14 DAY TRIAL // Rocker Gene Simmons from KISS is under massive fire online right now for an interview he gave at the end of last month but has only gotten attention from the media in the aftermath of Robin Williams’ suicide. Simmons believes that addicts and people who suffer from depression “should” just go ahead and kill themselves.
The extremely insensitive remarks were made during an interview with SongFacts.com on July 31, when Simmons complained about how he can’t get along with drug addicts or people who have “a dark cloud over their heard and see themselves as a victim.” By that, he means people who struggle with depression.
Oscar-winning Robin Williams took his own life this week after decades-long battle with depression, which he developed as he fought to overcome his addiction to drugs and alcohol. His shocking death reopened the discussion on the dangers of depression and how no one is safe from it, no matter how loved, rich, or famous.
To Simmons, all that talk about how depression is a mental illness means nothing: depressed people are those who just like to think themselves more unfortunate than the rest of the world. And he has zero patience for them.
“Drug addicts and alcoholics are always, ‘The world is a harsh place.’ My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don't want to hear [expletive] all about ‘the world as a harsh place.’ She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, ‘I'm depressed, I live in Seattle.’ [expletive] you, then kill yourself,” he went on to say.
All those who talk about suicide like that are merely doing it for the thrill, they don’t really plan to take their own life – not now, nor ever.
“I never understand, because I always call them on their bluff. I'm the guy who says ‘Jump!’ when there's a guy on top of a building who says, ‘That's it, I can't take it anymore, I'm going to jump.’ Are you kidding? Why are you announcing it? Shut the [expletive] up, have some dignity and jump! You've got the crowd,” he continued.
Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue is just one of the many voices who are warning Simmons he should never say dangerous (and very offensive) things like this. Only someone who has zero understanding of addiction and / or depression could ever go on record saying people who struggle with them should just “have the dignity” to take their own life.
His tweets on the topic, along with other reactions from Twitter, are available below.
Simmons has issued an apology for his shameful comments, saying he said them “in the spur of the moment.” He says he didn’t mean to say those things about depression, but about addiction, so he’s not actually apologizing. Just in case you were wondering.
“Somewhere along the line, my intention of speaking in very directly and perhaps politically incorrectly about drug use and alcoholics has been misconstrued as vile commentary on depression. Unkind statements about depression were certainly never my intention,” he explains.
He’s no longer on Twitter, presumably after being flooded with criticism from all sides.
I struggled with addiction and depression but found recovery.Would you be happy if I killed myself instead?Also my 4 kids wouldnt been born.
— Nikki Sixx (@NikkiSixx) August 13, 2014
I wonder if @genesimmons would still say how depressed people or addicts should kill themselves if it happend to his wife or kids?
— Nikki Sixx (@NikkiSixx) August 13, 2014
@genesimmons Really? Depression sufferers should kill themselves? You have no idea how tough depression/suicide survivors like myself are.
— Colleen M (@TheRealMerida) August 15, 2014
And suddenly all respect I had Gene Simmons is gone. Absolutely disgusting http://t.co/WgfyovIjqT
— Sigourney Beaver (@OreoSpeedwagon_) August 15, 2014