Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad KISS?

Well, for starters, I AM!

Yeah, I'll admit it....as a child I was freakin terrified of KISS, KISSes, KISSing and all things KISS-related.
You might say that these mutated monsters of metal music scared me KISS-less.
My degenerate second cousin used to have his room wallpapered with freaky KISS posters.
Consequently, I was too scared as a 6-year old to even tiptoe past his room if the door was open enough for me and KISS to make any sort of eye contact.
My cousin thought this was absolutely hilarious and he made it his life mission to terrorize me as much as possible.
I'll never forget the day he stood outside his closed door and told me that he replaced all his KISS posters with pictures of Kenny Rogers. Then he asked me if I'd like to go in and see for myself.
Let me add that this was Kenny Rogers in his pre-chop shop cosmetic surgery days. Fear the reaper, man but don't fear the Kenny Rogers!
I got one foot in the door before my cousin shoved me in the rest of the way. Then he simultaneously slammed and barricaded the door thus trapping me inside his hellish KISS torture chamber.
He stood outside laughing while I screamed hysterically and banged on the door to get out.
This probably goes a long way towards explaining why him and his KISS obsession are currently sitting on Death Row in the Indiana State Penitentiary.
Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be KISS fanatics.
Which brings me to the main point of my post.....I was serving duty as a reader for my Melody's first grade class a couple weeks ago.
Since it was close to Halloween, I asked the kids what they were going to dress up as.
There was the usual assortment of princesses, fairies, Batman, vampires, etc. but then one dimpled and gap-toothed little boy excitedly blurted out, "I'm going as Gene Simmons from KISS for Halloween!!! Do you know who he is?!?!?"
Uh yeah kid, as a matter-of-fact I DO know who he is.
Me and Gene Simmons kind of have an awkward history between us.
So, a six-year old dressing up as Gene Simmons. That's fantastic! I only hope that he went trick-or-treating with a mini Alice Cooper tossing bloody Barbie heads about.
Oooh, and maybe a pint-sized version of Ozzy Osborne with his trademark headless bat dangling out of his mouth too just to make a complete set of inappropriate children's costumes!
No word on if the Gene Simmons get-up came with a pointy prosthetic tongue and a patch of glue-on chest hair. I'm fairly positive that the Plastic Playboy Playmate companion is sold separately.