‘Ink Master’ Star Oliver Peck Under Fire for Blackface Photos

Ink Master judge Oliver Peck is the subject of backlash after TMZ published old photos of the […]

January 3, 2020, 6:20pm

Ink Master judge Oliver Peck is the subject of backlash after TMZ published old photos of the 47-year-old tattoo artist wearing blackface. In the photos, Peck wears the offensive coloring on multiple occasions, dressing up as different black people for multiple Halloween costumes, including a basketball player, Playboy bunny and superhero in an afro wig with the letter “N” on his chest.

A set of photos from the news organization shows him applying the dark makeup to his chest, shoulders and face.

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The outlet reports that Peck, who was previously married to tattoo artist Kat Von D from 2003 to 2007, once even shared photos of himself in blackface to his MySpace account. Those photos have surfaced on social media, where plenty of users are calling out Peck as well as Ink Master for his prejudice.

How #dumb and #racist can people be, let’s find out. “Ink Master” star Oliver Peck is learning the same lesson Justin Trudeau learned about #blackface – the pictures will emerge eventually, and it’s never a good look. #inkmaster pic.twitter.com/n12KKQZVtW
— The offical K B (@koolbreez3) January 3, 2020

Hey @inkmaster do you think @tmz will be psyched on this cool shot of Oliver peck? #inkmaster #blackface pic.twitter.com/1wSD1JT3gC
— toes be brattin (@tattooingtrash) January 2, 2020

Ladies and gentlethems, we got ‘em. Fuck Oliver Peck. pic.twitter.com/DrQSAU1ebi
— seven mcblizzard (@sevtinywizard) January 3, 2020

Social media users urged tattoo enthusiasts not to “let this s— slip through the cracks any more. We have to stand up as an industry and a divorce tattooing community.”

One user even wrote that they were going to be a competitor during the Tattooed Gloves boxing fundraiser, where Peck was set to be the announcer, but that they backed out after seeing the racist photos.

“I contacted and sent my withdrawal note with screenshots to event coordinators this morning,” the person wrote. “I encourage the tattooing community to speak up and refuse to cover the asses for their racist, ignorant, bigoted colleagues anymore.”

The Austin, Texas-based Tattooed Gloves event has since announced a new MC for the fundraiser, but has not publicly commented on the controversy surrounding Peck.

Ink Master has also not publicly acknowledged the scandal. Peck has been a judge on the Paramount Network reality tattooing competition series since the show’s inception in January 2012. The show was renewed in May for its 12th and 13th seasons, and a spinoff series was even ordered for it: Ink Masters: Battle Of The Sexes.

Season 13 of Ink Master is set to premiere in 2020.

Photo credit: Brad Barket / Stringer / Getty