Raine Michaels reveals the “terrible advice” her dad Bret Michaels gave her before joining ‘Calabasas Confidential’
Raine Michaels, the 26-year-old daughter of Poison frontman Bret Michaels, is following in her dad’s footsteps. But rather than selling out arenas as the lead singer of an ’80s rock and roll band, Raine is stepping into the spotlight as one of Netflix’s newest reality TV stars.
Calabasas Confidential, which dropped on the streamer today, stars Raine and her group of Gen Z pals from Calabasas, the glitzy Californian city made famous by the Kardashian family. Raine, who is one of a few cast members to come from a famous family, has cemented herself as one of the most grounded personalities on the series, often serving as a voice of reason in an otherwise chaotic environment.
Of course, this isn’t exactly Raine’s first rodeo with reality TV. Back when she was a kid, VH1 aired Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It, which followed the legendary rocker as he balanced life on the road and being a dad of two daughters. Before that, he filmed three seasons of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, a reality dating show in which 20 women competed for his heart. While her dad is no stranger to having cameras document his life, Raine jokingly said he still managed to give her “terrible advice” as she set out on her own reality TV venture.
“He said, ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ which was terrible advice because he pretty much did everything on [Rock of Love],” Raine told DECIDER over a recent Zoom interview. “So, not great advice from him on that behalf. But yeah, he said, ‘Just be yourself and hopefully everyone will love you.’”
Raine, who scored her first modeling job with Sports Illustrated at only 18 years old, spends much of the season debating her next career move: does she want to continue modeling? Does she want to start a career in sports broadcasting? Or does she merely want to settle down and start selling feet pics? All are viable options, and she seems to have the support of her dad, no matter what path she chooses.
In Episode 7, Raine opens up about the pressure she feels to find success, given the fact that Bret was so young when he skyrocketed to fame. When we caught up with Raine, she said her dad’s early success “both” motivates her and makes her nervous.
“Seeing what he’s accomplished in his life is super motivating to me. But then, also, when he was 26, he was doing a bunch of crazy things, [like] selling out arenas,” she said. “I think it’s a little bit of a mix of nervousness, but also excitement to see what can happen when you put your mind to something. He is a testament to success in coming from really nothing to making such a name for himself.”
As for how she feels about the phrase “nepo baby,” Raine said it “doesn’t” bother her, noting that it’s just “a term” that has a “fun spin to it nowadays.”
“My dad has always told me, ‘I can open the door for you. I can get your foot in the door, but it’s your job to keep it open,’” she said. “He can only get me so far, and then I have to do the rest myself. He’s always instilled in me and my sister to just follow our dreams, and whatever we set our mind to, give it 100%.”
Calabasas Confidential is currently streaming on Netflix.
