texas

Texas Calf Has Black, White Face Like Rocker Gene Simmons

A newborn calf in Texas has strikingly similar black-and-white facial markings to KISS frontman Gene Simmons, and the rock star likes their shared look.

Simmons — whose onstage persona includes face paint, black leather clothing and wild hair — tweeted his admiration for the calf named Genie and said: "This is real, folks!!!"

https://twitter.com/genesimmons/status/891836678192549889

The female calf was born in late July at a ranch near Kerrville, 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.

Heather Taccetta, who lives at the ranch with her family, said the calf belongs to her grandmother and the animal is named for Simmons.

"She looks like KISS," said Taccetta, who spoke to NBC 5 reporter Noelle Walker. "Even if she didn't look like Gene Simmons, she's just a striking, beautiful calf."

Taccetta said Genie often runs around the ranch with her tongue out of her mouth.

"Most cows have their tongue in their mouth," Taccetta said, laughing. "Maybe she has too much tongue!"

Taccetta said Genie is the unlikely offspring of a black Angus father and middle aged Hereford mother.

"This is the most famous cow in the world right now," said Drew Taylor, who produces social media and marketing content for businesses in the Hill Country. "I was thinking people around the area might think it's kind of cute."

A newborn calf in Texas has strikingly similar black-and-white facial markings to KISS frontman Gene Simmons and the rock star likes their shared look.

Taylor posted Genie's picture on the Hill Country Visitor Facebook page, noting the resemblance to Simmons. The post soon went viral.

"It has been far beyond belief of anything I thought would happen," explained Taylor.

"It didn't get real until he (Taylor) sent me a text and said, 'Gene just tweeted it on Twitter,'" said Taccetta.

"You know, there's a few people that say it doesn't look anything like Gene Simmons," Taylor said. "Gene Simmons says it looks like him. That's good enough for us, you know!"

Taylor knows Taccetta from her job off the family ranch.

"Um, I'm a server at the Cowboy Steak House," Taccetta said.

During a recent shift waiting tables, she admitted separating her two jobs is difficult.

"Cause I can't do this job thinking about that job, and I can't do that job thinking about this job. They don't work together," she said.

Taccetta said Genie is a family favorite and won't be sold for slaughter.

"I'm not always a very good rancher," Taccetta said. "We keep our favorites."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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