Bret Michaels’ Reps Criticize Tony Awards, Host Neil Patrick Harris
Poison’s Bret Michaels was injured at Sunday night’s Tony Awards when a moving set piece smacked him in the head as he tried to make his exit following a performance of “Nothin’ But a Good Time” with the cast of Rock of Ages. Immediately after the incident, the Tonys were quick to spread word that Michaels wasn’t seriously hurt; a post on the show’s official Twitter proclaimed, “FYI: Bret Michaels does not have a broken nose, just a scrape from the scenery. Everything is a-okay!” and a spokesman for the show said Bret had “missed his mark.” But today news broke that the singer had actually suffered a fractured nose and required three stitches to close a wound in his lip. And now a rep for Michaels is speaking out, saying the Tonys and host Neil Patrick Harris acted inappropriately during and after the accident.
A firm statement released this afternoon by Janna Elias, who works with the Michaels Entertainment Group, criticizes the Tonys for failing to warn Michaels the prop would be used and not halting the piece once Michaels was hit by it, as well as for issuing what they deem a flippant statement. In addition, they take aim at Harris for jesting about doing shots with Michaels backstage during the telecast. The statement also refutes reports that Michaels was joking about the mishap immediately after it happened, indicating his only immediate response was, “What the hell just hit me?” (A full statement from Bret is expected later this week.)
“Sunday morning at rehearsals, Bret was never informed that the descending set piece existed let alone would be moving into position as he was exiting the stage,” the statement reads, arguing it was impossible for the rocker to have missed a mark. Noting that Michaels is no stranger to onstage production like pyro, the statement goes to on say Bret put his safety in the hands of the prop’s riggers, who dangerously continued to lower the piece after Michaels had been struck and fallen.
Michaels’ reps seem particularly outraged that their client’s condition seemed to be of little concern to the Tonys. “I feel had this incident happened to Liza Minnelli, Dolly Parton or Elton John the Tonys would have at least issued a letter of concern,” the statement reads. “It is unfortunate that the show’s host made light of the situation without having any knowledge of the severity of Bret’s injuries. Comments that Mr. Harris was doing shots backstage with Mr. Michaels and that Bret was completely fine were untrue considering Bret never saw Mr. Harris prior to, during or after the Tonys but in fact was being attended to by medical personnel backstage.”
Poison are due to start a tour with Cheap Trick and Def Leppard June 23rd in Camden, New Jersey.
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