KISS drummer Peter Criss recently opened up about the band’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. He shared his emotional experience of standing in the Oval Office during the prestigious event. His comments were made during an interview on Rock City Live.
Criss reflected on the surreal nature of the moment. He revealed what he considered the most difficult aspect of the honor.
When asked about standing in the Oval Office alongside Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, and George Strait, Criss shared his thoughts on the experience.
“It was a dream. You know, I could not believe this kid from the streets of Brooklyn who grew up in four rooms with seven people is standing in the Oval Office. It’s like it was surreal,” Criss said. “The worst thing was Ace wasn’t there. I really miss him dearly. We were very close.”
The drummer went on to describe a particularly touching moment involving Ace Frehley’s family members who attended the ceremony.
“But his daughter, Monique, was there and his wife Janette who’s a little kind of ill, but she was there and Monique was there,” he continued. “And what touched me about it the most was the President got up from the desk and walked around and gave Janette a hug in her wheelchair and then gave Monique a big hug and put the medal on her. That brought tears to my eyes. I miss him dearly. There’s a big loss without Ace.”
The surviving original members of KISS — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss — were presented with their 2025 Kennedy Center Honors medals in Washington, D.C., recognizing the band’s lifetime contributions to American music and culture; the late guitarist Ace Frehley was also honored posthumously, with his medal accepted in his place.
Frehley died on October 16, 2025, at age 74 after suffering head injuries from a fall at his home in Morristown, New Jersey; his family said he passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after being taken off life support.
Frehley’s death prompted tributes from bandmates and fellow musicians who celebrated his influence on rock music and his role in shaping KISS’s legacy.
