tattoo artists upset over new show "Tattoo School"

LANE COUNTY, Ore. -- The TLC and Discovery Network is known for its reality-based shows featuring fascinating jobs like crab fishing and motorcycle building, but a new tattoo school show is causing outrage across the country and in Lane County.



It's called The Tattoo School, a show which features the Tattoo Learning Center in upstate New York that claims to teach people the craft in two weeks.



Local artists say that's just not enough time and they're petitioning for the network to cancel the show.



"I mean if it's a two-week program to teach tattooing. I think everyone has a right to be upset about," said Josh Hood, Parlour Tattoo.



Now thousands against both the network and the school have taken to the web, organizing Facebook groups and petitions trying to stop the show.



"I definitely felt like I couldn't just let it go down that way without trying to say something," said Jay Debont, Parlour Tattoo.



Instructor Joshua South at Area 51 tattoo school in Springfield feels the same way.



He says in Oregon it takes someone at least six months or with 360 hours of practical and theory to be allowed to take on customers.



South says the show gives the craft a bad name and gives customers the wrong impression.



"To think that a person can learn how to do a tattoo on them in two weeks and then mark their body for life. It's a scary thought," South said.



"This is an industry that has a nature, rebellious nature. We embrace that. We have so much respect for the industry. This is not a program that is cutting to the finish line," said Tattoo Learning Center spokesperson Rachel McEneny.



McEneny says the course is an introductory class and thinks people are jumping the gun with criticism before the shows even air.



"It might be just something that's absolutely amazing and TLC will just blow our minds, but I'm not holding my breath," Hood said.



The tattoo school featured in the series says artists might have a different impression after actually watching the show.



It airs Thursday night on TLC.

I have to laugh. A tattoo artist I went to school with had on his FB a thing about boycotting the show. This boycott that all these tattoo artists are promoting is only generating interest. I would have not had a clue about another stupid TLC reality show, had I not read about these boycotts! They should have all just stewed over this idea in private, because all they are doing is generating interest in the show.

^^ I dunno. I didn't know about this show before this controversy, but I have to say that I don't want to watch it.

(Oh!) Rob Petrie wrote:^^ I dunno. I didn't know about this show before this controversy, but I have to say that I don't want to watch it.

I probably won't beyond the first, but wouldn't have even known about it, less all the online stuff about it. I may keep watching, only because I have always been so intrigued on how well tattoo artists draw. I suck at drawing, and think it is pretty neat on how they can do what they do.

I would not have watched the show anyway.

Nystyle709 wrote: I would not have watched the show anyway.

Ditto

The TLC has become SUCH a trashy channel. I remember when it was on par with Discovery but now it's the same as those trashy tabloid magazines. I'm not surprised they're doing a show like this. I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing it JUST for the controversy with real tattoo artists.

TSJFan4Ever wrote:The TLC has become SUCH a trashy channel. I remember when it was on par with Discovery but now it's the same as those trashy tabloid magazines. I'm not surprised they're doing a show like this. I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing it JUST for the controversy with real tattoo artists.

I agree. TLC has lost its depth and is basically trying to compete with those VH1 and E! reality shows.

I miss the old TLC. The tattoo guys are right but I never would have watched it anyway.