Bret Michaels' Representatives Issue Statement Regarding Tony Award Injury

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:26pm

I think this warrents it's own thread

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Bret_Michaels_Representatives_Issue_Statement_Regarding_Tony_Award_Injury_20090610

Well they seem quite pissed. They've called out the Tony's for not doing their job and putting Bret in danger, as well as NPH for making light of the situation on air.

I'm very wary of their accusation that no one informed him of the flat flying in during rehearsals. How could that have possibly happened? Is it not a safety procedure to tell performers of anything coming down from the rafters that could harm them?
I also believe Bret was not supposed to stay downstage longer than everyone else and, because of that, he did not "did what he was instructed to do, which was to finish the song and return to the retractable stage platform."

Bret's personal statement will be released later. I imagine the Tony committee will release one as well. I think what is important, and probably wont happen, is to get a word from the SM that night and have him or her explain how the incident occured.

Thoughts?

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:38pm

There was set flying in & out during the entire opening, how could he not expect it to be involved while he was doing his bit. If he was busy showboating he would have noticed that the band had gone back up to their platform & that a set piece was coming down.

[cfmiller]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:39pm

His band mates got off the stage and took their bow in the safe zone. Brett hogged the spotlight and paid for it.

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:41pm

Why is he even to going to bother suing? He has more money than he knows what to do with. It was punishment for lip-synching(badly) at an award show honoring live performance.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:48pm

It really bothers me that she kept referring to it as a prop. It sounds like a bunch of b.s.... this is the tonys. broadway. they aren't going to forget to warn you about scenery (not props) flying in.

[Felm_heart]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:49pm

There is definitely something fishy going on with the claim that he wasn't told about the flying scenery. Anyway, he had it coming for his excessive bow to an audience that didn't care.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 10:56pm

there were reports after wards that he made it fine during the rehearsal. so i don't know how he wouldn't hav eknown about it during the regular show.

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:08pm

He was showboating plain & simple.

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:10pm

I am kinda on the Tony's side, but not entirely. Yes it was unwise of Bret to take an extra few seconds to milk the applause and saunter upstage and if he hadn't have done that and did what he was supposed to do this never would have happened. I'm sure that giant cowboy hat gave him a blind spot that prevented him seeing the flat until it was too late. (If you wanna do the expiriment I just did, place your palm over your eyebrows like you're looking off into the distance. Extend your other arm out in front and above you and start lowering it. See how long it takes until your hand comes into view?)
That being said he still knew he had to head back to the platform right after his set as evidenced by this rehearsal clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRK4eJfy5PQ

HOWEVER, it IS the stage manager's duty to ensure the safety of all performers and check for any possible hazards onstage and that obviously failed Sunday night. Bret did begin to retreat with the band but stopped, maybe the SM only saw the first few steps he took and cued the flat and went on to another duty. It's also possible he couldn't see Bret standing motionless in the flood of bright light and/or was having a heart attack what with all the terrible sound issues in only the first five minutes of the production.


In all, I believe it to be Bret's fault but the SM is at fault as well. A friend of mine who is an SM put all blame on the Tony's stage manager.

[Scott3]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:11pm

Updated On: 11/11/16 at 11:11 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:23pm

It was an Accident.
The Stage Manager had no idea Bret was gonna stay out in front as long as he did, the other members got back in time, watch the video, Bret is clearly skipping back when the Accident occured,
even the Best Stage manager in the World, could not have stopped the set at that moment.
Both parties seem responsible, and it should not be a fight.
And that talk about if it happened to LIZA it wouldn't be a joke,
many a joke has been made about her, but even if she is high as a kite, she hits her "mark".

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:23pm

Even though he made it during rehearsal I think he might have a case given everything that went wrong that night. Someone was clearly not doing their job. However, I'd also like to see his contract. I've signed contacts before that contained a clause about flying scenery and scenery that gets tracked on and how it has the potential to be dangerous if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. I believe it stated that it was my responsibility to look out for my own safety, but that I was covered under their insurance while under contract. I'm not 100% sure on the exact wording, but anyway that was non-equity.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:26pm

He's just enjoying being slightly relevant again.

[Barney Stinson]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:31pm

BM has no legal case. They state in the release that BM was never warned about a lowering set piece at any time.

But the youtube video of the dress rehearsal clearly shows BM and the cast performing their part, then retreating backstage AS THE EXACT SAME set piece comes down at the exact same speed at the exact same time as it did that evening. Michaels was right there. If he wasn't aware it would be coming down, it's cause he forgot plain and simple. Entirely his fault if he didn't know it would be dropping at what time.

Secondly, he could have easily ducked under the thing, had he seen it - which supposedly, he didn't cause he was a) preening for the crowd - varying from his actions in rehearsal and b) wearing a stupid cowboy hat - both of which were HIS DECISION. Pretty sure the TONY people didn't request the hat, or tell him how to dress at all. Point being, the people in charge of lowering it, had no real reson to think that BM wouldn't be able to duck under it, since he should have seen it in time.

Then the PR whines and postures regarding the fact that the set kept coming down after it hit him - they might have a point or some sort of damage there - if he had been hurt once he was on the ground - but he managed to get out of the way. So he didn't get hurt any worse as a result.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:42pm

We've seen the video of him knowing where he was supposed to be and being there with the exact same flying scenery in the dress rehearsal. Case dismissed! Judge Judy would tell Brett not to pee on her leg and tell her it's raining.

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/10/09 at 11:44pm

Don't spit on her cupcake & tell her it's frosting.

[theatregeek2]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:50am

from the press release: "I feel had this incident happened to Liza Minneli, Dolly Parton or Elton John, the Tonys would have at least issued a letter of concern"

^^ pure BS!!!! First of all, it wouldn't happen to Liza, Dolly or Elton because they weren't grandstanding like Bret Michaels. They did their thing and exited as what was rehearsed.

[I<3bway]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:58am

And even if it did happen to Liza Minneli, Dolly Parton, or Elton John, do we really feel that these "celebrities" shouldn't own up to their own mistakes? How pathetic and kiss-a** have people gotten these days?

[yay_gerb]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:18am

i keep saying this...it's because he was wearing that hat! he couldn't see the set piece coming down onto him. now weather that is the SM's fault for not telling him or maybe he forgot who knows.

[I<3bway]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:21am

I still say he was grandstanding.


It's like saying since it was Brett's hat, that Dolly could have fallen through a hole in the floor because her breasts were in the way.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:23am

yay_gerb, I'm not saying that the hat couldn't have contributed to it but he did take the time he should have been moving to his mark to ham it up for the audience. It's all there on the video.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:34am

1) It never says that Michaels plans to sue. Would he? Perhaps, but it doesn't specify that a lawsuit is on the way.

2) In the chaos of the opening, plus the dozens of people backstage, I wonder if Michaels even paid attention during the dress rehearsal that a set piece was coming down. Some may say it is his own fault for "not paying attention," which to a point it true, however, again I say that that opening number was CHAOS and I can't imagine what it must have been like backstage in the wings. LOTS to pay attention to and get distracted by. If the claim was true that he was never specifically told about the set piece being lowered, that is indeed a safety issue and the fault of stage management.

3) Regarding the claim that if stage management noticed he was about to be hit and didn't stop the set piece or slow it down, hard to prove if anyone noticed it, but regardless, it is automated and there may not have been enough time to react. In most cases during set changes, once the 'go' is given they are very difficult to stop. Just because only a single piece is moving on stage doesn't mean there isn't a million other things moving offstage. Management is getting performers to places, prepping the next set piece to move on/off, etc.

4) If he was milking a bow, so what? Happens a lot. I think he is getting a lot of grief because there is this attitude that he is an "outsider" to the theatre. While it may have been the cause for his injury, it may have been just plain innocence on his part, and not recklessness. Again, all depends on the circumstances of what happened in rehearsals for that number. Youtube videos can only say so much.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:45am

My feeling on it is this:

It happened. Yes, he was hurt but he'll heal. It's no use for him to point fingers at management or vice versa. Take your yucks and move on. It's everyone's fault or no one's fault