The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler — Episode 347: Gene Simmons – God of Thunder

Release Date: August 18, 2025
Guest: Gene Simmons (of KISS)
Theme: Stories of resilience, survival, and success with Gene Simmons—rock legend, entrepreneur, and son of a Holocaust survivor.

Episode Overview

In this riveting episode, comedian Ryan Sickler delves deep into the extraordinary journey of Gene Simmons, "God of Thunder" from KISS. They cover Gene's family history—including his mother’s survival through the Holocaust—his immigration story, fierce work ethic, KISS’s marketing genius, and lessons on money, parenting, resilience, and identity. With humor, candor, and plenty of Simmons’ trademark bite, they explore both the scars and the soaring triumphs behind the success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

KISS: Business Empire & Cultural Impact

[02:25–04:48]

• KISS’s Name & Brand Sold:
  Gene details how Pop House bought KISS—their name, makeup, and music catalog, opening doors to new ventures: avatar shows, movies (director McG attached), and a slew of licensed products.
  • "There are plays and cartoon shows. There's a movie being cast right now... And lots of new toys and games and dildos and stuff like that." — Gene, [03:05]
• Product Licensing Masterclass:
  Gene’s unapologetic about KISS’s vast array of products, from condoms to caskets:
  • "We've done everything from KISS condoms to KISS caskets. We'll get you coming and we'll get you going." — Gene, [04:13]
  • Dimebag Darrell (Pantera) was buried in a KISS casket as per his wishes [04:49–05:01]
• Artistic Integrity Critiques:
  • “What about credibility? Bitch, you don't even know how to spell that word. … Since when do people who never learned how to read or write music [worry about] credibility?” — Gene, [03:31]
• Memorable One-Liner:
  • “Keep beer is cold to keep you cold.” — Ryan, [04:48]

Parentage, Upbringing, and Family Survival

[17:52–23:40]

• Gene’s Mother: Holocaust Survivor:
  Pivotal family history: Gene’s mother survived Nazi concentration camps, losing most of her family, before emigrating to Israel, and later the US.
  • "My mother was 14 … the entire Klein family, my mother's side, were Jewish Europeans, Jewish Hungarians...taken into the concentration camps." — Gene, [18:22]
  • "Any wisdom I have...is from her. … Perseverance isn't just a big word … the turtle actually won the race, not the rabbit.” — Gene, [23:31]
• On Historical Trauma & Resilience:
  • “Despite all the hardships, she had this philosophy: every day above ground is a good day. … What the fuck is your problem? … you're in heaven.” — Gene, [49:02]
• The Drive to Thrive:
  Gene attributes his work ethic and desire for success to witnessing his mom's relentless drive.
  • "The more you thrive, the more armor you have around you that they can't...success gives you money and success gives you position.” — Gene, [41:28]

Immigration, Languages & Early Challenges

[26:28–33:25]

• Early Life:
  Gene recounts arriving in America not knowing English, learning through TV, and growing up with a single mother after his father left.
  • “We came to America. My mother raised me on her own. My father left us when I was about six years of age. And shamefully, it’s not unique in America.” — Gene, [26:28]
• Polyglot Upbringing:
  • Gene speaks Turkish, Spanish, Hungarian, Hebrew, German, a smattering of Japanese, and picked up English via "better dressed" people on TV:
    • “You want to learn a language? Stop on day one speaking English. By the end of the day, you'll learn to say, where's the bathroom?” — Gene, [28:19]
  • Demo of Japanese basics, e.g., “Ohio” (“Good morning”), “Watashi wa Ryan des.” [30:01–31:29]
• Secrets to Assimilation:
  • “Change your name, cut off your nose, whatever it is, don’t lead with the thing that makes people hate you.” — Gene, [36:01]

KISS Fan Moments, Family, and Brotherhood

[07:21–13:39]

• Family Stories:
  Ryan shares a story of his twin brother destroying his treasured KISS remote control van as a child; Gene offers cathartic (and comedic) support.
  • "I want you to close that childhood wound for me...Gene, say, 'Hey Derek, you—'”
  • "Hey Derek, you. And remember to swallow." — Gene, [11:54]
• Competitive Twins:
  • Discussion about sibling rivalry, competition, and even “sharing” romantic interests—Gene's insightful, funny takes on pecking order and animal hierarchy (with dogs, family, relationships). [06:35, 12:39, 13:03]

Jewish Identity, History, & Humor

[34:34–47:31]

• Jewish Cultural Contributions:
  • Gene discusses the small global population but outsized cultural impact of Jews:
    • "All the superheroes, all of them, Batman, Superman, the Fantastic Four, Thor, the Hulk, were all created by Jews, is that right?” — Gene, [33:49]
• On Assimilation:
  • "Dress British, think Yiddish." — Gene, recurring motif
• Origin of 'Ghetto':
  • "That's a Jewish term. … The ghetto is a Jewish term. In World War II in Warsaw, when Jews barricaded themselves in an area, it's called the Warsaw Ghetto.” — Gene, [44:13–47:11]
• Riffing on Religion:
  • Gene playfully takes apart the history of religious terms—“hallelujah,” “amen,” the pope’s yarmulke (“that’s ours”)—offering a brisk, funny, and honest take.

Parenting, Money, & Pragmatism

[50:30–59:11]

• Parenting Philosophy:
  • No allowances for his kids; self-sufficiency instilled early—do a job, get paid, learn value.
    • "You want money? You got to do something. Do this, mow the lawn, clean this, do that.” — Gene, [50:30]
• On the “Entitled Generation”:
  • "The entitled generation. If you go through your life getting your palm greased...when you turn 18 or 20...you get entitled. Hey, I deserve healthcare. No, actually you don't.” — Gene, [51:32]
• Success Advice:
  • “Best revenge is to have them work for you. Living well is the best revenge.” — Gene, [71:37]
• Pragmatism About the Arts:
  • Gene’s deal with his mother: get a degree for a fallback.
    • “Pragmatism isn’t just a big word like gymnasium. It means you will win if you have a fallback position.” — [55:31]

Relationships, Marriage, and Life Lessons

[57:05–60:48]

• Gene on Marriage & Divorce:
  • "The smartest job in western culture on the face of the planet is to be a woman. … Get married and divorced as many times as before you drop dead. You can continue to take half..." — Gene, [57:05]
  • "You know why men die younger than women? Because they want to. I'm just—it’s a joke." — [59:19]
• On His Relationship with Shannon Tweed:
  • ”I figured out a long time ago it works better if I wake up in the morning and I say the first words are, 'I’m sorry.'” — Gene, [59:34]
• Mother’s Role in His Success:
  • "After all she'd been through...I had to [make her proud]. After all, that she'd been through. Totally devoted to me." — Gene, [47:54, 49:02]

Legendary KISS Success & Entrepreneurial Lessons

[60:18–64:48]

• Rapid Rise of KISS:
  • In 18 months, from teaching 6th grade in Spanish Harlem to headlining stadiums; fans drove KISS's nationwide market research.
    • "We were making so much money so fast. … Before there was Amazon, we were doing that." — Gene, [62:10, 63:40]
  • Surprising fan stats: 60% male, 40% female, most important magazine: Sports Illustrated.

Philosophy, Death, & Legacy

[65:05–68:54]

• Final Moments With His Mother:
  • Gene movingly describes singing Hungarian folk songs at his mother’s deathbed—emphasizing love, appreciation, and the pain/beauty of saying goodbye.
    • “I held her hand and I sang the Hungarian songs that she used to sing to me when I was a kid...” — Gene, [65:15]
  • Reflection on mothers as the "cornerstone of civilization."
• Would He Change Anything?
  • "I wouldn't change a thing ... Not having a father figure around. And my mother was always working at a sweat factory ... My mother used to make half a penny per button." — Gene, [69:10]

Money, Frugality, and the Jewish Stereotype

[70:57–71:31]

• On Frugality:
  • "If you're not Jewish, it's called, people say, 'Oh, you're frugal.' If you're Jewish, you're cheap." — Gene, [71:14]
  • "Somebody says I'm cheap, I say, thank you, I'm smart. I'll see you at the end." — [71:37]

Notable Quotes

• On Success: “It's not who's smarter, it's who works harder.” — Gene Simmons, [22:59]
• On Resilience: “Every day above ground is a good day. … If you had food to eat and a roof over your head, and nobody was trying to kill you, you're in heaven.” — Gene Simmons, [49:02]
• On Being Different: “Don't lead with the thing that makes people hate you.” — Gene Simmons, [36:01]
• On Parenting: “You want money, you got to do something.” — Gene Simmons, [50:30]
• On Legacy: “Best revenge is to have them work for you. Living well is the best revenge.” — Gene Simmons, [71:37]

Standout Lighter Moments

• Gene’s classic deadpan, e.g., “Thank you for giving me the clap.” [02:05]
• Honest quips about relationships, parenting, and growing up poor—and a memorable off-color Jewish joke to close. [73:11]

Learning with Gene: Fast Takes

• Gene shows how he learned languages, his views on etiquette (global and rockstar style), and how to teach a dog—or child—about hierarchy.
• Brief but striking forays into European and American history, the origins of common words (like “ghetto”), and the complexity of the “alter ego”—linking superheroes to Jewish identity.
• Emphasis on pragmatism, diversification of investments (“crypto, real estate, stocks, bonds, futures, commodities”), and readiness for life’s unpredictability.

Final Thought

This episode is equal parts rollicking history lesson, inspirational immigrant story, business seminar, and stand-up set—with a powerful heart underneath. Gene Simmons is as candid about trauma as he is about triumph. The through-line? Survivors don’t just survive—they thrive, laugh, and leave a mark that can’t be erased.

Timestamps: Essential Segments

• [02:25] — KISS’s business ventures & licensing
• [04:49] — Dimebag Darrell’s KISS casket
• [17:52] — Holocaust family history
• [26:28] — Immigration, early childhood, and language learning
• [49:02] — Gene’s mother’s guiding wisdom
• [50:30] — Parenting and work ethic
• [55:31] — Making the deal with his mother: fallback plan and teaching degree
• [62:10] — KISS’s overnight success story
• [65:15] — Singing to his mother as she passes away
• [69:10] — Advice to 16-year-old Gene Simmons
• [73:11] — Closing Jewish joke and parting wisdom

For compelling stories, business wisdom, and a lived-through-it-all perspective with plenty of laughs—this is a must-listen HoneyDew.