Fox News has banned KISS frontman Gene Simmons for life from Fox News and Fox Business Network programs after his crude behavior toward Fox employees, according to The Daily Beast.
According to the report, during an interview on Wednesday morning with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo to promote his new book “On Power,” the host asked Simmons for his views on the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
“OK, I’m a powerful and attractive man, and what I’m about to say is deadly serious,” Simmons said. “Men are jackasses. From the time we’re young we have testosterone. I’m not validating it or defending it.”
According to the report, “within minutes he was demonstrating it.”
An unnamed Fox News source told The Daily Beast that Simmons was scheduled to do another interview with FoxNews.com’s entertainment section but barged into a staff meeting unannounced instead.
“Hey chicks, sue me!” he shouted as he pulled open his shirt, the source said. The report added:
Then he starting telling Michael Jackson pedophilia jokes, and then bopped two employees on the head with his book, making derisive comments about their comparative intelligence according to the sound their heads made when struck.
“It was pretty severe,” the source said.
According to the report, the incident was reported to a supervisor, who in turn reported it to human resources executive Kevin Lord. Simmons was then permanently banned from the building and barred from appearing on any of the network’s programming. His photograph was also posted at the security entrance of the building in a “do-not-admit” advisory.
