Recommended Free Tools
Shannon Tweed walked away from the interview area after Gene Simmons made a sexual joke in response to a question about his back. The exchange took place during a taped 2011 appearance on HLN’s The Joy Behar Show, not a confirmed live broadcast. Tweed called the joke rude; whether the confrontation was spontaneous or staged was never settled by the accounts cited at the time.
What Simmons said—and why Tweed objected
The June 14, 2011 interview was taped while Simmons and his longtime partner Shannon Tweed promoted season six of A&E’s Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Host Joy Behar brought up Simmons’s claim that he had slept with 5,000 women and asked about his back. That figure was Simmons’s reported claim, not an independently verified count. CNN’s transcript records the exchange.
Simmons answered, “My back is good. My schmuckel, not so much.” CNN’s transcript uses different spellings in different segments, including “schmuckel” and “schmeckle,” so neither should be treated as a definitive spelling. Tweed replied, “That’s very nice of you to joke about,” then said it was rude and that she did not find it funny. Simmons said he was joking because Behar was a comedian.
How the walkout unfolded
Tweed left the interview area after objecting. Simmons asked, “Where are you going?” Behar responded, “Don’t put this on me. This is all yours.” In her later account, Behar said Tweed became stuck by a camera and had to remain there for the rest of the segment. That detail complicates the usual shorthand that Tweed simply stormed off the set: she walked away from the interview area, but did not necessarily leave the studio.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWas the confrontation staged?
The available accounts do not establish whether the exchange was spontaneous or acted. In an interview published by Mediaite on June 14, Behar said, “I thought they were kidding,” followed by, “Then it got tense.” She also said she was unsure whether it was a hoax. CNN’s transcript of Behar’s later remarks records her saying she thought they might genuinely be angry, but that if they were acting, they were carrying it through. Those are Behar’s impressions, not proof either way. Mediaite’s account said the interview was due to air the following night.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the remark hit a sensitive point
The interview promoted the sixth season of Gene Simmons Family Jewels. In the season premiere that same week, an argument about Simmons’s faithfulness ended with Tweed leaving home with packed bags, according to the Los Angeles Times’s June 19 interview with Simmons. That context helps explain why a joke tied to Simmons’s sexual reputation could land badly, but it does not establish that the show’s storyline caused Tweed’s reaction in the interview.
Contemporary outlets described Tweed variously as Simmons’s partner, girlfriend, longtime partner or wife. “Longtime partner” avoids imposing a relationship label that the 2011 accounts did not use consistently.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Used Book in Good Condition
Rank #4
- First Edition, 2017, first printinig, 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, SIGNED by the author on a special publisher's page at the front, an otherwise brand-new hardcover, without a dust jacket, as issued, by DEY ST. By Gene Simmons. Sticker on the front cover stating: SIGNED COPY. ISBN 978-0-06-284226-8.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
