Music
Gene Simmons Attempting to Trademark Iconic “Devil Horns” Hand Gesture
While I wouldn’t even see Gene Simmons in concert for free (I can prove this, actually), I would spend good money to watch him at a buffet. There’s no way he doesn’t stuff his mouth until he pukes and then resume eating again. Right? It’s no secret that he’s a promotional machine, willing to do just about anything for a buck. In fact, he’s a PIG about it. Take this story, for example, Simmons is actually attempting to trademark an iconic rock hand gesture: the devil horns. No, this isn’t a joke, although I am laughing.
The Kiss frontman is awaiting the signal from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after he filed an application Friday for a trademark on a hand gesture, reports THR.
According to Simmons, this hand gesture was first used in commerce Nov. 14, 1974. That appears to correspond with Kiss’ Hotter Than Hell tour.
Speaking of hell, the hand gesture appears quite similar to what’s known as the “Sign of the horns,” a devil signal that, according to an entertaining entry from Wikipedia, dates back to the 5th Century BC founder of Buddhism. It’s also the American Sign Language gesture for “I love you.”
Simmons is claiming the hand gesture mark for “entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist; personal appearances by a musical artist.”
Before the Trademark Office allows this hand gesture to be registered an examiner would consider the likelihood of confusion and, possibly, whether it’s too generic to be associated with Simmons, explain the site.
Nikki Sixx took to Twitter, joking that he was “thinking of trademarking” the middle finger.
But most rock fans associate the devil horn with a similar gesture made by Ronnie James Dio, who popularized it beginning in the late ’70s, explained Ultimate Classic Rock. Simmons’ move drew a swift rebuke from Dio’s widow, Wendy. “To try to make money off of something like this is disgusting,” she told the Wrap. “It belongs to everyone; it doesn’t belong to anyone. … It’s a public domain; it shouldn’t be trademarked.”
What do you guys think?
The Lost Boys: A New Musical officially kicked off on Broadway last month, and Deadline now reports that the show’s Broadway run has been extended into next year.
The show was originally set to run through November, but Deadline reports that The Lost Boys: A New Musical “has released a block of tickets through Sunday, March 7, 2027.”
The news comes in the wake of The Lost Boys: A New Musical becoming the most Tony-nominated musical of the season with twelve nominations including Best Musical.
Additionally, “The Lost Boys will launch a North American National Tour in Spring 2028, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Additional cities and tour dates will be announced later.”
The Lost Boys: A New Musical is of course an adaptation of the 1987 horror classic from director Joel Schumacher, with the cast including Ali Louis Bourzgui as lead vampire David (originally played by Kiefer Sutherland), Maria Wirries as Star (originally played by Jami Gertz), and LJ Benet as the soon-to-be-turned Michael (originally played by Jason Patric).
The horror musical’s cast also includes Shoshana Bean as Lucy Emerson, Benjamin Pajak as Sam Emerson, Paul Alexander Nolan as Max, Jennifer Duka as Alan Frog, Miguel Gil as Edgar Frog, Brian Flores as Marko, Sean Grandillo as Dwayne, and Dean Maupin as Paul.
The Lost Boys: A New Musical is Directed by Michael Arden, featuring Music and Lyrics by The Rescues, Book by David Hornsby & Chris Hoch, Story by James Jeremias & Janice Fischer, and Produced by James Carpinello, Marcus Chait & Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring) by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
When a mother and her two teenage sons move to Santa Carla in desperate need of a fresh start, they soon uncover the darker side of this sunny coastal community. While Lucy tries to piece her family’s life back together, Michael keeps pulling away in search of belonging.
As he finds connection with a local rock band and its charismatic leader, his younger brother Sam comes face-to-face with a terrifying reality: When night falls, Michael’s new friends are even more dangerous than they first appeared.
Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys vampire movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover that the area is a haven for vampires.
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