"The doctor said it's not very smart to be here, but I'm not a very smart guy in that capacity. I really knew I wanted to be [at the finale]. This is the truth: I'm not back 100 percent yet, but I'm one of those guys that I have to have a goal, and I'm very driven, and I say this truthfully, I love life. I'm ready to get out of the hospital and on the road. I'm ready to rock."
-Poison frontman and "The Celebrity Apprentice" winner Bret Michaels, talking to "Today" host Meredith Vieira about his return to the public eye after a series of health scares. Though the bulk of "The Celebrity Apprentice" was taped well before Michaels suffered a brain hemorrhage, his presence on the live portion of Sunday night's (May 23) season finale was in question (especially considering he was back in the hospital last week following a minor stroke). But he wasn't going to let anything get in the way of his finishing what he had started. "When I went in there to do the show, I was committed 100 percent," he said. "Everybody wants to win for their cause and I went in there, I had no intention to hurt anybody. My intention was to do the best job I can do. When I had the hemorrhage I thought it was over. I got to tell you I was so happy to have been there. I set my goal."
Though he admits that he is still not at full health and looked a little shaky on Sunday night's show, Michaels still intends on riding his victory into a rock tour set to start this Friday, May 28 in Biloxi, Mississippi. He'll spend the rest of the summer on the road, criss-crossing North America performing songs from both the Poison albums and from his solo projects.
What do you think of Bret Michaels' return to work so soon after his medical problems? Do you think it's a good idea? Let us know in the comments!