While KISS is still touring and releasing albums, Gene Simmons is continuing to build his reality show empire. In addition to his Family Jewels show that ran for seven years and 4th and Loud, a new series about the LA KISS arena football team, he’s got another show, Coliseum, in the works. Not surprisingly, it seems a little ridiculous at the outset. However, instead of focusing on Gene, it’ll be a talent show focusing on rock bands. The Hollywood Reporter, um, reports that contestants will form rock bands and Simmons will motivate the bands as they perform in front of an audience. Simmons, as the “Rock Caesar,” will give a thumbs up or thumbs down as to who goes forward. Here’s a cheesy quote from Simmons to go with the relatively cheesy concept:
“Coliseum is a no-holds-barred competition show between musical gladiators in the arena fighting to survive, fighting to be the champion, fighting to curry the favor of Rock Caesar”
So basically, it’s like The Voice or America’s Got Talent, but it’s up to a 65 year-old that declared rock music dead a week ago to mentor the acts. So apparently no one will win, because he’s said that there is no rock any more. There will be three musical guests weekly judging the bands, but it ultimately comes down to Simmons and the audience to decide who moves on. Coliseum hasn’t been picked up yet, but he’ll be in Cannes at TV program market Mipcom to pitch local versions of the show worldwide. And as easy as it is to slag off Simmons, he did produce Van Halen’s first demos, and currently manages Canadian female power metal band Kobra and the Lotus. so it’s not like he can be counted out completely.
