Gene Simmons On Past 'Sexist Pig' Comments: 'It Was A Different Time, The Times Were Wrong'

Gene Simmons has openly discussed sexist comments he has made in the past during an interview with Andrew Denton on Seven's Interview last night. 

The KISS bassist admitted he was "completely wrong" when asked about some comments he made, including an NPR interview in 2002 where he said women should welcome him with "open legs".

"There's no excuse for that kind of language, not from me and not from you and not from anybody else," Simmons told Denton. 

"But you also have to recognise — and this is not a defence, just the observation — it was a different time.

"So there’s no excuse for that kind of language, but it was also a different time. Cocksmanship and the more arrogant and sexist you were, the cooler you were to your fans.

"The times were wrong, I was completely wrong… "

Simmons continued, "The truth is, in hindsight, which is 20/20, it was stupid.

"It was wrong, ethically and morally, just wrong.

"What can I say? I’ve made lots of mistakes. You’ve got to move on and become better. It’s time all of us woke up and I’ll be the first to one to admit I’ve been an arrogant sexist pig."

Check out some of the clips below.

As TV Tonight reports, Interview was watched by 368,000 viewers on Tuesday night.

Referring to an NPR interview from a decade ago where he said women should welcome him with "open legs", Andrew Denton asks @genesimmons if he's a changed man. #InterviewAU pic.twitter.com/4nqB0FO8UK

— Interview (@InterviewAU) June 5, 2018

Whilst dating @cher, @genesimmons would get taken down a notch on the a regular basis. #InterviewAU pic.twitter.com/kehOSwHz4K

— Interview (@InterviewAU) June 5, 2018