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Gene Simmons Apologizes For Depression Remarks

Gene Simmons doesn’t seem like the kind of person who cares if he offends someone with his comments. He did however, recently issue an apology for some comments he made about depression and suicide ...
Gene Simmons Apologizes For Depression Remarks
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  • Gene Simmons doesn’t seem like the kind of person who cares if he offends someone with his comments. He did however, recently issue an apology for some comments he made about depression and suicide during an interview.

    Simmons was asked if he is still friends with his former bandmates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.

    He replied by saying,

    “No, I don’t get along with anybody who’s a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim. Drug addicts and alcoholics are always: ‘The world is a harsh place.’ My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don’t want to hear f*** all about ‘the world as a harsh place.’ She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, ‘I’m depressed, I live in Seattle.’ F*** you, then kill yourself.”

    “I never understand, because I always call them on their bluff. I’m the guy who says ‘Jump!’ when there’s a guy on top of a building who says, ‘That’s it, I can’t take it anymore, I’m going to jump.’ Are you kidding? Why are you announcing it? Shut the f*** up, have some dignity and jump! You’ve got the crowd,” he continued.

    His comments were not taken lightly and many people criticized him for his cruel words and lack of sensitivity.

    Some radio stations even refused to play KISS music as a response to Simmons’s comments.

    Simmons quickly apologized for his comments saying,

    “Depression is very serious and very sad when it happens to anyone, especially loved ones. I have not commented on various allegations made in the media, but I want to make this statement for the record and to clarify. I deeply support and am empathetic to anyone suffering from any disease, especially depression. I have never sugarcoated my feelings regarding drug use and alcoholics. Somewhere along the line, my intentions in speaking very directly and perhaps politically-incorrectly about drug use and alcoholics have been misconstrued as vile commentary on depression.”

    “Unkind statements about depression was certainly never my intention. And I do not intend to defend myself here and now by listing the myriad charities and self-help organizations I am involved with. This is not about me. This is about clearing up misconceptions and being clear. My heart goes out to anyone suffering from depression,” he added.

    While Simmons’s apology may be sincere, many people are still upset and he has reportedly deactivated his Twitter account as a result of the backlash he received from his followers.

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