People on social media are calling out Gene Simmons for his "creepy" comments made towards female dancers during his stint as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars.
The former KISS rocker appeared on Tuesday night’s "Hair Metal Night" episode, but he quickly sparked backlash from viewers and contestants alike as his cringy feedback targeted appearances versus dance routines.
After 24-year-old Pretty Little Liars star Chandler Kinney's performance, the bassist said that she “fogged up my glasses.”
Simmons added:
“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."
Elsewhere during the October 8 episode, he told Danny Amendola and his pro dancer partner Witney Carson that he wasn't sure "which one is more hot."
He continued, telling Amendola that his partner is “one of the more beautiful women on the planet.”
You can watch below.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
Needless to say, people online were swift with their reactions over the guest judge's gross behavior.
Others couldn't help but notice that Simmons scored contestants of color significantly lower than both his fellow judges.
In fact, reality TV star Phaedra Parks, who received 7s from all the judges with the exception of Simmons who gave her a 5, called the musician a "ding-a-ling," adding:
"I figured he didn't like short Black women."
And the masses didn't argue.
After the show, Kinney's partner Brandon Armstrong told US Weekly:
“I said, ‘Hold up now.'"
“I have two little sisters. I heard it. I said, ‘Wait, wait, wait.’”
Simmons later responded to the backlash, telling the Daily Mail:
"I stand by every word I said."
He added:
"I had a great time. The contestants were great. The show was great."
He also assured the Daily Mail that "everybody had a great time."
Speak for yourself.
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Gene Simmons Sparks Backlash From 'DWTS' Fans After His 'Creepy' Comments As Guest Judge
Fans of the reality competition show were not impressed with the rocker, who frequently commented on female dancers' looks instead of the dance routines while he was a guest judge for "Hair Metal Night."