OK, the idea still needs some fleshing out, but I had this idea over dinner today that I thought had some potential. Let me know what you think…. Here’s the idea.
We popularize something called the Tattoo Party… Here are the rules of Tattoo Party: 20 people are invited. Each chips in ten to twenty dollars. Over the course of the party everyone draws something on an index card, an image that they feel would make a good tattoo. At some point all the images are taped to the wall and people vote by secret ballot. The design that gets the most votes is announced as winner. Then, straws are drawn. The person with the short straw has to get the tattoo. All the money is given to him or her. It’s up to that individual where the tattoo should be placed. They have one week to have said tattoo applied. If, after one week, they have not been tattooed, they owe everyone at the party ten times what he or she contributed. They are also never spoken to again.
I know there are a few points that could be refined a bit, but I think the kernel of the idea is quite beautiful… Once we get the details worked out, I’ll host the first Tattoo Party. I’m interested to see what people draw, and how they vote, when there’s a 5% chance that the drawing might end up on them. I’m also curious to see who I invite, knowing that something they doodle could be on me forever… This is my great idea for 2007. The pressure is now off.
17 Comments
Have to ask the question about the size requirement for the tattoo. Don’t think I saw this in your post. So, did you envision a minimum, oh, say, diameter, such as two inches for whatever design is chosen? Otherwise you might get people doing some dime-sized inking of the winning tattoo on the underside of some fleshy never-seen parts of their person, and where’s the fun in that? Also, would there be a designated tattoo viewer–that is, for the winner (loser?) who has said week to get his or her tattoo? Some of us more modest folk who are given money and design to get tattoo may have it placed where we might not want to show a crowd of twenty, and, if that’s the case, would there be vouching? Super close-up photography? Signed affidavits from the tattoo artist? So many questions.
Sounds great…I’ll bet the winning tattoo will be similar to the one that Hillary Swank has.
Well, whoever got the tattoo would always have a good story when asked about what it means or why they chose that design.
i think that if a person was a tattoo virgin, they should get more money. tattoo enthusiasts get a unfairly good deal – money and one step closer to full body inkage?!?
your party model would be an awesome boost for our planned franchising of a dr. tattoff in the little building in front of my house (which coincidentally used to be a tattoo parlor called painless john’s)
http://www.drtattoff.com
I cannot decide. I either want a tattoo of Hillary Swank with Mark coming out of her butt cleavage, or the Dr. Tatoff logo. Maybe I’ll incorporate them.
I assume the collected money is to go towards the tattoo, do they have to spend it all? Can they keep it all and have their neighbor do it with some indian ink?
As I refuse to believe Mark has any friends outside this blog I propose that:
a) This is virtual party, commencing now.
b) We, his “friends,” conspire (in good fun) to come up with the most hideous, objectionable and regrettable tattoo possible to place on him.
(It took some thought, but I think we can rig it by convincing him that the “short straw” is determined by the person with the smallest head size.)
I will sleep soundly tonight with the image of Mark walking down Michigan Ave in his infamous halter-top with “Ball Shaver” written across the small of his back, curved around a tumbling heap of inky pubes.
Interestingly (perhaps) Painless John just died a week or so ago.
I thought Painless John died awhile ago. My Uncle Arn used him exclusively for some reason.
So girlnextdoor lives at the Bad Idea? How’s that foundation? I remember Josh showing us how he wanted to dig out the basement and move the shows down there and my friend Ryan and I telling him the house would likely collapse if he tried.
I had thought so as well. But then I saw (and cut out) his obit the other day. I had to read it three times as it confused me so to see it.
I smell a new reality show…
I think the idea of “fleshing out” a tatto party is a stitch! Let’s, while we’re at it, “flesh out” a piercing party, too. THAT I would like to see! Put me down for a pledge.
“Guts, gore and veins in my teeth!”
Or as Howard Dean would put it: “Yeeeeehaaah!”
Please don’t invite me, OK?
Please ‘accidentally’ send my invitation to Chelsea.
The idea seems clear, but I’m not sure “party” is the right word. What about “ordeal”?
This is the most simple, beautiful, elegant thing I have ever heard of. Please do it, and franchise the model to Europe. This could be bigger than Magtens Korridorer.
I see huge potential for goatsee here.