Brilliant! Gene is fascinating but such a talker. Michael, you've become a master interviewer: such patience and grace. Love everything that was said. Old school is not necessarily bad school. I'm not advocating abuse, but when I was testing limits, some firm-handed discipline put me back on the straight and narrow really fast. I'm grateful, not resentful. Absolutely love this.
I love KISS, and everyone in that band so much. My uncle who sadly passed away in 2020 inadvertently put me on to them when I was very young. Had my uncle not put KISS on his car radio when I was driving around with him, I may have never decided to play guitar, which is my ultimate passion. Even though my uncle passed, everytime I hear KISS,I think of him, and what those times I spent with him meant to me.
kiss sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!! only 2 good songs god of thunder and war machine!!! n gene sings them n i hate gene lol a hypocrite moron beyond words!!!! bragging bout 6 houses lolol i recall long ago he said kiss will NEVER sell out!!! no movies comics so on then had movies of shit, comics toys credit cards COFFINS!!! and more when they said they would never do so, but ya sheep ate it up lol sad world....
Americans should feel honored to be able to have what we take for granted that most of the people in the world never get to experience. Two and a half years, in Vietnam, convinced me just how much I took things for granted. I am grateful for what my country has ALLOWED me to get through hard work, and I still work at 74, as does my 75 year old brother. Both of us served in the military and have achieved more than our parents ever did.
@LoyalandTrue. Peaceful people were attending a music festival, sleeping in their homes and were slaughtered by Hamas in Oct. 2023. Mr. Simmons family was peacefully in their homes and German authorities came and rounded them up, over 3 million were slaughtered worse than any animal today.
Two gentleman together wow winning combo thank you for putting this together for us fans out here happy holidays to everyone sending best wishes luv for all 🎉
In Italian American Neighborhoods in NYC, alleged mobsters didn't do anything but have others believe rumors of their existence. People "all nationalities" performed street justice and vigilantism. Cops knew, only stepped in when out of hand. If you disrespected, police that's another story but some cops never had to use their pistol.
@@bigguy7353 Everything he spoke of in this video rings true with me. Many old timers I have talked with have said the same things as he when speaking of old days. His reminiscing about how times were different back in his childhood/younger years I consider to be separate from feuds with former band members and the mud slinging that went on in each person's book and interviews.
My Italian Grand Father came from Naples and rented a room in Little Italy from my beautiful, Italian Grand Mother, Mary's Mother. a couple of years later Mary and my Grand Father got married and had 7 children. He was not affiliated with The Mob. He was a fashion designer on fifth Avenue in NYC! A hard working man! Blessings
You impressed me Gene with your history knowledge of the root meaning of “Catholic” and the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. As a Konstantine myself, bravo!
Gene was trying to be a smartass and boasting. He left out the part of why they became Roman Catholics and what happened exactly at the council of Nicea? He says there is no Christ in Catholic well Christ started the Catholic with St Peter the Rock and the foundation.
My brother told me a story once about shopping for an engagement ring in Manhattan with his future wife. We were from queens but he worked in Manhattan. They picked out two diamonds and asked, or the jeweler told them to get them appraised by another jeweler. He kidded the jeweler saying " what if I don't come back". The guy said with this look, " you'll come back".
Gene is brilliant, a marketing genius. I will never forget him on the apprentice. His slogan was “it’s a Kodak world and we are just living in it!” Sheer brilliance.
I totally agree with everything gene said about kids and discipline. we need to bring these things back. i see this total lack of respect in pretty much every kid these days. it is making us weak as a culture.
Apologies if this has already been asked and answered, Mr. Franzese, but ... are you, by any chance, related to actor Frank Grillo, even distantly, as far as you know? Besides the name, you can't deny that there _is_ a physical resemblance :) God bless you, sir! I love how you turned your life around. Yours is a very inspirational story, much like my own but more dramatic -- should be a movie! Imagine how many souls might be saved by that!
A couple of things….I’m as old as Mr. Franzese. Grew up in a strict household. Now I watch parenting and behavior from my generation and younger. I see parents and people preoccupied with their cell phone. Not parenting. This younger generation is starving for attention. They curse our loud, pierce their bodies, outrageous tattoos, loud car stereos with repetitive sounds, loud cars, etc. They are crying for attention. I also see some of this behavior in my generation with guys who are influenced by the younger generation. But the older likes to point fingers and blame instead of looking from within. Then I hear about the whole gender affirming drama in kids. Has anyone actually done just a little research on how often this actually happens and the circumstances in some cases such as children who are born with both male/female parts. The politicians have hypnotized the weak minded into thinking this is somehow commonplace and the end of civilization….It’s funny and yet sad at the same time. These politicians and even religious have you so preoccupied and in fear you are not noticing what is going on. Stop fearing. Fear God, Fear darker skin people, Fear Sex, Fear the immigrant…fear fear fear….all the while the rich have become much richer.
Hey Mr. Franzese, how do you feel about the 2002 movie Wisegirls starring Mira Sorvino and Mariah Carey? Does the movie represent an authentic representation of life?
He's not a liar what he was saying was absolutely 1,000% true kids today have no respect no discipline no regard for anything else I remember growing up when I was 8 years old I had a job bagging groceries at the local Walmarts in Brooklyn New York and let me tell you something when we were in school yeah when the parents have to come up to the school you were scared shitless in the phrase was correct wait till your father gets home when we were at the dinner table we are knocked up cuz all my father had to do was look my way and we knew what was going to happen if we didn't stop.
That's exactly How we were raised..I miss it to..Am proud to have been raised like this..School you get Hit across your ass With a paddle.that was made by fellow students in Wood shop Class...We are Men..God Bless
Yeah he probably has lied about a lot of stuff . I used to watch his tv show a long time ago . His infidelity is notorious , it cost him his marriage to the mother of his children .
Little Italy has been reduced to such a small area now. It's just over priced restaurants and souvenir shops. The Chinese have taken over the area.There is a cool Christmas store on Mulberry St.
I've been wanting to go but since I have a house in the actual Italy I guess I'm not really missing anything other than having to take a much longer flight.
New Haven Connecticut with the real Little Italy. We had more Italian than any other state in the entire country. You’ll never hear it but that’s where the Italian Class that’s where the Italian food is Connecticut.
READ THIS MICHAEL!!!! CRIME DOES PAY! Rolfe Barnard, a preacher from long ago, was asked once "Rolfe what were some of your sins?" He replied, "None of your business." In contrast Cullota, Franzese, Sammy "The Bull" and others brag about their former life as thought it were a trophy of success. These people get on TH-cam and talk about things they should be ashamed of. Michael Franzese, who claims to have been saved, never discuses Christ. He glories in his former life as a criminal. When I read scriptures, I never read where the apostle Paul gloried in his former life before the LORD of GLORY struck him down on the Damascus Road. Where the vultures gather is where the root of the tree is and what you talk about most, is what you truly love.
This is unrelated to this video. But I'm reading the book the hidden history of the JFK assassination by Lamar Waldron. I was thinking to myself what would Michael's take be on this information. I bet Micheal could say if this is factual or not.
I hope I'm never so empty inside that I feel the need to own six homes or a fleet of cars or to brag about zero carbon when I have a fleet of gas guzzlers lol. What a sad metric to measure success by. Brag about your marriage and your children becoming stand up adults. Forget the baubles.
i think if you listen he believes in discipline and old fashioned ways and hard work. And if you have this, you DO end up becoming with some form of success. So if it means having stuff, so what. If you are happy with nothing, thats cool too, good for you
They call 'em "ganol" in Sicily. Sicilianize an Italian word by changing [c] to [g], dropping final vowels,[o] becomes [u] and [p] turns to [b]. That's how "capiccola" becomes "gabigul" and "manicotti" is "manigut".
In light humor….I like Gene saying kids brains aren’t developed until 25 +/-…. But did take advantage of that and was part of the dr. Spock era of rebellion. Genes great to listen to.
Gene is a lot of things when he's in makeup or showing off in public, but he's absolutely correct with everything he said here.
Gene has the gift of story telling
Yea people who can write great music usually have the gift of story telling.
His books are good reading. One might not agree with his views on spirituality but he gives some good advice.
Brilliant! Gene is fascinating but such a talker. Michael, you've become a master interviewer: such patience and grace. Love everything that was said. Old school is not necessarily bad school. I'm not advocating abuse, but when I was testing limits, some firm-handed discipline put me back on the straight and narrow really fast. I'm grateful, not resentful. Absolutely love this.
I met Gene Simmons in an airport once; he was a very nice person.
,maybe you should introduce him to your 13 year old daughter
@Jerry-jy7jm I don't think I would introduce you to her either.
@@drjcw I'm not a pedophile but he is
@@Jerry-jy7jm troll
I love KISS, and everyone in that band so much. My uncle who sadly passed away in 2020 inadvertently put me on to them when I was very young. Had my uncle not put KISS on his car radio when I was driving around with him, I may have never decided to play guitar, which is my ultimate passion. Even though my uncle passed, everytime I hear KISS,I think of him, and what those times I spent with him meant to me.
kiss sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!! only 2 good songs god of thunder and war machine!!! n gene sings them n i hate gene lol a hypocrite moron beyond words!!!! bragging bout 6 houses lolol i recall long ago he said kiss will NEVER sell out!!! no movies comics so on then had movies of shit, comics toys credit cards COFFINS!!! and more when they said they would never do so, but ya sheep ate it up lol sad world....
6:48 "No crime"? Except for paying protection money. Extortion is a crime.
Now it’s called taxes, and the government is the crime family. Same situation, different organization.
Most businesses wanted that protection.. For the very thing that was spoken about.. No crime..
No street crime just high level organized crime
That was the best Michael Franzese interview YET! Would love to hear MORE!
I agree I can't trust Jews
Always fresh content constantly …keep up the great work Mike 🍷
My company at that time Kramer Guitar Co made a custom bass for Gene Simmons called the Gene Simmons Axe
Which customers paid $1000 each to Gene. For the pleasure of owning one.
@@DetroitWrecker666nothing wrong with that.
Youe proud of that
@@Bulos-Mac-617 why not troll
Americans should feel honored to be able to have what we take for granted that most of the people in the world never get to experience. Two and a half years, in Vietnam, convinced me just how much I took things for granted. I am grateful for what my country has ALLOWED me to get through hard work, and I still work at 74, as does my 75 year old brother. Both of us served in the military and have achieved more than our parents ever did.
Lofl
Yet you think murder is a viable substitution for healthcare. And education, for that matter.
@LoyalandTrue. Peaceful people were attending a music festival, sleeping in their homes and were slaughtered by Hamas in Oct. 2023. Mr. Simmons family was peacefully in their homes and German authorities came and rounded them up, over 3 million were slaughtered worse than any animal today.
Did you ever get a chance ro enjoy the fruit of your labor?
This country sucks😅
Great chat Michael, keep it up, lots of love from India ❤❤
Michael , Gene makes a lot of sense. Fantastic interview 👏👏👏😜
Two gentleman together wow winning combo thank you for putting this together for us fans out here happy holidays to everyone sending best wishes luv for all 🎉
Thanks for sharing, great interview
In Italian American Neighborhoods in NYC, alleged mobsters didn't do anything but have others believe rumors of their existence. People "all nationalities" performed street justice and vigilantism. Cops knew, only stepped in when out of hand. If you disrespected, police that's another story but some cops never had to use their pistol.
I could listen to you two talk all day. I never had any idea Gene was like this.
Simmons is a notorious liar.
@@bigguy7353 Everything he spoke of in this video rings true with me. Many old timers I have talked with have said the same things as he when speaking of old days.
His reminiscing about how times were different back in his childhood/younger years I consider to be separate from feuds with former band members and the mud slinging that went on in each person's book and interviews.
No telling what he's actually like when not promoting himself.
@@bigguy7353Franzese seems to recall exactly what he’s talking about
Wow I have a whole new level of respect for Gene Simmons
I agree with you totally. He's a great business man also
My Italian Grand Father came from Naples and rented a room in Little Italy from my beautiful, Italian Grand Mother, Mary's Mother. a couple of years later Mary and my Grand Father got married and had 7 children.
He was not affiliated with The Mob. He was a fashion designer on fifth Avenue in NYC!
A hard working man!
Blessings
These conversations need to be heard by everyone under the age of 30. Fantastic content.
We got paddled at school when I got home I got real punishment from dad, but we were more scared of mom because we didn’t want to upset her
“There was no crime in our neighbourhood”
But people never made it home.
No crime, that was a funny comment!
Thank you for your podcast. What interesting interviews 🤔
Great stuff Mike! Keep it going...
I love Gene talking about his past as it's HIS experience and very impactful.
Interesting insight from Gene. This was a Good watch Michael 🤝
Always time well spent listening to Gene. Thank you from this Medagon!
Always a pleasure watching your videos Don Franzese
He was never a don he was a captain but could of been the don but he was an excellent earner
@@jordannorris4029
He never wanted that.
You impressed me Gene with your history knowledge of the root meaning of “Catholic” and the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. As a Konstantine myself, bravo!
Gene was trying to be a smartass and boasting. He left out the part of why they became Roman Catholics and what happened exactly at the council of Nicea? He says there is no Christ in Catholic well Christ started the Catholic with St Peter the Rock and the foundation.
Not really. Jesus Christ didn’t start the Roman Catholic Church; the Bishop of Rome did, many centuries AFTER Jesus Christ.
My brother told me a story once about shopping for an engagement ring in Manhattan with his future wife. We were from queens but he worked in Manhattan. They picked out two diamonds and asked, or the jeweler told them to get them appraised by another jeweler. He kidded the jeweler saying " what if I don't come back". The guy said with this look, " you'll come back".
You can talk $ about these guy but in this conversation they are speaking truth ! 100%
Gene is brilliant, a marketing genius. I will never forget him on the apprentice. His slogan was “it’s a Kodak world and we are just living in it!” Sheer brilliance.
That’s what did it for you? Ignorance really is bliss. I wish I was a simple minded as you.
Gene is always a riveting interview.
Very good interview.
These are really great interviews with Gene just great history.
❤ Again Michael you've done a good Job, love this Gene is an amazing man and so are you too
Whatever you want to say about Gene, you have to admit he's a fascinating guy. and he loves America. God bless you Gene!
I totally agree with everything gene said about kids and discipline. we need to bring these things back. i see this total lack of respect in pretty much every kid these days. it is making us weak as a culture.
I am not a fan of Kiss, but I could listen to Gene Simmons all day...
Apologies if this has already been asked and answered, Mr. Franzese, but ... are you, by any chance, related to actor Frank Grillo, even distantly, as far as you know? Besides the name, you can't deny that there _is_ a physical resemblance :)
God bless you, sir! I love how you turned your life around. Yours is a very inspirational story, much like my own but more dramatic -- should be a movie! Imagine how many souls might be saved by that!
I’m a big KISS fan, since I was a kid. He’s the most narcissistic human being I’ve ever seen though.
I can see that, happens a lot to individuals who came from nothing and found such crazy success can get to their heads.
Yeah, never seen him interviewed before.
Can't say I warmed to him tbh 🤷🏻♀️
A couple of things….I’m as old as Mr. Franzese. Grew up in a strict household. Now I watch parenting and behavior from my generation and younger. I see parents and people preoccupied with their cell phone. Not parenting. This younger generation is starving for attention. They curse our loud, pierce their bodies, outrageous tattoos, loud car stereos with repetitive sounds, loud cars, etc. They are crying for attention. I also see some of this behavior in my generation with guys who are influenced by the younger generation. But the older likes to point fingers and blame instead of looking from within. Then I hear about the whole gender affirming drama in kids. Has anyone actually done just a little research on how often this actually happens and the circumstances in some cases such as children who are born with both male/female parts. The politicians have hypnotized the weak minded into thinking this is somehow commonplace and the end of civilization….It’s funny and yet sad at the same time. These politicians and even religious have you so preoccupied and in fear you are not noticing what is going on. Stop fearing. Fear God, Fear darker skin people, Fear Sex, Fear the immigrant…fear fear fear….all the while the rich have become much richer.
This is the most arrogant man ever on this Earth next to my ex narcissist.
LOL
Im with you Gene, there needs to be consequences for actions of kids today.
Your editing team. Tremendous...
Tremendous editing
Love Gene and KISS...Big part of my youth
The singer/ tv personality he was seeing…Cher
Hey Mr. Franzese, how do you feel about the 2002 movie Wisegirls starring Mira Sorvino and Mariah Carey? Does the movie represent an authentic representation of life?
Simmons knows nothing about the history of Catholicism, obviously.
St Augustine inspired Catholicism. 😊
My grandma told me Catholics believe in doing whatever they want on the weekdays . And asking for forgiveness on the weekend .
@@yourefaceneedscharmin762 Going to confession without contrition invalidates the confession. You only get the grace of the sacrament if you're sorry.
But he read the encyclopedia didn't you hear😮!
He knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING!
😂😂😂😂😂 😂
That spock guy was a quack
He's not a liar what he was saying was absolutely 1,000% true kids today have no respect no discipline no regard for anything else I remember growing up when I was 8 years old I had a job bagging groceries at the local Walmarts in Brooklyn New York and let me tell you something when we were in school yeah when the parents have to come up to the school you were scared shitless in the phrase was correct wait till your father gets home when we were at the dinner table we are knocked up cuz all my father had to do was look my way and we knew what was going to happen if we didn't stop.
Not one word on "New York Mob in Little Italy" .. ..
He talked about Italian bakery in Little Italy lol.
Proverbs 13:24
“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
Geno" is what we call a typical NEW YORKER"!!!!
Gene is still cool.
If mom ever said wait until your dad gets home, whatever shenanigans were taking place ending very abruptly. A lot of begging and pleading ensued!
Gene is a very bight insightful guy
Chinatown Mott goes straight through Chinatown and it's little Italy love NYC
No School Like the Old School
That's exactly How we were raised..I miss it to..Am proud to have been raised like this..School you get Hit across your ass With a paddle.that was made by fellow students in Wood shop Class...We are Men..God Bless
Gene seems like a really cool, sensible guy. It's weird to see him in street clothes and look "normal".....lol.
Yeah, i have no use for this guy. Even though the first time i heard his band, changed my life and the reason i still play music.
The very first time I ate a cannoli I ate it frozen because I am uncultured swine😂😂😂
He got my attention when he married Shannon Tweed. Nice
I'm sorry but believe exactly zero of what Simmons says. He is a notorious liar.
Yep because he's Jewish
You're silly.
You know this how?????
Yeah he probably has lied about a lot of stuff . I used to watch his tv show a long time ago . His infidelity is notorious , it cost him his marriage to the mother of his children .
And can’t see what there would be to lie about, or what there could be to gain from it. These claims here are rather benign.
Christmas greetings from Ireland Michael another great Episode today. You Still need to watch Once upon a time in America for mob Movie Monday.
Wait till your father gets home! How well I remember the fear when Mom said that.
Yes, Mike, watch once upon a time in America, and talk about it, the early Jewish mob in lower east side
Little Italy has been reduced to such a small area now. It's just over priced restaurants and souvenir shops. The Chinese have taken over the area.There is a cool Christmas store on Mulberry St.
I've been wanting to go but since I have a house in the actual Italy I guess I'm not really missing anything other than having to take a much longer flight.
I LUV U DON. TO YOU. N YOUR ANGELS. HAPPY. 25❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
We should definitely still be doing that now the fact that we don’t is the sole reason why we have what we have in the world today
Awesome discussion. The world needs the values that it once had. The only way is through Christ.
The late John Prine had a song explaining todays loss of this right & wrong...
Common Sense (John Prine) - John Prine
Lets hear about todays Jewish "underworld" diamond business in cities all across America
New Haven Connecticut with the real Little Italy. We had more Italian than any other state in the entire country. You’ll never hear it but that’s where the Italian Class that’s where the Italian food is Connecticut.
I can’t keep watching this, gene Simmons is out there
READ THIS MICHAEL!!!!
CRIME DOES PAY! Rolfe Barnard, a preacher from long ago, was asked once "Rolfe what were some of your sins?" He replied, "None of your business." In contrast Cullota, Franzese, Sammy "The Bull" and others brag about their former life as thought it were a trophy of success. These people get on TH-cam and talk about things they should be ashamed of. Michael Franzese, who claims to have been saved, never discuses Christ. He glories in his former life as a criminal. When I read scriptures, I never read where the apostle Paul gloried in his former life before the LORD of GLORY struck him down on the Damascus Road. Where the vultures gather is where the root of the tree is and what you talk about most, is what you truly love.
I mean, kids would get beaten for listening to his band.
Wow.
I must admit, Mr. Simmons got a lot more sense and decency than I thought.
The famous Cannoli King makes delicious Cannolis!
Blessings
Gene' s a cool dude 😅😊 , very money 💵 hungry but the more i hear him on pods i understand why 😊😊
2:54 You are digging your own grav! Imagine if he didn't do what you said to that device because he doesn't want, there's no electricity etc.
lost all this mans respect the time he demanded people to get the shot so disgusting what he did
Gene Simmons FOREVER exposed who his allegiance is to in 2020. I don’t care if you all have the memory of gold fish.
FYI, Constantine was never Pope.
This is unrelated to this video. But I'm reading the book the hidden history of the JFK assassination by Lamar Waldron. I was thinking to myself what would Michael's take be on this information. I bet Micheal could say if this is factual or not.
Why are mobsters always called good people ?
I would love for Michael to do a sit down with Sebastian Maniscalco the comedian.
I hope I'm never so empty inside that I feel the need to own six homes or a fleet of cars or to brag about zero carbon when I have a fleet of gas guzzlers lol. What a sad metric to measure success by. Brag about your marriage and your children becoming stand up adults. Forget the baubles.
i think if you listen he believes in discipline and old fashioned ways and hard work. And if you have this, you DO end up becoming with some form of success. So if it means having stuff, so what. If you are happy with nothing, thats cool too, good for you
True. Working class heroes 😢
Nothing wrong with having items that one has worked for
Why 6 ??
Gene Simmons is a very good man
Hahahaha
Lol no crime 😂😂 JUST EARNING RIGHT?
Gene's cool but honestly.... I was waiting on Mr. Franzese to tell a story.
He always hangs out with italians in chile also .jews and italians go way back long like marriages
He told them to buy Pfizer stock
POOR GENE HE IS NOT POOR NOW
@cmgngmc that's due to his hard work! Bravo Gene!!! 👏🏼
Screw Simmons. He is not we the people’s friend
He showed his true colors during the “plandemic”.
Jew Simmons
@@Salt_Ed_One1what did he do?
They call 'em "ganol" in Sicily. Sicilianize an Italian word by changing [c] to [g], dropping final vowels,[o] becomes [u] and [p] turns to [b]. That's how "capiccola" becomes "gabigul" and "manicotti" is "manigut".
In light humor….I like Gene saying kids brains aren’t developed until 25 +/-…. But did take advantage of that and was part of the dr. Spock era of rebellion.
Genes great to listen to.
Did Gene tell Michael to black him out for this interview?