An award-winning screenwriter at international film festivals and labs, Caitlin McCarthy has two projects in development: “Wonder Drug” with director Tom Gilroy (“Spring Forward”); and “Resistance” with director Si Wall (“Marbella Nights”).
**Good news continues to come in for Bret Michaels…
Bret Michaels: The Cruelest Month by Caitlin McCarthy
When I heard on April 22 that Bret Michaels had been rushed to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage, it gave me chills. Exactly twenty-two years earlier – on April 22, 1988 – I had seen Bret’s band Poison open for David Lee Roth at the Worcester Centrum. My BFF in high school, Olga, held onto the back of my Izod as we made our way towards the front row. We were two preppies in a sea of perms and headbanger t-shirts, just begging to get our asses kicked by some pretty scary broads, but we didn’t care. Bret’s energy drew us to him. (No offense to David Lee Roth, but Poison ruled the stage that night.)
I know this may sound crazy to some people who only know Bret from reality shows like “Rock of Love” and “Celebrity Apprentice.” But if you were a teen in the mid to late ‘80s, you know that Bret was a star and sex symbol. Back then, heavy metal dominated radio and MTV (when they still played videos). It was impossible to miss Bret’s teased blond hair and made up face. I may have been preppy, but I liked his androgynous look. (My first celebrity crush on John Taylor of Duran Duran served as a precursor of this.) I also liked that Bret was genuine about entertaining his fans. You have to respect someone who respects the fans and never, ever takes them for granted.
Poison’s first album was released on my sweet sixteen: August 2, 1986. I remember dancing around my bedroom when “Talk Dirty to Me” debuted on the radio. The song is now on my iPod, and I have played it many times with my nephews on Guitar Hero. (Don’t worry: The boys pay more attention to the catchy tune than the lyrics.)
As a sucker for craptacular TV, I watched Bret on “Rock of Love.” Even when surrounded by the world’s most dubious women, Bret continued to strike me as a genuine guy. Sure, he wanted to hook up left and right (and did!), but he was honest about it. Can’t fault him for that.
T.S. Eliot was right: April *is* the cruelest month. Olga, my BFF in high school, died on April 7, 2007, a suicide after her fiancé broke off their engagement right before their wedding. I think of Olga every April. This news about Bret has made me sadder than usual. To me, Bret represents high school, my youth, those days when I didn’t “need nothing but a good time” (to quote one of his lyrics). Those days have long passed.
Bret was just in PEOPLE Magazine the other week, photographed with his two beautiful young daughters. He’s only 47 years old. He shouldn’t be fighting for his life. He should be out living it — on his own terms, as always.
To Bret and his loved ones, my thoughts are with you.
I was touched by this essay. I do remember the rocker Bret Michaels who Caitlin describes so well, and I think we all know cases of young people taking their lives. It’s sad and it does seem these things happen in springtime. Caitlin captures that bittersweet mix here.
Thanks KathyK; I was touched too by Caitlin’s Post and I think ‘bittersweet’ is the perfect word for the tone she catches so vividly. Sad but true that everyone knows young people who died too soon and this time of year does seem to bring back those memories. Thanks, Kathy and Caitlin too.
I did want to add on a lighter note that I have enjoyed Bret Michaels on Celebrity Apprentice too. As Caitlin McCarthy points out, he has a ‘real’ genuine quality that stands out. My hopes go out for his recovery.
Hi again Kathy– Glad you hopped in again with a positive comment about Bret M. ‘today.’ So many Rock Stars lose their way in their later lives but it sounds like Bret M. had found a way to ‘keep it real’ in his career and keep hold of his humor and his connection to his fans that Caitlin describes. Yes, he’s still in there fighting and I hope he makes his way to recovery. Thanks for the comments!
I’m from Mass. also and saw Poison at Great Woods in 1987. A friend of mine re-wrote the lyrics to “Talk Dirty to Me” as “Talk Physics to Me” (we were in class together).
Interesting to note that a male friend of 8 yrs just took out a restraining order against me. I’ve only wanted to be friends again (he has a lady friend after not dating for 8 yrs) and talk to him. When he started dating this woman, he cut me off cold and it has been devastating.
Hi Amy– Good to hear from a fellow MA resident and Poison fan. So funny the way your friend rewrote those wild lyrics.
And so sad that often at this time of year, we feel losses in different ways. I wonder if more sad things actually do happen in spring or if it is just that the April weather makes us more aware of losses in the ‘bittersweet’ way that Kathy K. describes. Anyway, I hope things look up for you and thanks for stopping by on the blog to share a memory of Bret Michaels in MA…
even though i did not follow bret michaels career
i was touched too by this essay and the general sense of
springtime sadness in it
thanks for including the link to the poem, have not read that in years
Hi Livvy–
Like you, I did not know much about Bret M. until I read Caitlin’s Post– and now I feel like I DO know him, and I’m pulling for him to pull through.
And regarding the poem link: Caitlin is not only a terrific writer, but she always actively helps with links on her Guest Posts; so thanks Caitlin, for that poem on this chill April day–
Thanks for stopping by, Livvy, as always!
PS to Livvy and all:
Please note the hopeful medical update on Bret Michaels that I’ve added at the top of the Post–
Cheers–
ELizabeth
Caitlin,
So sorry about your friend, Olga. Those sad anniversaries do linger and make an imprint on the heart, don’t they?
I’m not a Poison fan, per se, too old, frankly, but I do appreciate rockers with a penchant for dark mischief – Keith Richards comes to mind. I hesitate to use the term bad boy (or good boy) for that matter, because I think those terms are relative, but I do like honesty. So, hopefully, things will turn out all right.
Best – May is right around the corner!
Morgan