Kiss frontman Paul Stanley has shared that he was drawn to stardom because of a physical deformity he had called microtia. In a clip from a forthcoming conversation with Dan Rather on The Big Interview, Stanley spoke candidly about how fame compensated for his insecurities.
“I had what’s called a microtia, which is basically not having an ear … I wasn’t very socially adept, and when you have something physical that sets you apart from people, it makes you the target of unrelenting scrutiny and sometimes ridicule,” he told Rather.
“At that point in your life when you become famous it’s either a disappointment because it’s not a remedy, and you either put a needle in your arm, a gun in your mouth or you live life as a victim, and I’m not cut out for that,” he said.
Stanley revealed he would spend time on “self-exploration” and “was fortunate to have success come to me and realize that it didn’t change anything … I was blessed to be a part of an idea to become the band we never saw, and that led me on a course that I’m still on today. Where it’s taking me, God only knows,” he told Rather.
The Stanley-featured episode is set to air Tuesday, April 23rd.