Bret Michaels Knocked Down, Injured During Tonys (VIDEO)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Michaels, star of the reality show "Rock of Love," took to the stage with his hair-metal band Poison during the telecast's opening production number, featuring performances from the season's Broadway musicals.

They performed "Nothin' But a Good Time" with the cast of "Rock of Ages," and as Michaels exited the stage, a descending set piece smacked him on the head and knocked him _ splat! _ to the ground.

Tonys spokeswoman Christina Stejskal says the rocker "missed his mark." Though it looked it, he did not break his nose. Stejskal did not immediately know the extent of his injury.

"Rock of Ages" celebrates 1980s hair music and features songs by Journey and other bands. It stars Constantine Maroulis as an aspiring rock star.

VIDEO: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/07/bret-michaels-knocked-dow_n_212386.html

[LostInAnomie]

1. How could he not see that coming down?

Looks like Bret needs to check needs to check his depth perception.

[hibbing]

2. That thing rocked his world

Hi,
I have only watched this about 50 times. That looked like it hurt big time. I smell lawsuit. Was he not paying attention at rehearsals? I did notice everyone else jumped back up on the platform. He had his stupid hat on though so could not see it coming down. I like how he was skipping off then boom!! I hope he is not seriously injured though.

Peace

[colinmom71]

18. Looked like he spent just a second or two too long waving to the audience...

And wound up missing his cue to turn back to get on the "truck" (moving stage). The elaborate staging in musical productions these days can often result in injuries if an actor or stage manager misses or ignores their cues.

Idina Menzel could not perform her final Broadway performance of "Wicked" because the night before, a miscue by the stage manager resulted in a trap door opening early during her final solo song. She fell through it and broke two ribs and was banged up a bit all over.

You can watch the Making of Miss Saigon and see a rehearsal incident where a moving platform on the stage kept being mistimed by the computer and it wiped out several actors, breaking the foot of one of the female performers. The director and choreographer had to establish a "plan B" to better time the female performers stepping onto the platform to prevent injury.

It does happen, and frankly I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often at the Tonys. They usually have to restructure some numbers to fit the stage and TV timing properly and usually only get a couple of days to rehearse. I'm sure Mr. Michaels was fine, probably more shocked and shaken up than really hurt...

[Mojambo]

3. That is hilarious! n/t

[MilesColtrane]

4. Why, oh why couldn't it have been a giant Monty Python foot, accompanied by...

...a loud, "BBBRRRRAAAAPPPP!"?

That would have been awesome.

[peekaloo]

6. LOL

couldn't help myself.

better than Bruno's arse in the face.

[underpants]

5. Saw this on Morning Joe-WHY was Poison on the TONY's???

:shrug:

[merh]

7. Have you not read of the dog awful musical "Rock of Ages"??

http://www.rockofagesmusical.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9GknilsOZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUWQS2l-yCI&feature=related

[graywarrior]

8. I want to hug that curtain/wall whatever it is.

[peekaloo]

9. what's that thingie in a bowling alley that sweeps/resets?

:rofl:

[graywarrior]

16. Bowling pin sweeper?

LOL! A Bret sweeper. I love to have one of them. Use it on republicans.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. Maybe it was the hook of a cane

"helping" him offstage

[southpaw]

11. Couldn't surrender the spotlight, could he?

Michaels was an attention whore in his 80's hey-day and apparently an even bigger one in his Reality TV/Nostalgia Tour twilight.

I hope he wasn't seriously hurt, but this is funny as hell.

[gbate]

12. That musical Rock of Ages looks atrocious.

Why do we need to bring back hair bands??

[Dr. Strange]

13. After the set piece knocked him over...

he fell onto Eminem's seat, with his crotch right in the rapper's face.

"Why can't I go to just one music awards show," Eminem asked, "without getting some guy's junk shoved in my face? Can someone answer me that?"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

15. It's the cry wolf thing...

...while I don't wish Michaels any harm, it is entirely within reason to suggest that he "could" set something like this up for the publicity.

Anyone who doubts that simply needs to go to YouTube and hunt down the video of the guy climbing on stage and punching Pauly Shore in the face during his act. It was posted a year, maybe two years ago. It was a set-up. The guy was paid by Shore to fake the whole thing.

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. Did he lose his hat/wig combination?

There's a reason you never see Bret without either a hat or a doo rag anymore.

[mitchum]

17. "Journey and other bands" is a hell of a downhill slide from Rodgers and Hart