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Gene Simmons Tells Celebrities to 'Shut the F--- Up' About Politics

The KISS bassist’s on-the-street TMZ remarks followed Ben Stiller’s objection to the White House using Tropic Thunder footage linked to U.S. action against Iran.

Overview

  • Simmons told TMZ that entertainers should “do your art and shut up,” adding that audiences don’t want lectures from people “who live in mansions and drive Rolls-Royces.”
  • He singled out Mark Ruffalo and Ben Stiller by name, mocked Ruffalo’s surname, and joked about asking Kylie Jenner for her view on the war.
  • The exchange was prompted by Stiller’s recent request that the White House remove Tropic Thunder clips from a video tied to military operations involving Iran.
  • The brief TMZ clip was widely picked up across outlets, and at least one report noted representatives for Ruffalo and Stiller did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
  • Coverage highlighted Simmons’ mixed past comments about Donald Trump and noted his recent Kennedy Center recognition as context for his stance that his own political views are nobody’s business.