Kiss Asylum News
Our good friend Tony Confessore, better know as C.C. Banana, passed away today at his home in New Jersey due to an apparent suicide. He was 43.
Tony incorporated his love of KISS into much of his professional comedic work, including the KISS tribute CD “KISS My Ankh“, a Tribute to Vinnie Vincent which he produced and performed on with his own irreverent version of the KISS classic, “Unholy”. One of his more brilliant pieces was his 20 Questions with Eric Singer which was conducted live on-stage at a KISS Expo in 2007. He had many personas, the most well-know among KISS fans being the Ace Peeley banana character as well as a his more elaborate Maul Stanley - an incarnation of Paul Stanley and Darth Maul from the Star Wars Episode 1 movie. More recently, Tony appeared as AJ the Clown at the 2011 New Jersey KISS Expo where he entertained and lent himself to face painting for the younger crowd attending the event.
Tony posted his final goodbye from his Facebook last night:
Xanadu has been breached, my friends. Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the vultures and jackals. No more past. No more future. Both have been taken away…. If only those who knew less didn’t always think they knew better. It took just one year of Hell to undo a lifetime of hope. I am too lost to be found and too broken to be fixed. Let the Monday morning quarterbacking begin. - Anthony John Confessore
Tony was the victim of long-time financial problems and the stress apparently had taken it’s toll on him. He was loved by many and will be missed as much.
6 comments:
I was looking for info on his funeral arrangements and came across this page. Ant, as I knew him, was my uncle. It saddens me that the actions of our own flesh & blood led to this tragic event. I last spoke to him on Halloween, as I could no longer deal with being in the middle of these 'goings on'. I had so hoped to be able to help him, and was so afraid that it would come to this. I tried to see him in person, but he insisted that I couldn't see him like this. Contact was limited to FB and phone calls. I'm so glad to see that Ant had so many friends and fans. He was a fun guy, so creative, and he was awesome with my son. He surprised us by showing up as Elmo at his 1st birthday party 13 years ago. This was, of course, before things got ugly in the family. Certain members think the rest of us can't see through them, but are mistaken. I'm pretty sure that I'm viewed in the same way that Ant was, as I refuse to just smile and go along with their cruel acts. After many years of no longer seeing Ant at family affairs, I realized how much I missed him and got in touch with him again last year on his birthday. He was sadly already in a bad place then. I know that many of his friends tried to help him as well, and I thank them. I know he knew that people cared. He just couldn't see beyond what was happening at the time, a much too long time. I'm sure he's at peace now. Sorry about my rambling, I'm just torn up over this and my thoughts are tumbling out...
I have been friends with Tony since 1987 at one of the first KISS EXPOS NY/NJ. Tony was a good guy, one of nicest, funniest and caring guys I've met in Kiss World. I am in shock and sad.
We'll publish funeral arrangements should there be a public gathering as soon as we know.
KISS EXPOS will never be the same without Tony.
I hope you've found your peace my friend. You will be greatly missed.
Lori,
You may rmble all you want. We are feeling such loss today.
Feel free to post your feelings here anytime.
Frank
KISS MASK
Thanks LNR. I will continue to check here for arrangement info, as I made it clear to the family not to speak to me. The sister that Ant sarcastically THANKED in his final message had the balls to text me saying "so sorry, we will all miss him". I think if it was possible to choke her though the phone I would have done so.
I want to share a happy memory. Ant introduced me to KISS. He was my uncle, but only 4 yrs older than I. My first dose of KISS came at his hands. He stuck a pair of earphones on my head and held them tight until I'd listened to an entire cassette. I was hooked!
Remember he did the Eric Carr Tribute casssette? He gave my thanks on that (I still have it) for contributing some of my audio interview with Eric Carr.
Ant, as you call him, was always gracious and filled with gratitude.
A real class act!
take a stand honey even if you have to stand alone. i know about the "goings on" in the family and you are smart not to get involved but you also have a very mature head on your shoulders. yes he is missed terribly by many and i'm sure appreciates your kindness even now! he went to a beautiful place where he can appreciate life much more now because he could not do that here. God Bless <3
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