GOSSIPS

Kiss star draws heat for anti-Muslim talk

Photo: Gene Simmons performs last August. (AP /Terry Gilliam)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has sparked outrage in Australia with comments seen as attacking Islam. "This is a vile culture and if you think for a second that it's willing to just live in the sands of God's armpit, you've got another thing coming," Simmons said during an interview on Melbourne's 3AW radio Thursday. "They want to come and live right where you live and they think that you're evil." The western world is under threat from extremists and a culture that treats women worse than dogs, he claimed in a segment of the interview that touched on the war in Iraq. "You can send your dog to school to learn tricks, sit, beg, do all that stuff - none of the women have that advantage," the 54-year-old said. Angry Muslims flooded the radio station with calls, furious over Simmons's comments. Susan Carland, Australian Muslim of the Year, rejected what she saw as his stereotype of Muslim women. She has two university degrees, she said, and "I certainly do not walk behind my husband." "Mixing the entertainment world with the political and religious world is a minefield," said Yasser Soliman, chairman of Victoria state's Islamic Council. "I think it would be good for overseas speakers and commentators to be given some sort of advice in regards to our vilification laws here," Soliman said. "They leave and go back to where they arrived from, but they leave behind a big mess that we have to live with." Chrissie Camp, who is in charge of publicity for Kiss's Australian tour, said Simmons was unavailable for comment Friday. The band was due to perform in Melbourne on Friday night and Saturday before shows in Sydney and Brisbane.

Destiny's Child to marry Dallas Cowboy

Photo: Kelly Rowland arrives for the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003. (AP/Tina Fineberg)

NEW YORK (AP) - Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child and Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams are getting hitched, Rowland's label, Columbia Records, announced Friday. Rowland said she and her fiancé haven't set a date for the wedding. Williams proposed in New York on Monday, in a room filled with friends, including fellow Destiny's Child singer Beyonce. The two, both 23, have been together about six months. Rowland won a Grammy last year for collaborating with Nelly on the hit Dilemma and released a solo album, Simply Deep, in 2002. She, Beyonce and Michelle Williams are headed back to the studio next month to record a new Destiny's Child album. Williams is going into his third season with the Cowboys and was a Pro Bowl selection this past season in which he had 72 tackles, including 55 solo tackles, two sacks and two interceptions.

Hometown welcomes Idol star Fantasia

Photo: "American Idol" finalist Fantasia Barrino talks to her fans during a performance a Providence Place in High Point, N.C. (AP /News & Record, Nelson Kepley)

HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) - Fantasia Barrino received the second-lowest vote total this week on American Idol, but she got nothing but love from the fans on a visit home. Barrino emerged in tears from a stretch sport utility vehicle when she pulled into her hometown Thursday. Police estimated 3,000 people showed up to give her support and compare conspiracy theories. The 19-year-old almost got booted on Wednesday's episode of the Fox singing competition. The viewer-vote results shocked the studio audience and the panel of judges who thought she and La Toya London - who got the least votes and her walking papers - performed far better than remaining singers Jasmine Trias and Diana DeGarmo. High Point resident Joan McCorkle voted six times for Barrino in the latest round. "Fox needs to tell how many calls each contestant got, and they need to leave the lines open longer because not enough people could get through," she said. City officials gave Barrino a key to the city, and the High Point City Council and Guilford County Board of Commissioners read proclamations of support. The visit was capped by an afternoon performance at Providence Place's First Wesleyan Church, where Barrino sang Something to Talk About, Bonnie Raitt's 1991 hit single, to cheers from the crowd. She returned the compliment: "I love y'all! Thank you all so much!" she said. "We're almost there! We're almost there!"