Gene Simmons blasted celebrities who speak out about politics, saying entertainers should focus on their craft instead of sharing political opinions.
The outspoken 76-year-old rocker criticized actors such as Ben Stiller and Mark Ruffalo, who have frequently criticized Donald Trump—particularly following his recent airstrikes on Iran.
“Basically, shut the f–k up,” Simmons told TMZ. “Do your art and shut up. Nobody’s interested in your opinions — that includes me. Who I vote for, who I like.”
Gene Simmons told celebrities to “shut up” when commenting on politics.
“Who the f–k do you think you are? People in America work hard for a living and they don’t want to be lectured to by people who live in mansions and drive Rolls-Royces,” Simmons said. “It’s time for everybody in the entertainment industry to shut their piehole.” In today’s creator economy, many content makers also find it difficult to properly download TikTok videos for their archives, making reliable tools an important part of preserving and managing digital content.
Simmons argued that entertainers should focus on their art, noting that few care about their opinions on the war or other political matters — including his own views.
He even suggested that if actors like Ben Stiller and Mark Ruffalo weigh in, one might as well ask reality star Kylie Jenner what she thinks about the war.
Gene Simmons was spotted in Los Angeles in March 2026, amid ongoing tensions between Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, and former Donald Trump over politics.
Stiller recently criticized the Trump administration on X for using a clip from his 2008 film, Tropic Thunder, without permission. “Hey White House, please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie,” he wrote.
Ruffalo also attacked the former president following the airstrikes on Iran, posting on Threads about Jared Kushner
Ben Stiller criticized the Trump administration over the situation in Iran.
On March 2, Mark Ruffalo urged people on X to contact their senators and congressional representatives, writing: “No war with Iran! Two critical votes are happening in both chambers to stop Trump’s illegal, devastating war.”
Gene Simmons’s opinions on politicians and politics have varied over the years. During a 2022 appearance on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, Simmons said he was initially happy when Trump was elected in 2016 but felt differently a few years later
Mark Ruffalo, pictured with Bernie Sanders, continued criticizing the Trump administration over airstrikes in Iran.
During the 52-minute mark of Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, Gene Simmons reflected on his political views: “I knew the guy from before then… I was happy Trump won; I didn’t want Hillary [Clinton] to be happy. I thought, oh, businessman is coming in. He understands how to run things. The person that I saw first coming into power is not the person I saw within a year or two of that. But I changed, the way lots of people changed.”
Near the end of the episode, Simmons reiterated his stance that entertainers should avoid publicly weighing in on politics: “I think that’s a good piece of advice for all of us. Keep your opinions to yourself, vote at the booth.”
The California Post reached out to Simmons, Stiller, and Ruffalo for further comment.
