Like many other college students enjoying the summer break, I spent a lot of time watching reality television. It might be a little depressing to other people, but I can think of few better ways to spend the last week before the semester starts.
With shows like “The Jersey Shore,” “Cake Boss,” “Say Yes to the Dress,” “Man Vs. Food,” “L.A. Ink,” “16 and Pregnant” and fixer-upper shows like “Room Crashers” and “What Not to Wear,” reality tv something to cover just about every niche.
To keep things fresh, there seems to be an increase in reality shows about tattoos and the people who give and receive them. One of the most recent tattoo shows to come to television has put a new spin on the concept.
“Tattoo School” follows a school that prepares people, who have little to no prior experience, to become a tattoo artist in two weeks.
I’ve watched hours of “L.A. Ink” on Netflix, and I love that show. Body art is just fascinating to me, and arguably to many people. That said, I could not imagine sonsciously sitting through multiple episodes of “Tattoo School” watching inexperienced students permanently damage other people’s skin with unimaginative and poorly executed tattoos.
Nobody in their right mind believes that a novice can become an expert at anything in two weeks, especially not something that takes others months or years to master.
One must be able to draw, have a feel for drawing on human flesh rather than canvas, and develop a good bedside manner to keep their clients comfortable. The only thing worse than a tramp stamp is getting it from a tattoo rookie who creeps you out by sweating and fidgeting the entire time.
All of these skills would take most, if not all, people a lot more than two weeks to learn. Let’s be honest most people on reality TV are a bunch of bumbling, clumsy wannabes anyways.
This is more than a little alarming that these students, upon completion of the course, get certification to tattoo.
Look, we all know reality TV is garbage. Arguably that’s the sole reason why we watch it. Nonetheless, there is a limit on just how awful and truly unbelievable it can be. People always watch reality TV in awe, and some are dumb it enough to believe it’s completely real. But let’s be honest, this show is not only unrealistic, it’s down right reckless.
It’s one thing to put on a song and dance for TV, it’s another when some ill-advised know-nothing goes out and ruins the skin on an arm, shoulder, wrist, back, or leg of some poor unknowing customer.
Reality TV is already a juvenile escape. Creating truly unrealistic and unbelievable scenarios like this don’t help that.
— Miki Jennings is a journalism junior, she can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.
