Since Marilyn Manson returned to the stage in the summer of 2024 with the One Assassination Under God tour, pulsating illuminated upside-down double crosses have been a consistent part of the stage design. The double cross itself is nothing new in Manson's work. It has been part of his imagery for many years and became particularly prominent again after the Heaven Upside Down era. What is new since 2024 is the way the symbol has been incorporated into the lighting of the performance. Rather than functioning simply as a static emblem, the crosses now pulsate and change as part of the stage itself, becoming one of the most noticeable elements of every concert. Manson's return to the stage has also involved bringing back many features and images from earlier periods of his career, which has naturally given the performances a nostalgic quality for longtime fans. What interests me for this analysis, however, is what has actually been added during this new period that has not be...
Towards the end of the August 22, 2025 episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, guest and Stained frontman Aaron Lewis talked about his "penpal" friendship with Marilyn Manson, when asked by Tucker who the truly good people in the music industry are.
"I have a lot of acquaintances in the industry. Like there’s people that I have huge love and respect for. Like me and you text all the time, me and Marilyn Manson text all the time. He'd actually surprise you... Brian is one of the most intelligent, profound conversations I have ever had with somebody. I use the word evil lightly, but he's like an evil genius. He is fully aware of every single button he is purposely pushing... Like it's all been calculated... He knows exactly what he's doing. He knows exactly what buttons he's pushing and he's pushing them on purpose. He's amazing... He's like my modern-day pen pal. We never actually talk on the phone. We just text."
"I have a lot of acquaintances in the industry. Like there’s people that I have huge love and respect for. Like me and you text all the time, me and Marilyn Manson text all the time. He'd actually surprise you... Brian is one of the most intelligent, profound conversations I have ever had with somebody. I use the word evil lightly, but he's like an evil genius. He is fully aware of every single button he is purposely pushing... Like it's all been calculated... He knows exactly what he's doing. He knows exactly what buttons he's pushing and he's pushing them on purpose. He's amazing... He's like my modern-day pen pal. We never actually talk on the phone. We just text."
Tucker Carlson also mentioned interviewing Manson years ago:
"I interviewed him in the 90s, Brian, and I thought he was smart. In maybe 1999 at the Chateau Marmont in LA."
To read the Tucker Carlson interview with Marilyn Manson, see here.
"I interviewed him in the 90s, Brian, and I thought he was smart. In maybe 1999 at the Chateau Marmont in LA."
To read the Tucker Carlson interview with Marilyn Manson, see here.
Tucker's full interview with Aaron Lewis can be seen here.