Kiss frontman Gene Simmons has defended Miley Cyrus's raunchy VMA performance.
The rock star said that people shouldn't criticise the former child star's tongue-heavy antics as every other female performer is "doing the same thing" on stage.
"Whether you stick out your tongue or shake your tushy, all the other girls are doing the same thing," he told Rolling Stone magazine.
"Any girl whose name ends with an A - Madonna, Shakira, Rihanna, Lady Gaga - all these girls who sing pop songs through backing tracks like it's karaoke and gyrate all over the stage - if they can do it, why can't Miley?
"Either condemn the whole lot of them or leave her alone."
When asked to rate Cyrus's tongue action during the performance, Simmons - known for baring his own seven-inch tongue on stage and in publicity shots - was measured in his praise.
"It was okay," he said, "but that's a girl's version."
"It's like girls basketball," he added. "It's as good as girls can get at basketball. But you can't play with the guys."
When asked to rate Cyrus's tongue action during the performance, Simmons - known for baring his own seven-inch tongue on stage and in publicity shots - was measured in his praise.
"It was okay," he said, "but that's a girl's version.
"It's like girls basketball," he added. "It's as good as girls can get at basketball. But you can't play with the guys."
"Any girl whose name ends with an A - Madonna, Shakira, Rihanna, Lady Gaga - all these girls who sing pop songs through backing tracks like it's karaoke and gyrate all over the stage..."
