Bret Michaels with his grandpa (left) (
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Bret Michaels wants to pimp your really big ride.
The Poison rocker — and lifelong road warrior — has put his shocking elimination from “All Star Celebrity Apprentice” in the rearview mirror and moved on to an even more personal project: Travel Channel’s “Rock My RV.”
Michaels, who turned 50 last week, has been leading a team of top designers as they broken down campers into over-the-top mobile mansions for the new series, premiering May 26.
“There’s very few shows that deal with what I have loved to do since I was a child,” he says.
“My whole life — and I have got all the baby pictures to prove it — I have traveled in RVs. I have been in a camper not only for my childhood, but for the last 26 years of my professional life. That is all I have known.
Michaels shared more with The Post during an exclusive visit to the set in Northridge, California.
Q: Can you put a dollar figure on what these custom jobs are worth?
I would say it’s a minimum $100,000 improvement. They would almost, in some cases — if they had to pay for it — be able to buy a new RV.
Q: So why bother reconditioning them then?
The owners are in love with them. There’s sentimental value. A new motor home can cost $250,000 and a lot of people don’t have that kind of money. So they write to us and we go “This is an interesting story.” The guy we are doing today is called The Sausage King. He helped all those firefighters in Colorado Springs. He has a business called ‘Bite Me Sausage’ but he ran out of money.
Q: You have a new CD coming out. Will your songs be featured on the show?
Yes! It’s music from throughout my career. Mostly Bret Michaels stuff, but some from the Poison catalog. Luckily we were one of the bands that held on to the publishing rights. In my contract — like “Rock of Love” or any show I do — even “Apprentice” — I always put my music in the show.
Q: You have been doing a lot of TV lately.
I love to do TV, provided that it is something I have a true interest in. I have had to turn down a lot of stuff that is technically great and probably the right thing to do, but wouldn’t work for me.
Q: Like “Dancing with The Stars?”
“Dancing with The Stars” is fantastic. They’ve hinted around for years. I think it is a great show, but I wouldn’t do it. First of all, I can’t dance my way out of a paper bag!
Q: What about scripted TV?
I would love to — but my acting skills are very limited. If you said to me “I need you to deliver these lines…” Probably not my forte. I have no learned acting skills. I have been asked to do several things. With really good actors… There is such a natural skill to being able to act natural when there are all these people around watching. For me, reality seems best.
Q: Has Simon Cowell called you yet to be a judge on X Factor?
No. And he damn well should! I will tell you now, with all those show.. I have said “If you ever need my expertise for a music show, I played at Dutch’s Bar & Grill and it was so small they had to move the pool table out of the way.” I was my own roadie. I lived it long before there was the internet, so I can give real advice.