Billboard photographer swears that Bret Michaels’ scary six pack is real

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A lot of us were like “yeah, right” when we saw Bret Michaels’ cartoonish heavily-bronzed semi-nude Billboard cover. His abs were standing out in high definition and it looked like an obvious case of heavy handed Photoshop. Michaels tried to address some of the suspicion by claiming that he didn’t eat for a day and did about 2,000 sit ups ahead of the shoot. Now the Billboard editorial team has offered evidence that say proves that Michaels has just as impressive a six pack as they show on the cover. They’re comparing supposedly unretouched, hightly-lit photos of Bret with the resulting cover and the dude is almost as buff as he’s shown! I think they still airbrushed some abs on him using contouring makeup ahead of the shoot, but there’s no faking that flat stomach. Here’s Billboard’s story:

porting well-toned biceps and a six-pack, Bret Michaels’ naked appearance on the cover of Billboard’s Oct. 2 “Maximum Exposure” issue has been followed by claims from New York Magazine, D-Listed and other publications that the picture was heavily retouched.
Photographer Blair Bunting, who shot Michaels’ cover, says he was not shocked by the accusations, but assures skeptics that the Poison singer’s chiseled abs are wholly authentic.

“When he took off his shirt, I was like, ‘This guy’s in shape for 47!'” says Bunting, who made his Billboard cover debut with the photo. “It’s always easy for someone to cry ‘Photoshop,’ so I wasn’t too surprised by that…but he takes his shape seriously.”

Michaels has said that working out while on tour last summer has kept him in great shape. Prior to the photo shoot, “I didn’t eat for a day and I did about 2,000 sit-ups,” the singer told E! Online.

According to Billboard photo editor Amelia Halverson, “a few versions of the cover” were initially made that Photoshopped Michaels’ body too heavily. “They looked too unreal, mostly because there was so much detail due to the photographer’s high-definition style of lighting,” says Halverson. “The final cover version shows Bret’s real muscles.” In addition to making his abs appear symmetrical, Bunting bronzed Michaels’ color and smoothed out his skin to eliminate a few of the singer’s wrinkles.

“It was a pretty standard retouching for him compared to anybody else,” says Bunting. “I just don’t know if he’s more controversial, or if it’s just more of a shocker that he took everything off and happens to have a nice body.”

[From Billboard via Radar Online]

I love how Billboard links D-Listed! Bret looks amazing at 47, especially considering that he had a massive brain hemorrhage and a stroke just this year! He still has to have an operation in January to repair a hole in his heart, which the doctors found while checking him out for his other medical issues. Bret admits he’s somewhat scared of that, and says “When they’re going through your body to operate on your heart, it’s going to hit you somewhere that they’re toying with the ticker. There’s definitely a little fear in there somewhere.” He’s trying to remain positive, though and says “I’m going in there [to surgery] thinking… that it’s going to be great and I’m going to feel a whole lot better.” He certainly looks to be in top shape and very good health.

All photos credit Blair Bunting and from Billboard.com

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25 Responses to “Billboard photographer swears that Bret Michaels’ scary six pack is real”

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  1. Samigirl says:

    Real or fake, I don’t care. I wouldn’t hit it with a 6 foot pole. UCH.

  2. Delta Juliet says:

    I thought six-packs were supposed to be sexy? This looks freakish and scary!

  3. NayNay says:

    I really believe it was touched up, but whatever! He is a dirty sleazebag. I thought that he was so friggen hot when he was younger, now, not as much. And his reality show, ugh! Those girls we such low grade trash. And, I’m sure that he got with each and every one of them. I sure hope everyone used protection.

  4. devilgirl says:

    I can’t stand him.

  5. Johnny Depp's Girl says:

    I love him to death, he really is a good guy but I wouldnt hit it either, not my type.

  6. SammyHammy says:

    I’m with Johnny Depp’s Girls. Like him well enough, but definitely not my type.

  7. Jillian says:

    I’m seeing him in concert next month.

  8. longtall says:

    They were definitely airbrushed to be smoothed out, just look at all the old man wrinkles around his pecs and arpits in the first one! In smoothing those away, I bet they defined his abs a bit more… not a whole lot, but still, it’s been airbrushed.

  9. Mrs.Rut says:

    He looked good before the retouch. I would be pissed if I were him that they made him look like a freak when he looked hot to begin with. This was definitely a case where they should have left well enough alone!

  10. Val says:

    Why is his chest so shrunken in like on old man? I think that’s what’s throwing off the whole look. If he pecs it would balance it more.

  11. Katie says:

    They tightened up his skin and added shading, and it looks like they made his hip area more defined than it really is. But still, that’s quite a six pack for a guy his age.

  12. Eileen says:

    I watched Rock of Love (yes I know, sad) and I didn’t doubt that was really him because on th.e show he worked out constantly. He’s a big fitness freak. But still….I’d pass on that

  13. California Surfer says:

    There’s bellybutton lint in the first photo 🙂

  14. Danny says:

    Abs look Ok. Just wish he wasn’t so insecure about going bald. Loose the dew-rag. It’s starting to look like a comb-over.

  15. Team Bethenny says:

    Great. Now what about the hair?

  16. fabulous says:

    Prefer him in the BEFORE shot. Don’t mind the old man wrinkles at all. We all get there in the end. If we’re lucky.

  17. OtherChris says:

    I think he’s kind of funny, but he was never my type.

  18. Ferguson. says:

    Stil wouldnt hit it, but i must admit that im very impressed, i was one of the commenters who said it didnt look like a photography at all.

  19. gg says:

    All I see is some AA moobs, saggy skin, no pecs and a pot belly. There is a whisper of abs above the belly, but a real six-pack goes over a flat stomach.

  20. girl says:

    I think this photoshop horror might have been to try to distract peopel from what he has going on underneath that ever pressent bandana.

  21. lucy2 says:

    He’s not in bad shape or anything, but come on, they photoshopped the crap out of it to define everything.

    Isn’t he a diabetic or something? Isn’t not eating for an entire day extremely risky when you’re diabetic? Especially after you’d recently had a ton of other health problems. All for a magazine cover?

  22. The Hamm is My Dream Man says:

    LOL@gg with the “whisper of abs”. That s exactly what I was thinking. He’s ok shape for a 47 year old but those are NOT six-pack abs. It’s a four pack and a gut.

    He should have posed with his chest out and his stomach sucked in. Posing like that gives him an inverted chest and tummy that looks bigger.

    To all those saying they’d still hit it: Aim higher.

  23. truthzbetta says:

    @ The Hamm

    ROTFL

    His wig is technically “real” too, as in it exists on Earth. But if he admits he paid for his hair he’d not be above requesting Demi’s ‘shop worker for the odd bod.

  24. original kate says:

    yeah, i believe his abs are real… just like his hair is real.

  25. Six Pack Guy says:

    His abs ain’t bad at all for his age, respect where it’s due folks.