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Rock of Love with Bret Michaels

(Rated NR, Reality TV, Starring Bret Michaels, Where to watch: VH1, DVD, Online)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    1.0
  • Common Sense says

    Poisonous behavior reinforces sexist stereotypes.

Themes in this show include:   dating/crushes, gender issues

Why We Rated This off for Ages 14 and Under

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The show teaches the lesson that it's OK to be mean to other people in order to win a competition, reinforces stereotypes about women as sexual objects, and downplays women's intellect. It offers a confusing message to younger viewers, who might wonder why these women are disrespecting themselves in such a public forum.
  • Role models:

    There's no one to admire here -- the women are willing to do and say anything for camera time and Michaels' attention, and Michaels himself is hardly the poster boy for a committed, loving relationship.
  • Violence:

    Cat fights with mild physical contact. Angry confrontations and hurled insults.
  • Sex:

    Most women wear revealing clothing and bare a lot of cleavage. At least one woman bares her breasts onscreen, though they're blurred out. One gives Michaels a lap dance, and her underwear is momentarily visible. Discussion of "cold showers," "beat[ing] my penis to a pulp," and wanting to "f--k Bret Michaels." Also scenes of women leading Michaels upstairs toward bedrooms. Pole dancing.
  • Language:

    Constant stream of profanity, with the strongest words (like "f--k," which is used frequently) bleeped. Words like "ass," "crap" and "hell" aren't bleeped. Lots of sexually oriented language like "slut," "whore," "bitch," etc.
  • Consumerism:

    Promotes Michaels and his band.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Alcohol use is rampant. Some women get so drunk that they can barely hold their heads up and can't form coherent sentences. One rule announced by the security guard is "no puking in the pool." Jokes about being alcoholics. Some smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Rock of Love with Bret Michaels

Parents need to know that this reality show follows the formula of many Bachelor-type series, but takes it to a raunchy level. The women competing for the top spot as rocker Bret Michaels' girlfriend are, for the most part, infantile, catty, and promiscuous. Most have large, prominently displayed breasts (in at least one instance, said breasts are visible, though blurred, onscreen), and most rely primarily on their bodies to attract Michaels (in one scene, a woman straddles him, hikes up her skirt, and grinds against his pelvis). Most of the women get extremely drunk, and some are unable to form comprehensible sentences. Michaels lavishes praise on the women for their looks, while paying lip service to brains and personality. While some women seem friendly toward one another, most are meanly competitive, insulting one another and even engaging in minor physical battles.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the series' formula. Why do you think this type of reality show is popular? Why do people watch them? Is it just as a guilty pleasure, or is there more here than meets the eye?
  • How does the show (and others like it) feed into stereotypes about men, women, and relationships?
  • Why do you think the women wanted to be on this show? What can you deduce about them from their behavior? Would you think the same thing about men acting this way?

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Our Members Say

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See all 12 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New Hampshire
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    14+ Can Be bad at time

    Love this Show not that bad appart for My concerns

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    Girls do physical fighting, also verbal. Female Butts are seen, and girls sometimes hook out of their clothes. Words like H**ker, B*tch (BLEEPED),Wh*re (BLEEPED), F*ck (BLEEPED), Sh*t, which is unbleeped. Brandi spits on Destiny in one episode.

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 0.0

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Yes, I'm aware of the fact that I just gave the absolutely trashy piece of junk that is Rock of Love 5 out of 5 stars. But that's why I love this show so much: it's trashy. I enjoy watching it as a comedy. These people are completely ridiculous and trashy, and it's incredibly entertaining to watch them and laugh at them. Don't think of Rock of Love as a serious dating show: think of it as what it is, just plain trashy entertainment. Laugh at it and have fun.

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