Credit: Amanda TaraskaPoison frontman Bret Michaels stars on the latest episode of AXS TV’s The Big Interview, which airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. On the show, the veteran rocker chats with host Dan Rather about such topics as the early part of his music career, his various business endeavors, and the many health challenges he’s faced throughout his life.
In a preview clip, Michaels, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age six, discusses how he handled his illness and whether it inspired him to pursue his passion for music.
“[I]n a strange way I accepted [having diabetes],” the singer admits. “I was like, ‘OK, they’re giving me shot after shot after shot.’ You’re doing blood test…probably every hour. It was never easy, but I dealt with it, and without a doubt, being a diabetic made me grow up really quick and was 1,000 percent a driving force behind what I would become.”
Michaels also notes that the pain he faced undergoing treatment for his illness prepared him to deal with the adversity he faced as he tried to succeed in the music business.
“It helped also to become tougher…as I got into the early parts of my career, and the critics were brutal,” he tells Rather. “I said, ‘If I can do five injections a day, and every day is a life and death struggle at times, I can surely do with someone…throwing some words at me that don’t like me.'”
Rather also points that beyond diabetes, Michaels has experienced a serious heart issue, a brain hemorrhage, kidney surgery and various motor vehicle accidents, to which Bret responds, “I’ve learned to take that anger…and then quickly turn it around, not be bitter, and turn it into what you hope is success.”
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