Gene Simmons: Closeting Crusader

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons, in an interview with AOL, recently had this to say about American Idol's Adam Lambert: "If only the world was not homophobic, but it is. I would be the first one to vote for equal rights for gay women and men, and get the church and the state to stop telling everybody how to lead their lives, but do I think he's killed his career? Oh, in an instant. I hope I'm completely wrong. I hope he becomes the next Beatles and proves me wrong."

Simmons started his rounds of staying-in-the-closet promotion a few days earlier with the interview in the video above where he claimed Adam "should shut up about his sexual preferences." Lambert, who snagged the runner-up spot on the latest season of reality singing competition, stayed in the closet throughout the season, finally announcing his sexuality on the cover of Rolling Stone two weeks ago.

Clearly washed up rockers with reality shows on A&E are the authority on all matters of success, but we think Simmons may be a little misguided on this one. Most stars that have come out in recent years (at least the truly talented ones) have found little trouble continuing their careers -- does Ellen DeGeneres ring a bell? Welcome to 2009, Gene. They gays are here, and they're not about to "shut the f*** up."

-- GREGORY MILLER