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Gene Simmons Apologizes For Telling Depressed People To Go Kill Themselves

Rachel Stoltzfoos Staff Reporter
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Gene Simmons has apologized for telling drug addicts, alcoholics and depressed people to go kill themselves.

“I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my comments,” the KISS bassist wrote in a post on his Facebook page. “I recognize that depression is very serious and very sad when it happens to anyone, especially loved ones.”

In light of Robin Williams’ suicide last week, his remarks in an interview with Songfacts sparked outrage. “No, I don’t get along with anybody who’s a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim,” he told Songfacts. “Drug addicts and alcoholics are always: ‘The world is a harsh place.'”

“My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany,” he continued. “I don’t want to hear fuck 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.’ Fuck you, then kill yourself.”

Although claiming sympathy for depressed people in his apology, Simmons didn’t make much of an attempt to retract his comments about drug addicts and alcoholics.

“I have never sugarcoated my feelings regarding drug use and alcoholics,” the Facebook post continued. “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.”

(h/t Celebitchy)

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