The World Record Ink Master's Oliver Peck Holds
The judges on "Ink Master" are famous for the drama and excitement of the reality show. But they're also incredible tattoo artists when the cameras aren't around, and one has even earned a world record for his work.
Oliver Peck was an "Ink Master" judge until he stepped down from the show due to a blackface controversy. Before that, though, he made a reputation for himself as a talented tattoo artist, even winning a Guinness World Record, according to NBC News. The record is part of a tradition Peck started in the 1990s, according to Vice. In particular, Peck began tattooing customers with the number 13 every Friday the 13th for just $13, which is a steal compared to the average price of a tattoo. To earn his record, he tattooed the number onto 415 people over 24 hours (via NBC News).
The previous record was held by Peck's ex-wife, Kat Von D (via TV Overmind).
Where did the tradition come from?
Oliver Peck is credited with starting the specific Friday the 13th trend, but he told Vice it comes from a long history of similar tattoos with a surprising story. According to the artist, sailors would frequently tattoo themselves with the number 13 to ward off bad luck. "Bad luck would come your way, it would see the number 13, see that bad luck is already there, and it would pass on by," he said. Peck also decided to do the special tattoos after finding out about artist David Lum's Halloween specials, and he has even gotten the tattoos himself on multiple occasions.
Flash tattoos for Friday the 13th have picked up popularity over the years, and some tattoo shops find themselves managing long lines and more customers than usual because of the tradition. Part of the appeal is the low cost: The flash tattoos only cost $13, compared to minimums of about $50 or $80 at some shops (via Vice).