Tommy Lee Clarifies Rihanna ‘Fake’ Comments

Turn the press conference announcing your summer tour into a forum for bashing one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, and you're going to have some explaining to do -- as Motley Crue's Tommy Lee discovered when he nodded along with some derogatory comments made by Gene Simmons of Kiss regarding Rihanna earlier this week.

"We're sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes in back of them. No fake bulls---. Leave that to the Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone who ends their name with an 'A,'" said Simmons on Tuesday while announcing the Kiss/Motley Crue summer tour. Lee echoed his sentiments, adding, "No disrespect to Rihanna, she's a great singer, but we're in a slump for some s--- that has some personality and appeal beyond a bunch of pop stuff that's floating around there."

Neither Rihanna nor Shmianna issued a public response, but Lee must have caught some flak after he stepped away from the podium, because he released a statement yesterday (March 22) in order to "clear the air." Saying "We all know how 'the press' sure likes to pick up on negative stuff and run with it," he announced, "I'm gonna clean my side of the street.

"Gene Simmons [of Kiss] recently mentioned at our Motley/Kiss tour announcement on Tuesday about his distaste for faking it on stage," Lee explained, adding -- perhaps somewhat disingenuously -- that "I somehow got lumped into that by saying that I, too, am tired of all the watered-down, not-so-real performances on award shows/live concerts/etc."

His comments notwithstanding, Lee insisted that he wasn't trying to impugn Rihanna. "I am a fan of Rihanna's and think she's an amazing singer/entertainer and I think you all know how much I f---ing love electronic music and dance," he pointed out. "I make and perform electronic music live. And who am I to say what’s good/bad/real or fake? It is what it is, right?"

Indeed, Tommy. Indeed. And at the end of the day, it's only rock 'n' roll, and all that matters is that the folks in the audience are satisfied. In his closing words, "I'll just keep doin my thang hoping that you're all entertained on the highest levels!!!"