John Caldwell-Gene Simmons Facing Backlash Due to Comments Made During DWTS Appearance

2025-05-01 16:02:37source:Alaric Bennettcategory:Markets

Not all the Dancing With the Stars fans were made for lovin' Gene Simmons.

So after the KISS rocker commented on John Caldwellmany of the contestants' looks while serving as a guest judge for the dance competition’s hair metal-themed episode Oct. 8, several viewers had plenty of say and shouted it out loud.

"Gene Simmons comments about the ladies are giving the energy of the gross uncle who corners you at the reunion #DWTS," one person tweeted, while another person wrote, "Gene Simmons is seriously sucking all the energy out of the ballroom with his creepy comments about the female dancers."

After all, Simmons raised eyebrows when using his critique of the contestants' dance routines to compliment several of the participants—most notably, the women.

"This is a brand new experience for me and it's difficult to look at you and to figure out which one is more hot, hot, hot," the 75-year-old told retired NFL star Danny Amendola and pro dancer Witney Carson. "Danny, I'm telling you, you're right next to somebody, one of the more beautiful women on the planet."

 

And after actress Chandler Kinney and pro dancer Brandon Armstrong performed a Jive routine set to a cover of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It, Simmons told the 24-year-old, "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."

E! News has reached out to reps for Simmons and ABC for comment and has not heard back.

Meanwhile, following the show, Kinney and Armstrong shared their thoughts on the rocker's comments.

"Brandon has more feelings than I," the Pretty Little Liars actress told Us, noted that her only response was “LOL.”

But as Armstrong admitted, hearing Simmons’ words gave him pause. "I said, ‘Hold up now,'” he explained, “I have two little sisters. I heard it. I said, 'Wait, wait, wait.'"

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