Editing Gene Simmons (section)

==Personal life==
Simmons resides in Los Angeles with his wife [[Shannon Lee Tweed]], a Canadian<ref>{{cite news |last1=Said |first1=Amir |title=Gene Simmons returns to Prairies with Kiss farewell tour |url=https://ink.urjschool.ca/gene-simmons-returns-to-prairies-with-kiss-farewell-tour/ |work=INK Online |publisher=University of Regina School of Journalism |date=March 13, 2023}}</ref> actress and former [[Playboy Playmate]]. Although they began dating in 1983, they did not marry until 28 years later. Simmons often joked that he and Tweed were "happily unmarried" for over 20 years. He also often paraphrased [[Groucho Marx]], saying "Marriage is an institution, and I don't want to live in an institution". Simmons and Tweed wed on October 1, 2011, at the [[Beverly Hills Hotel]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Gene Simmons is married |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20533363,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003020523/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20533363,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 3, 2011 |magazine=People |date=October 1, 2011 |access-date=October 2, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gene Simmons and long term girlfriend marry |url=http://wonderwall.msn.com/entertainment/gene-simmons-and-longtime-girlfriend-marry-1644963.story |url-status=dead |publisher=MSN – Wonderwall |date=October 1, 2011 |access-date=October 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129071428/http://wonderwall.msn.com/entertainment/gene-simmons-and-longtime-girlfriend-marry-1644963.story |archive-date=January 29, 2013 }}</ref> They have two children: [[Nick Simmons|Nick]] (born January 22, 1989) and [[Sophie Simmons|Sophie]] (born July 7, 1992). He formerly had [[live-in relationship]]s with [[Cher]] and [[Diana Ross]],<ref name="bio">[http://www.genesimmons.com/bio2.html Biography] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20120906204718/http://www.genesimmons.com/bio2.html |date=September 6, 2012}}. GeneSimmons.com. Retrieved February 1, 2011.</ref> revealing that he fell in love with Ross while dating Cher.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/gene-simmons-fell-for-diana-ross-while-dating-cher/2015/06/01/78e33fc8-081b-11e5-951e-8e15090d64ae_story.html|title=Gene Simmons fell for Diana Ross while dating Cher|date=June 1, 2015|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Simmons has boasted many times about having [[sexual intercourse|bedded]] thousands of women. In 2010, he claimed the tally stood at 5,000 and that he has a [[Instant camera|Polaroid picture]] of each liaison, including the hotel key where it took place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2010/12/20/gene-simmons-kiss-sex-500-women-polaroid-pictures-photos/|title=Gene Simmons- Hard Proof He Banged 5,000 chicks|work=TMZ|date=December 20, 2010|access-date=July 10, 2019}}</ref>  After their wedding, when Shannon found the key for the lockboxes containing the photos (confirming at least that much of the rumors), after a "loving confrontation" with Gene, she had every single Polaroid burned on national television during the final season of their reality show ''[[Gene Simmons Family Jewels]]''.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/exclusive-look-gene-simmons-x-rated-photos-turn-family-jewels-1c9379835|title=Exclusive look: Gene Simmons' X-rated photos turn up on 'Family Jewels'|date=May 22, 2012 |publisher=Today}}</ref>

Simmons is multilingual, and is able to speak Hungarian, German, English, Hebrew, and some Japanese.<ref name=bio />

Simmons believes he is an "outcast" in the rock music community due to his open disdain for [[Recreational drug use|drug]] and [[alcohol use]], and has proudly claimed many times to have never been drunk or high on a substance in his life.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gene Simmons says he's "always been an outcast" in rock 'n' roll circles because he doesn't drink or do drugs |url=https://guitar.com/news/music-news/gene-simmons-outcast-drink-drugs/ |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref> He has said the reason for his sober lifestyle was for his mother, who was a [[Holocaust survivors|Holocaust survivor]]. He said “I’m my mother’s only child [...] I was concerned I had no right to harm my mother. Life did that enough.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fell |first=James |date=2016-09-03 |title=The unbelievably sweet reason why Gene Simmons of KISS has never done drugs or gotten drunk |url=https://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-gene-simmons-20160829-snap-story.html |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> However, he has admitted to once accidentally becoming intoxicated on [[Cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] after mistakenly eating [[Cannabis edible|pot brownies]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gene Simmons Says the Only Time He's Gotten High Was by Mistakenly Eating 6 Weed Brownies: 'Wasn't Prepared' |url=https://people.com/gene-simmons-recalls-mistakenly-eating-weed-brownies-8594113 |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=[[People (magazine)|People]] |language=en}}</ref>

Simmons is a science fiction and comic book fan and published several [[science-fiction fanzine]]s, among them ''Id'', ''Cosmos'' (which eventually merged with ''Stilletto'' to become ''Cosmos-Stilletto'' and then ''Faun''), ''Tinderbox'', ''Sci-Fi Showcase'', ''Mantis'' and ''Adventure''. He also contributed to other fanzines, among them ''[[BeABohema]]'' and ''Sirruish''.<ref>[http://www.genesimmons.com/news/102008.html "Gene Simmons: 60s Fanzine Publisher"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130827172606/http://www.genesimmons.com/news/102008.html |date=August 27, 2013 }}, October 2008</ref> By 1977, however, he would write in a [[letter of comment]] to ''[[Janus (science fiction magazine)|Janus]]'', "I haven't been active [in fandom] for about five years".<ref>Simmons, Gene. "Letter" ''Janus'' 8 (Vol 3, No. 2); Janice Bogstad & [[Jeanne Gomoll]], eds., 1977; p. 15</ref>