Kelsey Bateman, who appeared with Poison frontman Bret Michaels on the reality show “Rock of Love” in 2009, is dead at 39.
A family source told TMZ her death was recent and unexpected, but offered little other information.
From 2007 to 2009 “Rock of Love” followed 25 contestants vying for the affection of the hair metal rock star, whose bands hits included “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and “Talk Dirty to Me.”
Bateman was booted from the dating program after showing up drunk and wobbly with two other contestants. Michaels, who’s 23 years her senior, called Bateman “awesome,” but told her to pack her bags and go home to Salt Lake City, Utah.
“I’m gonna go home and I’m gonna’ be single and I’m not gonna think about guys for a while,” she said after being eliminated from the competition.
Bateman was one of ten finalists when she was cut loose.
Michaels plans to tour the New York area in September when he performs on Sept. 19 in East Meadow, followed by a show the next night in Salamanca. He apologized to New Yorkers for having to cancel a July 2022 show at Radio City Music Hall due to “medical complications.”
Michaels, who has two daughters with Canadian model Kristi Lynn Gibson, told the Daily News in 2020 he doesn’t spend a lot of time reflecting on the past.
“I’m not a ‘glory days’ guy,” he said. “But I’m grateful.”
Michaels and Gibson got engaged in 2010 on the reality TV show “Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It,” but split in 2012.
Bateman’s cause of death hasn’t been reported.
