‘Ink Master’ Judge Oliver Peck Apologizes Over Blackface Photos

Ink Master judge Oliver Peck has apologized after TMZ published photos last week in which he is wearing blackface. The photos, which apparently were taken from his old MySpace account, show Kat Von D’s ex-husband wearing dark makeup all over his face and body while dressed as a basketball player and a superhero with a racist logo for Halloween. TMZ also reported Peck dressed as a Playboy bunny while wearing blackface.

Saturday, after receiving a wave of backlash for the photos, Peck took to his Instagram account to share an apology note.

“I want to profusely apologize for my completely inappropriate, insensitive, and immature behavior,” he said in the statement. “I look at those photos and it’s hard for me to believe that I could have been so clueless, insensitive and dumb. I hope that I’ve matured a great deal since then and I’m deeply sorry for everyone I’ve offended.”

He continued, “I was 100% wrong to depict myself this way and I take full responsibility for my immature, misguided perspective, total lapse of judgment and sensitivity.”

The artist concluded by thanking his supporters for accepting his apology and asking people who don’t know him to keep an open heart to the message.

“Those of you that know my heart, I am grateful to my friends, family, colleagues, clients and fans who have allowed me to apologize and learn from this mistake,” he wrote. “I can only hope that those of you that I don’t know, and anyone I have offended, can also find it in your hearts to accept my sincere apology.”

Peck turned the comments off on the post, making it difficult to see if it landed with his followers, but captioned the message, “Thank you for taking the time to read this apology. Sincerely, Oliver.”

Ink Master, on which Peck has been a judge since the Paramount Network show’s inception in January 2012, has yet to issue a public statement about the scandal. Season 13 of Ink Master is set to premiere in 2020.

Photo credit: Gary Gershoff/WireImage/Getty