{"id":158299,"date":"2025-03-26T22:11:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T22:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/26\/kiss-star-gene-simmons-defends-charging-fans-12k-to-be-his-assistant\/"},"modified":"2025-03-26T22:11:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T22:11:45","slug":"kiss-star-gene-simmons-defends-charging-fans-12k-to-be-his-assistant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/26\/kiss-star-gene-simmons-defends-charging-fans-12k-to-be-his-assistant\/","title":{"rendered":"Kiss Star Gene Simmons Defends Charging Fans $12K to be His Assistant"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Kiss star Gene Simmons<\/strong><\/a> defended charging lucky fans $12K to be his personal assistant and roadie<\/a>\u00a0for one day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided, \u2018You know what, nobody\u2019s ever done it. Why not open the idea to be my personal roadie for the day?\u201d Simmons, 75, told The New York Post<\/em><\/a> in an interview published Wednesday, March 25.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Simmons started offering<\/a> his fans the chance to pay $12,495 for the \u201cUltimate Gene Simmons Experience\u201d on his solo tour.<\/p>\n

This pricey VIP tour package includes visiting with Simmons on the morning of the concert to help set up his schedule for the day. After a meal with the rocker, the fan and one guest will ride to the venue with Simmons and then assist his road crew in setting up the show.<\/p>\n

Not all of the perks are so labor-intensive \u2014 the \u201cguest roadie\u201d will be invited to join Simmons on stage during the concert and receive an autographed bass used in a Kiss rehearsal.<\/p>\n

While Simmons received backlash for the expensive VIP tour package, he said he came up with the idea because he used to be fascinated with the pre-show environment at rock shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was a kid and went to see shows, I was always curious, \u2018What\u2019s it like when they\u2019re in a hotel? What\u2019s it like when the stage is set up? What\u2019s it like being onstage when they\u2019re performing and seeing the audience from the stage,\u2019\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

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\n Gene Simmons.<\/span> Kayla Oaddams\/FilmMagic<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Simmons promised fans will get their money\u2019s worth despite the hefty price tag, though anyone interested should be aware only one person per show can take part in the \u201cUltimate Gene Simmons Experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>John Cena Surprises Teen Superfan Who Fled Ukraine With His Family<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tGiving back. Celebrities may be beloved by people around the world, but it\u2019s not a one-sided relationship. Stars such as Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban adore their fans right back, going out of their way to make sure their supporters know that they are appreciated through acts of kindness. For some, like Drake [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cYou meet at the hotel where you have breakfast together or, you know, whatever floats your boat,\u201d he said. \u201cYou ride with me to the gig. You can set up amplifiers and drums to your heart\u2019s content. You\u2019re onstage, right offstage to my right. You can video the crowds, whatever. And I pull you onstage to sing a song with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

For fans who aren\u2019t quite ready to shell out $12K to lug around some amps, Simmons does offer a labor-free backstage meet-and-greet package, including a signed bass, for a mere $6,500.<\/p>\n

Kiss have been criticized for their crass marketing tactics throughout their 52-year career as the self-proclaimed \u201cHottest Band in the World.\u201d Simmons once personally marketed a Kiss Kasket for $3,900 in 2001.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love livin\u2019, but this [casket] makes the alternative look pretty damn good,\u201d Simmons was quoted as saying in advertisements for the branded coffins.<\/p>\n

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees have sold their fans toilet paper, Kiss Kondoms, inflatable tongues, scratch-and-win lottery tickets and even Kiss-branded meat buns over the years. Perhaps the most ridiculous Kiss-branded merchandise was their officially-licensed air guitar strings \u2014 yes, bags of air.<\/p>\n

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