Bret Michaels
I hadn’t really heard of Bret Michaels until his Rock of Love show started on VH1 in 2007. Someone showed me a video online of some cute guy doing it with Pamela Anderson, but I didn’t really know who he was.
Bret Michaels was born Bret Michael Sychak on March 15, 1963. He is best known to many as the lead singer of the 80’s rock group Poison, but I was into jazz so I didn’t really know much about him back then. He formed the band Paris in 1983 with Rikki Rockett, Bobby Dall, and Matt Smith. They moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and changed the name of the band to Poison. Matt Smith got homesick and was tired of starving, so he moved back home to Pennsylvania. C.C. DeVille joined in his place. Poison’s biggest song “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” was released in December 1988.
Bret Trivia
- Is an insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic, diagnosed at age 6.
- Used to date Pamela Anderson.
- Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
- Has the same birthday as Twisted Sister Dee Snider (but Dee is 8 years older)
- Is a big Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
- Has two daughters, Raine Elizabeth and Jonia Bleu
- Had an emergency appendectomy on April 12, 2010.
- Hospitalized in critical condition after suffering a massive brain hemorrhage on April 23, 2010.
- Hospitalized in 5/10 after suffering a warning stroke (transient ischemic attack). Doctors found a hole in his heart.
- Made a surprise appearance on the 2010 finale of American Idol on 5/26/10.
- Was the winner on the reality show Celebrity Apprentice 3 in 2010. I think that may have been more of a pity win since he was near death.
- Earned $390,000 from his appearance on Celebrity Apprentice 3 which he donated to the American Diabetes Association.
Bret Michaels starred in a series named “Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It” in 2010, which showed his life at home with his daughters and their mother. While filming the finale of the show, Bret proposed to his girlfriend of 16 years and mother of his two children. They had separated by 2012.
Bret Michaels was most recently in the news because of his daughter, Raine. She is a finalist for the swimsuit cover of Sports Illustrated. I wonder how he feels about how he used to treat his groupies now that his daughter is of the same age. Mmm…..
Bret seems a little sleazy at times to me, but I think he’s a pretty good guy. I like his work ethic and he seems like a good dad. I hope his health can improve and that he can continue to “rock my world”.