KISS Singer Gene Simmons Takes Reality Show to Holy Land

By Nathan Burstein March 3, 2011

Coming up with fresh TV material can be difficult – even if you’re a rock icon with a porn-star wife.

For the next season of his A&E reality series, KISS singer Gene Simmons has solved the problem by planning a family trip – to the Holy Land.

Israel’s Ynet news Web site is reporting that Simmons will visit later this month to film footage for “Gene Simmons: Family Jewels,” a visit the article describes as a “roots trip.”

The son of an Auschwitz survivor, Simmons was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, and moved to the United States at age 8. He remains fluent in Hebrew, the article says, but has never performed in Israel with KISS.

Traveling with Simmons will be the rest of the “Family Jewels” cast: children Nick and Sophie, and partner Shannon Tweed, a former Playboy Playmate of the Year.

As befits a family of TV stars, the Simmons’ don’t travel light. Ynet reports that producers of the show have reserved no fewer than 21 hotel rooms for the visiting cast and crew.

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