NEWS HEADLINES

May 31th - KISS CONCERT AT STOCKHOLM STADIUM    Here are two fotos of yesterday's STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN KISS CONCERT...But, the KISS ARMY was so tightly packed in, we have to show you both LEFT and RIGHT HAND SHOTS....put em together and you get a sense of how Mighty the KISS ARMY is.    We number in the millions!!!    Check out all the fun on KISSONLINE.COM. AND, here's the RIGHT HAND side of the foto. May 31th - Here's a foto that was sent in when I did THE TONIGHT SHOW with Jay Leno. Check out the video in one of our BOXES (on the left hand side of our margin). May 29th - GENE SIMMONS ON RACHEL RAY SHOW    Here's a video, shot back stage at the RACHAEL RAY SHOW, which I shot a while back, and which has just been recently re-broadcast. They asked me if I had any parental advice -- the video pretty much sums it up. Watch. May 28th - THE MIGHTY KISS ARMY -- 2 MILLION STRONG!!!    Here are some shots of the KISS ARMY coming out in Helsinki, Finland (one of two sold out shows) and in St. Petersburg, Russia.    Want to see more? Click here for KISSONLINE.COM. New letters posted... My niece, Gabrielle Rose Page Marquis. Alan Page. Response from Gene: It's wild seeing the 92nd running of the INDY 500 in Moscow....I get SLINGPLAYER...which gets you your home tv and all its channels, on your computer...wherever in the world you are!!! Amazing.    And, how about how exciting the Indy 500 race is!!! The Biggest Live Event on Planet Earth. Wish I could have been there. But, only KISS would keep me away....for the rest of you out there, log on to INDYCAR.COM to find out when the next race is and if it's close to your town.  Come on down!!! Letters... May 25th - GENE SIMMONS ON BATTLEGROUND EARTH: LUDACRIS vs TOMMY LEE    Here are a couple of shots from the forthcoming Leslie Greif/Adam Reed produced BATTLEGROUND EARTH, which pits rappers against rockers (!!!) in a "Green" challenge. You'll see what I mean when on AUGUST 3rd, when the show debuts on PLANET GREEN (new broadcaster -- check your TV Guide).    Our GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS crew finish filming a Whistler, Canada extreme snow board themed episode -- and the next day, I found myself on the first flight to San Francisco, where (in the middle of the night) Luda and Tommy and the Battleground Earth crew were filming in a "Green Graveyard" -- no headstones...in fact, if you didn't know it was a cemetery, you'd think you were in a forest setting. New letters posted... Hi, Gene! I was watching last week Ugly Betty when you made another appearance on the show, and I just have to say you look amazing and so hot. I never missed any of your shows of Family Jewels. I simply love it. You make me laugh and cry sometimes. I was crying with you when you cried when Sophie was modeling. She is a very beautiful young lady, and you are a proud father as you should be. I just enjoy watching you and your family. Best wishes, Much Love, Inna Letters... May 20th - Zipper #6 By Dave Baxter My favorite sci-fi comic of the past year (and certainly the best of the Gene Simmons’ line of books) comes to a close, with a confrontation between Zipper and the militant alien-hating religious-like sect, The Cosmic Defense Ministry. Plus a big cliffhanger set-up for series two. Tom Waltz had a lot of subplots and characters to bring together and deal with in something resembling a satisfactory fashion, and he had only a regular-sized 22-page issue to do it, and…he does it. Issue #5 was the big action finale, but this final chapter to Series One is more the epilogue, dealing with the characters and maneuvering them into a place where a break between stories seems fitting. There’s a high amount of tension as Waltz at long last reveals what his intention is with the Cosmic Defense Ministry (they hadn’t actually done anything in the series to date), but this is more-or-less the revelation about what "Series 2" will be all about. So the issue serves as both epilogue and prelude and yet it also feels like a conclusion. It’s a tough balancing act but Waltz bloody well does it. Artists Casey Maloney had his work cut out for him this issue as well, with talking heads and lots of relatively banal settings and situations that all somehow have to come across as high-tension and thrilling. Also he had to cram in a single action sequence in half a page, nine panels in the space most artists fit a single one, but every page looks gorgeous, and the story flows with a natural visual panache. It’s a closing that’s fitting to how good this book has consistently been. This is a character, story, and execution that will make one of the best graphic novels you’re likely to read, so make sure you check this out when the collection inevitably hits. Tom Waltz (W), Casey Maloney (P), Marc Rueda (I), IDW Publishing, $3.99 http://www.brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/details.php?id=1342 May 20th - KISS MAN KNOWS WORKING GIRLS May 20, 2008 -- HOOKERS and even those who are just the bookers of lookers, beware. Rock star Gene Simmons, of KISS and of mattresses far and wide, is on your tail - plus any other part of you he can get on. A semi-pro swordsman, Gene's written "Ladies of the Night: A Historical and Personal Perspective on the Oldest Profession in the World." The man claims 4,800 sexual encounters. Not to be picky but, if so, where'd he find time left to make a list? Anyway, with his legendary insight and whatever other bodily parts assisted in the research, he gives us his thinking on Doing It. He rocks from the first cavewoman to bad girls of the Bible, brothels of Europe, geishas of Japan, courtesans of the Victorian Era, two-buck streetwalkers of Eighth Avenue, saloon ladies of the Wild West, slick chicks of Vegas to today's modern madams and high-end (and high-front) call girls. Page One: "At the dawn of existence 4 million years ago, that first human female grunted to her male counterpart: 'I'll stay in this nice warm cave. You go out and risk your hairy behind to bring back that delicious Mastodon meat. And I'll trade some of mine for yours.' After that momentous event, nothing would ever be the same." We read the Sung Dynasty (years 960-1279) triggered the phrase "red-light district" because red lights outside places identified them. We read prostitution was a business for lawmakers plus lawbreakers because Pope Clement II (year 1046) ruled anyone engaged in it must leave half their property to the Church. And Chapter 18 is Gene's interview with three current Ladies of the Evening - who'll also do it daytime - in Hollywood. This Simmons Books job, written with Julie McCarron, has lush velvety binding, is out July 8 and will be laid down - pardon the expression - along with a contest. Log onto genesimmons.com and, 200 words or less, say why the world's oldest profession is good or bad . . . and why. You can win anything from an actual personal greeting from Gene to - if you manage to get a naked photo delivered - maybe an actual personal phone call. - Cindy Adams May 18th - THE SMELL OF THE GREASEPAINT~~ THE ROAR OF THE CROWD    Here are some audience shots of the EUROPEAN KISS ARMY. The KISS 35th ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR has been a monster. As you can see, this is why the rest of the bands out there, would give their left nut to have the best fans in the world. The KISS ARMY. We number in the millions!!!    Want to see more? Check out KISSONLINE.COM. The only Official KISS Website. SOFIA STADIUM, BULGARIA VERONA STADIUM, ITALY Before After May 17th - UGLY BETTY AND GENE SIMMONS May 14th - UGLY BETTY - May 15th TO FEATURE GENE SIMMONS Gene Simmons is set for a return episode on ABC's "Ugly Betty". The Episode will air on Thursday, May 15th at 8pm ET. About: Ugly Betty: "The Kids Are Alright" Betty, still missing Henry, fights her attraction to Gio, but later finds herself stuck with him when both volunteer to chaperone Justin's middle school dance. Meanwhile, Hilda tries to get Coach Diaz (guest star Eddie Cibrian) to notice her; Amanda agrees to do a reality show with her dad, KISS rock legend Gene Simmons; and Daniel feels the heat when Wilhelmina makes her triumphant return to Mode amid a media frenzy. Guest starring are Gene Simmons as himself, Eddie Cibrian as Coach Diaz, Larry King as himself, Alec Mapa as Suzuki St. Pierre and Jasmine Anthony as Antonella. May 13th - GENE SIMMONS MONEYBAG Article Click to enlarge. May 12th - The Secret Lives of Gene Simmons In Ladies of the Night, the Kiss member discusses the world's oldest profession. Your book makes the argument that prostitution gives women access to power that they would otherwise not have. Have you always felt that way? Surprise! I actually respect women. I've always had that point of view. I look on the issue as one of self-empowerment for women. Women should be the sole judges of how they want to lead their lives. And let's be frank—many ladies have made more money in their line of work than they would have sitting in front of a computer. How long have you been interested in the subject of prostitution throughout history? I've always been fascinated by the “forbidden fruit” of America's Puritan culture. The book is meant to be humorous, historical, and to give people an understanding that the exchange of money for sexual relations has been around forever. I actually have no agenda other than engaging people in a conversation about the question: “What does anybody else have to say about consenting adults behind closed doors?” I argue that people should stay out of other people's bedrooms. What was one of your favorite historical periods to write about? The Renaissance in Europe, when courtesans enjoyed more power than housewives. These ladies were not common prostitutes. They were part of the culture and the fashion of the times, like Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV's mistress. The wives of the men of the period? They were invisible. They meant nothing. Your co-writer, Julie McCarron, also worked with you on Shannon Tweed's Kiss and Tell. What does she bring to your work? Julie was amazing at finding the visual material I wanted, but she also wouldn't let a single piece of information get by that wasn't completely researched. And she's terrific at rewriting. She made sure that I separated my viewpoint from historical facts. Tell us about your publishing endeavor, Simmons Books. So far, Simmons Books has mostly been related to me and my interests. But Ladies of the Night is primarily a beautiful and classy art book, and I would like to do others like the big, expensive books Taschen Books has done. The advantage I have of being Gene Simmons and having my name on the imprint is that I get to talk to guys like you. Because if the only thing I ever accomplished was being proofreader at Publishers Weekly and Library Journal—which I did a million years ago—people would say, “So what?” It gives me access, but you have to have the goods, because, let's face it, a lot of people just aren't reading anymore unless a book is featured on Oprah's show. - by Jeff Makos -- Publishers Weekly Ladies of the Night: A Historical and Personal Perspective on the Oldest Profession in the World Gene Simmons with Julie McCarron. Simmons Books & Phoenix Books ( http://www.phoenixbooksandaudio.com ), $39.95 (182p) ISBN 978-1-59777-501-4 Simmons, the fire-breathing leader of rock icon Kiss—who once bragged that he had bedded more than a thousand women—delivers an entertaining if sometimes simplistic short overview of prostitution. Simmons (Kiss and Make-up) manages to work into his narrative both the Greek philosopher Diogenes and Nevada’s Moonlight Bunny Ranch brothel. Other than the occasional sex joke, Simmons is serious about giving his subject its historical due, stating upfront, “I am not here to judge women’s personal choices or how they choose to empower themselves.” The book doesn’t cover what Simmons admits is “the dark side of prostitution,” focusing primarily on one of his favorite issues: money. Since “throughout history, women have never had access to power,” Simmons argues that prostitution has been a way for women to “monetize” the “only thing that women have ever owned.” Using numerous famous illustrations (e.g., William Hogarth’s 18th-century painting A Harlot’s Progress), Simmons and coauthor McCarron support this argument by adroitly exploring a range of topics: Sumerian goddess of sexuality Ishtar; the adulterous “jara and jatini” of ancient India; legal prostitution in Amsterdam’s “toleration zones”; and Theodora, wife of Roman emperor Justinian, who Simmons considers “the very first prostitution reformer.” All this from the man who once wrote a song on the Kiss album Love Gun titled “Got Love for Sale.” (July) New Lady in Waiting! Terri Renee Seixas AND FOR ALL YOU OTHER LADIES OUT THERE!!! - DO YOU WANT TO BE A LADY IN WAITING? HERE'S HOW. CLICK HERE. May 10th - KISS IN MASSIVE SOLD OUT WORLD TOUR!!!    This is a shot from Oberhausen, German -- the 1st show of the KISS EUROTOUR segment of the SOLD OUT KISS WORLDWIDE TOUR. 2nd Sold Out Oberhausen Show scheduled for later in the month.    Looks massive? Wanna see more? Log on to KISSONLINE.COM. The Only Official KISS Website!!! New letters posted... During tonight's American Idol they did a short bit on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and played "Rock and Roll All Night" while showing clips of the HOF despite the obvious oversight of not inducting you all in The Hall of Fame like you deserve. Discuss. Longtime Fan, George Hawver Response from Gene:    Nah. Not an issue. Really.    KISS is in Europe on it's 35th (!!!) Anniversary Alive World Tour. The Hall of Fame is a nice place in Cleveland. Go visit it sometime. Us? We're happy going out and greeting our millions of fans -- more specifically, our bosses!!! Letters... UGLY BETTY - May 15th TO FEATURE GENE SIMMONS (05/06/08) Gene Simmons is set for a return episode on ABC's "Ugly Betty". The Episode will air on Thursday, May 15th at 8pm ET. About: Ugly Betty: "The Kids Are Alright" Betty, still missing Henry, fights her attraction to Gio, but later finds herself stuck with him when both volunteer to chaperone Justin's middle school dance. Meanwhile, Hilda tries to get Coach Diaz (guest star Eddie Cibrian) to notice her; Amanda agrees to do a reality show with her dad, KISS rock legend Gene Simmons; and Daniel feels the heat when Wilhelmina makes her triumphant return to Mode amid a media frenzy. Guest starring are Gene Simmons as himself, Eddie Cibrian as Coach Diaz, Larry King as himself, Alec Mapa as Suzuki St. Pierre and Jasmine Anthony as Antonella. WANNA BE ON GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS??? HERE'S HOW!!! Are you a “ Gene Simmons Family Jewels” Fan? Do you want to appear in an episode? Well if your answer to both of these questions is “Yes”, we want to meet you! This Thursday May 8 & Friday May 9 we want you to tell our cameras about your all time most unforgettable “Family Jewels” moments. Just show up at one of the locations listed below, get ready to have some fun, and you could find yourself on TV, starring in one of your favorite shows! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call our office at 310.449.1000. Thursday May 8th, 2008: 10:45am – 3PM: Producers will be at Citywalk at Universal Studios in Universal City, CA. We will be at the Spinning Globe located adjacent to the Universal Theme Park Entrance. Look for a member of our staff and you could be on TV! Friday May 9th, 2008: 1:30pm – 3pm: Producers will be at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, at the intersection of 3rd Street and Broadway, across from Santa Monica Place. 3:30pm – 5pm: Producers will be on Ocean Ave. at Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica until 5pm! Look for our camera and tell us about your favorite “Family Jewels” moments! May 5th - TELLY AWARD FOR GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS We just got our sweaty hands around the TELLY AWARD, which was awarded to our GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS tv show. "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" was honored by the 29th annual Telly Awards with a bronze award. Founded in 1978, The Telly is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional and cable TV programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" was chosen from more than 14,000 entries from around the world. New Lady in Waiting! Amiee Rickards New letters posted... Gene, I thought you might get a kick out of this. My wife ant I took out 4 year old daughter Bella, who is a big fan of yours (whenever she sees you she says "That's my friend Gene Simmons!), out to dinner the other night to a local restaurant that has family night. They always have a guy there who makes balloon animals and other interesting things. We asked Bella whatshe wanted the balloon man to make her and she said "Gene Simmons". So when he came over to the table and he asked her what she wanted, she told him "Gene Simmons". He looked a little stunned but don't you know he pulled it off!!!!! Here is a picture of Bella with her "friend Gene Simmons" made by Michael Klee. Tommy Strel Richmond, VA Tommy Snot's Rock & Metal Trade Site http://www1.freewebs.com/tommy_snot/ Letters...

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