business programmes and have a tremendous amount of respect for the talented women and men who work there. While I believe that what is being reported is highly exaggerated and misleading, I am sincerely sorry that I unintentionally offended members of the Fox team during my visit”.