this is an excert from an article about Gene Simmons guest judging American Idol on Tuesday 25th January...



..."Abdul and Cowell were joined in a Fairmont Hotel ballroom by kabuki-rock pioneer Gene Simmons to judge the cream of the 5,000-plus contestants who'd earlier thronged to the Superdome for cattle-call auditions.

As dozens of nervous singers waited in an adjoining holding area, the judging paused long enough for a news conference.

Just as he began to answer the first question, Simmons noticed that one of the press people -- actually a radio correspondent, filing a live report -- was talking on a cell phone.

The bass player for the group Kiss and a legendary sexual libertarian, Simmons halted his answer to hector the caller.

"I'm going to find out where you live, and when you're not home, I'm going to set your pets on fire," he said.

Probably by belching a ball of fire.

Simmons then turned his attention back to the question, about the judging process.

"The hardest part, I have to say, is when someone is just a few seconds into their song and they suck really badly, and how do you tell that to somebody you've never had any emotional contact with?" Simmons said. "How do you tell your best friend his breath stinks?"

Abdul: "I think it's extremely important to tell your friend that their breath stinks."

Jackson: "That means having their back, man."

Simmons: "The sad part is, people want to get on stage and sing for a living, but their qualifications are very shallow, which is to say they don't know music. They don't live it and breathe it. You say, 'Etta James' and they don't have a clue who that is."

After the news conference, Simmons tried to analyze "Idol's" enormous appeal.

"It's the American dream," he said. "That's why every kid plays baseball. It's, 'Just give me a chance.'

"For viewers, everybody wants a slice of the American dream. Who doesn't want to be a movie star or recording star?

"We don't have royalty like the English. Our royalty are celebrities. It's our Cinderella story. Their story is to marry a prince. Our Cinderella story is to become Jennifer Aniston or Brad Pitt."

But isn't a big part of the appeal of this show the vicarious pleasure viewers derive from watching clinically self-deluded people who suck really badly as singers shame themselves on national television?

"I don't find that the American psyche has that kind of thing," Simmons said. "You should see the English version, or the European versions, of this show. The judges are much more venomous.

"Americans at least give you a chance to be rich and famous before they tear you down. The people we love to tear down are rich and famous. We don't pick on the poor. We give people a chance.

"That's why Simon is such a great centerpiece of the show. He's not averse to taking a pail of cold water and throwing it in your face. He's taken the British point of view, you see, and poured it on America."

Would a younger Gene Simmons have auditioned for "American Idol?"

"I'm aware that if Mick Jagger or John Lennon or I were to audition for this show, we'd fail," Simmons said. "Madonna would fail. Bruce Springsteen would fail.

"The biggest stars in the world would fail on 'American Idol.' "

. . . . . . .


Flashing forward to Hollywood, Cowell makes it clear to the critics that he doesn't like the show's celebrity judges, either on the road or during later sing-off episodes.

Kenny Loggins, celebrity judge for the road auditions in Las Vegas, was "the judging equivalent of Valium," Cowell said.

Later, Jackson said Cowell exhibited similar enmity toward Simmons.

"Cowell's crazy," said Jackson. "He's a little intimidated by anyone who's had actual success as a musician or singer."

Simmons "came from a different slice" of the entertainment world as the pop realm celebrated by "Idol," Jackson added, so it's no surprise he and Cowell wouldn't hit it off.

"Cowell's crazy."

GENE RAWKS

Natisse, they just showed Gene Simmons on American Idol earlier this week in the US, and I thought of you right away. I know that you'll be tuning in to watch.

psychodelicide said:

unfortunately no, Nancy, they haven't shown it here in Australia yet - and I'm hoping they definately will. We got American Idol last year for the first time so hopefully they'll show it again

Natisse said:

I hope so too.