My friend Dmitry has been working on editing the TV series L.A. INK. The premiere episode aired last week and got strong ratings. It will show on The Learning Channel on Tuesdays at 10:00 PM here in the NYC area (elsewhere, check local listings).
My friend Suzanne {left} has a really nice dragonfly tattoo, and Dmitry has the opening measures of TRISTAN & ISOLDE inked on his bicep. I remember my parents had a fit when my brother announced he was getting a tattoo; we were expecting murals all over his body but he merely had his name, Jeff, done very small on his arm.
My friends Kenny and Danny went thru a tattoo phase; I wonder if they still like having them? An Asian body-builder I know had his lover's full name and the date they met tattooed on his bulging bicep. Then they broke up.
A couple of years ago there was a discussion at Ballet Talk about tattooed dancers when Craig Hall, appearing shirtless in Wheeldon's AFTER THE RAIN, revealed a really nice tattoo on his chest. I had noticed it even earlier, in CHICHESTER PSALMS.
Dmitry says you don't have to be a fan of tattoos to enjoy the program.
Ugh, damn, I don't have cable -- I'll try to have my mom tape it for me. I'm so jealous -- what a cool job -- TV editor!!
Posted by: tonya | August 13, 2007 at 10:09 PM
Last season Dmitry worked on the TLC series MY LIFE AS A CHILD.
Posted by: Philip | August 13, 2007 at 10:14 PM
You definitely don't need to be into tats to enjoy the show. There are 6 clients presented getting tattoos and (almost) all of them get tattoos for some personal reasons. So there's definitely a human interest angle to it. And if you like the tattoo artists involved you can start following their travails. The shop is owned by Kat von D (who plays Beethoven sonatas, and has his bust tattooed on her thigh). She's a refugee from "Miami Ink," another TLC show that she left in the spring. The other 3 main artists are Hannah, Kim, and Corey. Corey's the one guy in there, so it's definitely a look at a tattoo culture people don't know much about.
Posted by: Dmitry | August 14, 2007 at 10:30 AM
I have to confess that I don't really get permanent tattoos (or multiple piercings in unusual places for that matter). So I guess I should watch the show.
Posted by: Chisel | August 18, 2007 at 12:49 PM
We don't have cable, so I can't watch it!
Posted by: Philip | August 18, 2007 at 01:36 PM
I think tattoos can be extremely beautiful - there's definitely art there. But like all art - it can be bad. For a lot of people who are not "collectors" tattoos are emotional; they get them after an emotional experience. There are a lot of people on our show who got tattooed after a battle with an illness or losing a loved one. It can be a way to honor and preserve someone's memory in a physical way. There is going to be one woman who lost a baby to SID at 2 months. She wanted to have a photo of him tattooed on her arm where he usually rested his head when he slept. Who is going to judge that?
Posted by: Dmitry | August 20, 2007 at 12:20 AM