Reality TV Sucks

I'm sure someone out there agrees with me on this one. Shows like Miami Ink and Inked are giving a lot of people the wrong idea about tattooing. It used to be that people thought tattoo shops were these seedy hard-ass 'biker' joints that society wouldnt really take a second look at. I guess they still exist but for the most part thats changed a bit. People are starting to realize that they're not all bad and that real artists run these establishments. Now, that being said, one of the ways that people are noticing this is through television. Shows like Miami Ink and the like, show everyone what some shops CAN be like. HOWEVER, personally, i think 'Reality' TV may be glamorizing our profession a little too much. I'm sure there are plenty of tattooists who frequent this board who have had the young hopefuls come into their shops with their sketchbooks and high hopes due in part to these shows. I'm not downing anyone at all, dont get me wrong. I think most of the artists on TV are great and i really admire thier work. And i dont see anything wrong with trying to get your foot in the door if you're an up and coming artist either. But tattooing is being pushed into the spotlight a little too much here. Its a little different than a show about rebuilding a house or a bunch of people living together or some shit.You're messing with skin here, not to mention the way people feel about the way they look and view themselves. But now there are lots of people who want in on what we do just because it looks so cool on TV. Its never a good thing when someone with a little talent wants to be a tattoo artist just so they can live some sort of rock star lifestyle. The tattooists who are really big right now have been tattooing for years and didnt have any TV shows to inspire them. They've put their hearts and souls into what they do and i'm certain they didnt expect to have their names all though magazines when they first picked up a machine. Thats my point i guess. We all have big things we want to accomplish as artists but lets not think that we're going to get there by chasing a director and a camera. These shows are for our entertainment more than anything, not goals of being celebrities. I dont think its going to change anytime soon and i dont think theres much we can do to change it anyway. (Sigh) Thanks for reading through Mario J., Lambadi City Tattoo -Feedback?

Well welcome to the American way, where it aint cool unless some Jappy pop star, or its plastered all over the T.V. make it cool. Your right these tattoo TV shows do seem to glamorize our trade, and the next thing we see are an influx of people wanting to learn, people who last week never saw it as an option, and now Whalla! I can be a tattooist. My concern comes from the new clients that seem to be generating from these shows. That's right the shows seem to be like a double edged sword. I my self along with quite a few friends have made mention that this has been a fantastic winter season. Everyone is getting cool big stuff. Do I think its a coincidence? not entirely. Here's my concern, people who see tattooing being done on "TV land". Hell let me get a "sleeve", a "sleeve" would be cool. Yeah well a "Sleeve" takes anywhere from 5-10 sittings, and an ass load of hours, at what ever the artists may charge. You aint getting this knocked out in the next couple of weeks. I just hate to see a client come in and have there expectations ruined by what they think they see on TV, and what they should be getting. Now keep in mind I've only seen 1 episode of the Miami show, and where I respect the artists, I can't say first hand what I think of the show. But I can say what my clients tell me, and it's all pretty positive. About Miami, not the other one. I've yet to here anything good about that one. Even people who haven't a clue seem to dislike that show. So here's my take, TV sucks, and is stupid. But simple for people to digest. Hell if TV actually had nothing but great media to view, do ya think it would be watched nearly as much? Just my words... J.Capobianco

Yeah, my take is the tittle of this post has 1 too many words. Get rid of the "reality" and your onto something (though I love lost!). About fighting against the "american culture" of fast quick cheap... One thing I kinda love about the tattoo culture is that it is so large and transcends many cultures (dare I say all of them?). People who really get into it, LOVE IT, and it can really effect positive change in people. Part of me thinks that by the leaders of the tattoo industry pushing things in a positive direction that in turn creates positive tattoo artists who make lots of clients positive who turn other people into happy clients, eventually this will effect the streets and the culture just a little bit. I mean, if any art has a "cool" factor its tattooing, and I think as the kids become more educated about them they might realize what a ride the TV and the world is taking them on... In any event, TV gets more people looking at tattoos and while many still wont "get it" there will be more people who learn about the art, and the lessons about patience and life it teaches will get out to that many more people. Miami Ink, Ive seen a half dozen times, is ok though its obviously not "Reality" and it can really only get so good. It is frustrating when visitors need to get "by those maimi ink" people when there are so many other artists that are great, but those newcomers might seek out other quality artists in time, everyone has to learn and come in from somewhere... That Inked show really sucks, though, I've seen 1-2 shows...

I gotta share this ....a week ago a little old lady ...68 years old a great grandmother came into my shop with her granddaughter. She started asking about this flash and that flash and the merits of freehand versus stencil and traditional oriental styles she even corrected her daughter when she called a machine a "gun"...well it went on and on...she admitted that she had no tattoos and did not even know anyone personally that had tattoos and that she had never been in a tattoo studio ...I had to ask..."where on earth did you learn so much about tattooing? "...she just smiled and said" well from those cute boys on miami ink on the teevee set dear!!!" What a trip!!!!!!!Taz

Hey guys. I too agree that tv doesn't offer much, but look at it this way, at least your customers are coming in asking for sleeves instead of that flash on the wall. People are getting educated ( even in the slightest sense of the word ) about tattoos. I think they should have a show on the history of tattoos and not some program that crams it all in 1hr. People would be amazed at how old the art form is.

Over the past ten years there have been literally DOZENS of shows on tv about the history of tattooing...They just were not that popular ...no real "entertainment value".....Now its the "Tattoo Soaps" What can ya do?...T

ive got tattoos from all sorts of good and famos artist and all the say about the show is great and positive thinks i got tattooed buy kat and all of the crew and in my opinon there are right up there with the top