Bret Michaels likes to give hugs
Can you blame the Poison front-man for grabbing a quickie squeeze here?
The somewhat reluctant-looking recipient is Jennifer Gulick, my secret weapon at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall.
It's Jennifer who badgers visiting musicians to do those great Stuck in the 80s interviews you've been hearing for two years now. And whenever possible, she'll find a way to get me backstage so I can meet the artists in person. Needless to say, I owe her big time. (Actually, we could have interviewed Bret Michaels too, but all you fans out there were squawking about too many shows about heavy metal acts, so we passed this time around.)
Michaels was in Tampa Bay earlier this month for a solo show at Ruth Eckerd Hall. "The crowd loved it," Jennifer reports. "They LOVED it. Everyone was on their feet singing."
Michaels gets more fame these days from his campy but addictive "Rock of Love" reality show, where a parade of eligible women -- come on, can't we call them "skanks?" -- throw themselves at poor ole Bret.
Look for a soundtrack from "Rock of Love" to be released soon.


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I'd prefer an interview with his bandmate CeCe DeVille, who seems to be the crazy ying to Bret's skanky yang. (Skanky yang? That sounds vaguely dirty.)
Posted by: Sherrie | February 24, 2008 at 04:28 PM
I think this season of "Rock of Love" has reached UBER s*ank level. Detox and showers are mandatory after viewing one episode.
Posted by: Marissa | February 24, 2008 at 05:08 PM
For whatever reason, the anti-spam 'bot wouldn't publish my comment if I used shank with a 'k'
Posted by: Marissa | February 24, 2008 at 05:09 PM
HA! Sherrie, I'm totally going to try and find a way to use "skanky yang" in conversation very soon. That's as great as "Bonaducian."
Believe it or not, "Rock of Love" is too s*k*a*n*k-a-rific even for reality-show -loving me. Too much 'tox and silicone.
Posted by: jane | February 24, 2008 at 06:04 PM
Hey! Did I tell you that I know the therapist from "Breaking Bonaduce?"
Posted by: Marissa | February 24, 2008 at 06:22 PM
I think Bret should have his show sponsored by The Center For Disease Control. The girls this season... you need a penicillin shot just to look at them.
Posted by: Bassnote | February 24, 2008 at 07:44 PM
Maybe that's why Jen isn't happy about the hug. She won't hug me - but that's because I sweat more than Meatloaf after he eats at KFC.
Posted by: Spears | February 24, 2008 at 07:57 PM
Calling a Poison a heavy metal act is an insult to the community of heavy metal. That crappy group should never be grouped into metal at all.
Posted by: Eric S | February 25, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Granted they are not Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath but Poison is a typical "Hair Band." And my understand is that hair bands were considered part of heavy metal. Heck, when I first started buy albums (yep those big vinyl things) Rush was considered heavy metal.
Posted by: Rock_Vbrg | February 25, 2008 at 02:33 PM