This August marks 25 years together for Shannon Tweed and KISS' Gene Simmons, the "happily unmarried" stars of Gene Simmons: Family Jewels (Tuesdays at 10 pm/ET), now in its third season on A&E. We spoke to the gracious model-actress (and onetime Playboy Playmate of the Year) about the keys to her long relationship.
TV Guide: Twenty-five years. What's the secret?Shannon Tweed: It's about being strong enough to have your own life. That doesn't mean be a nasty bitch who's loud or bossy; it just means be strong in your own sense of self. You can still be strong and be feminine.
TV Guide: Some people believe your relationship with Gene is an open one....Tweed: "Open" has never been a word I've described my relationship as. And he has never described our relationship as "open," nor has it ever
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As KISS' bass-playing, fire-breathing demon, Gene Simmons is the embodiment of sex, drugs and rock and roll. But on A&E's Gene Simmons: Family Jewels (Sundays at 9 pm/ET), the occasionally kabuki-faced father of two and partner of Shannon Tweed (don't dare call him a husband) is an iron-fisted paterfamilias and tireless businessman. We asked Simmons to wag his legendary tongue about his nonconformist lifestyle and the success of his series, which was recently renewed for a third season.
TV Guide: To what do you credit this show's success? Gene Simmons: On the surface, there's nothing particularly exciting. People like train wrecks, but as much as we'll try to be
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Among the new series revealed to be in production at other networks: KISS rocker Gene Simmons, his real-life honey, Playmate Shannon Tweed, and their kids will front Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, a new reality series from A&E, which is also in development on shows centered around Cheers alum George Wendt and champion drag-racer John Force, and USA Network has ordered the comedy-drama Underfunded, starring Reno 911!'s Mather Zickel as a "superagent" for the Canadian Secret Service.
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To hear Gene Simmons tell it, he's the sexiest, richest and hardest-working man in show business (sorry, James Brown). And on his current DVD release, Speaking in Tongues, the demon-faced bassist of KISS documents his id-gone-wild lecture tour of Australia. Simmons is also keeping a high TV profile with a guest shot on the new season of Third Watch and a (still-in-discussion) makeover on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Seems like a good time to play a little kiss and tell.
TV Guide Online: On your new DVD, you are honest about your unconventional views about relationships.Gene Simmons: I pretty much tell the truth: I love women. Gene Simmons the public person and Gene Simmons the private person are exactly the same guy. The reason the rags [tabloids] are in existence is because people have Jekyll-and-Hyde lives. I don't.
TVGO: How many women have you been with?Simmons: I'm getting close to 4700. I know that b
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