Gene Simmons Gave a Press Briefing at the Pentagon

You wanted the best? Forget Kiss’s ongoing farewell tour: check in at the Pentagon’s press room instead, where Gene Simmons gave an address to Department of Defense personnel yesterday.

McClatchy reports that Simmons’ appearance is part of the Pentagon’s public relations push #Knowyourmil to promote military career paths, a top priority as the number of people eligible and willing to serve in the U.S. armed forces continues to decline.

Simmons became the first person to stand at the Pentagon’s dust-collecting podium since actor Gerard Butler did so last October to promote his new film. The last time a press secretary briefed reporters on camera at the Pentagon was May 31, 2018, and it’s been more than two months since Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did so at the White House. To say the current administration is unfriendly towards the media would be an understatement… but hey, who cares about pithy issues like the free press when you can rock and roll all night, baby??

In his speech, Simmons spoke about his mother, who was put in a Nazi concentration camp when she was 14 and recently died at the age of 93. Simmons proclaimed his love for America and stressed the importance of military service, saying “Most of America doesn’t think of it [military service] until something bad happens.” He took time to pose for photos with active service members and DOD personnel after his speech.

And now back to your regularly scheduled program of the exceedingly embarrassing U.S. government.