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Gene Simmons Stands Firm on His Dancing with the Stars Comments After Backlash: ‘I Stand by Every Word.’.Linh

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Simmons’ critiques of the dancers’ performances focused mostly on their appearances, calling one dancer “hot, hot, hot”

GENE SIMMONS - DANCING WITH THE STARS - "Hair Metal Night" - It's time to turn up the volume on the ballroom floor. The 11 remaining couples bring iconic rock anthems to life, alongside guest judge, rock 'n' roll superstar Gene Simmons of KISS. TUESDAY, OCT. 8
Gene Simmons on the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ set on Oct. 8, 2024. Photo: Disney/Eric McCandless

Gene Simmons stands by his controversial recent comments from a guest judging slot on Dancing with the Stars.

On the Oct. 9 episode of Dancing with the Stars for “Hair Metal Night,” the KISS legend was invited as a guest judge and had a lot to say about the contestants’ appearances — earning backlash for his statements.

He called one dancer “hot, hot, hot,” and said another contestant moved him “not just with your gyrations and so on, but your beautiful face.”

Speaking to Daily Mail on Oct. 10, Simmons confirmed he heard the backlash and stands by his comments. “I stand by every word I said,” said the “Detroit Rock City” singer. “I had a great time. The contestants were great. The show was great. Watch the show. It was a lot of fun.”

“Everybody’s got something to say,” added the musician. “Watch the show. It was a lot of fun. Everybody had a great time.”

DANCING WITH THE STARS - "Hair Metal Night" - It's time to turn up the volume on the ballroom floor. The 11 remaining couples bring iconic rock anthems to life, alongside guest judge, rock 'n' roll superstar Gene Simmons of KISS. TUESDAY, OCT. 8 (8:00-10:01 p.m. ET) on ABC.
Gene Simmons and the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ judges on Oct. 8, 2024.Disney/Eric McCandless

Former NFL player Danny Amendola and dancer Witney Carson‘s performance was met with Simmons telling them, “It’s difficult to look at you and to figure out which one is more hot, hot, hot.”

“Danny, I’m telling you, you’re right next to somebody, one of the more beautiful women on the planet,” he added.

Gene Simmons of KISS performs during KISS: End of the Road World Tour at Madison Square Garden on December 01, 2023 in New York City.

The 75-year-old rocker also told 24-year-old Pretty Little Liars actress Chandler Kinney, “Chandler, you’ve 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.”

When asked about Simmons’ comments, Kinney’s partner, Brandon Armstrong, told Us Weekly, “I said, ‘Hold up now.’ I have two little sisters. I heard it. I said, ‘Wait, wait, wait.'”

In April, Simmons defended Dance Moms alum JoJo Siwa after her drastic rebrand came with a new look that resembled his iconic black-and-white KISS garb. “JoJo is cool. Anybody who doesn’t get it is just jealous, period,” he said in an interview with TMZ. “Never be ordinary. Always be extraordinary. JoJo is extraordinary, and she looks cool.”