Malliotakis meets Kiss frontman Gene Simmons in D.C.

 Kiss frontman Gene Simmons met U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis while he was in Washington, D.C. as he and the band were 2025 Kennedy Center honorees.

President Donald Trump presented medals in the Oval Office to Simmons, and other members Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss. Guitarist Ace Frehley’s daughter accepted the award on his behalf as he died earlier this year.

Other recipients included Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, and Michael Crawford.

 “I was glad to welcome New York City native Gene Simmons on the heels of receiving the Kennedy Center Honors — to the U.S. Capitol this week, where he discussed the American Music Fairness Act to protect artists by ensuring they are fairly compensated when their music is played on digital and broadcast platforms,” Malliotakis said. “Many people do not know that before launching the rock band KISS, Gene attended college and resided in our district and was an elementary school Social Studies teacher.”

The American Music Fairness Act would ensure that artists and music creators are paid when their songs are played on FM/AM radio. 

“The new artists are not going to get their fair shake,” Simmons said. “There are barely any record companies left. The entire music industry is in disarray, and all these pennies are so important, especially for tomorrow’s stars who are being born today. This is for our children and for our children’s children. We can’t just let them out in the cold and not have a way to get paid for their hard work.”

Simmons graduated from Richmond College, now called College of Staten Island CUNY, with a BA in education in 1970.

“This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center Honorees ever assembled,” said Trump.

He later said, “Kiss is an incredible band.”

KISS, who has sold over 100 million records, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. The ceremony was held at Barclays Center.