I NEVER . . . EVER watch reality shows but this looks really good.
There is a similar show, I think the shop is in Miami, were two guys and a lady cover-up people’s crappy tattoos. It’s fun to watch and see how the final product looks. I check it out when I catch it on whilst channel surfing.
Bad Ink is actually the third bad tattoo reality show. The genre was launched by Spike with Tattoo Nightmares (the one Drunky mentioned), now in its second season. TLC followed this year with America’s Worst Tattoos. A&E is just jumping on a bandwagon that is already played out.
I admit to being fond of Tattoo Nightmares, mostly for the artistry involved in converting the bad tattoos into something better. It definitely takes a certain level of talent.
Are they funny? This looks funny.
It’s not quite as impressive as it looks; apparently they have some sort of inks/pigments that can literally cover over a darker tattoo line, so it’s not like they have to TOTALLY work within the confines of the existing awful tattoo.
(watched a couple episodes and while funny, wasn’t worth continuing to watch).
That’s interesting - the idea that some inks would be dominant.
I figure these guys probably have a pile of really awful jokes that they’ve developed over the years and will get played out eventually. But if they’re smart and quick and adapt to the situation, I think it has real potential.
I’ve gotten hooked on Tattoo Nightmares on Spike. It’s pretty cool to see how creative the artists can be in covering up the bad tats. Plus, I like hearing the stories behind the original bad tattoo. People can really be idiots.
I was complaining to one of my sisters a few months back that I’d like to watch tattoo shows, but every time I turn them on it’s just the drama that surrounds the artists and not watching the actual tattooing itself (unless you watch a documentary). She mentioned Tattoo Nightmares. Since then, I’ve been watching that and it’s cousin Ink Master quite a bit. I like both of them. No (or very little) drama, just lots of tattoos and they’re usually on back to back which is how I found Ink Master. Ink Master is kind of like The American Idol of tattoos. Three judges and a bunch of artists. Each week (or whenever I’m watching the show) they’re given a challenge (a style of tattoo). They do it, they get judged, someone goes home.
I still think a good industry to invest in would concern tattoo removal. I think there’s only so far, profession wise, one can go with a neck or face tattoo.
Based on some of the coverups, they had to have done something to obscure darker lines with lighter pigments; there was no way they could have done what they did if they had to leave the old tattoo visible and dark where it was.
What was funny about the show wasn’t so much their comedy schtick, but rather that the people with the tattoos were such knuckleheads that the tattoo artists were just aghast at some of the tattoos and their placement.
The over-the-top “reenactments” of the stories as to how the people got the bad tattoo are great fun. Last night there was a guy who went in wanting a tattoo of Lady Justice. First his friend convinced him to have her be topless. Then he suggested that instead of a blindfold, she should have a bag over her head. The artist drew the bag with a pointy end, so the tattoo wound up looking like a sexy KKK figure.
By the way, Spike also has a tattoo competition called Ink Master, hosted by Dave Navarro. Neither my wife nor I have any ink, but we find the show to be fascinating.
I was watching that while I was typing up my previous post. I liked the girl who got the tattoo done by her blind boyfriend. The tattoo artist stopped about three seconds short of saying “Are you retarded?”.
If you watch that show, the F**K LOVE cover up is amazing.
My favorite tattoo change story is an urban myth I heard years ago about a guy who was a radical skinhead who, when in his teens, tattood “FUCK” across the top of his shaven head.
Then he went “square”, grew his hair back, went to business school and became a banker. He reached the top of his profession … but when he hit 40, male-pattern baldness set in …
… so, he had the tattoo modified from “FUCK” to “BUCK$”. 
At least one of those tramp stamps in the link you provided is a photoshop job from Cracked.com’s joke list of “honest” tattoos.
My guess is that link was provided only to show people what a tramp stamp is.
Just watched the first of what looks like 2 episodes and it was pretty funny. The first one was clearly designed to hook the jiggle interest crowd (aka, guys) and did a damn good job of that I have to say. The second one you alternately could relate to the guy and feel sorry for him. He was so genuine but also so clueless. In both cases they were mildly cruel but also empathetic. They struck the perfect balance I thought. The real capper was when one had a drag queen as the entertainment for his daughter’s birthday party. That was perfect and so Vegas