Demi Lovato has been pretty vocal lately. She gave an odd interview about how her gyno asked for her autograph after an appointment. She dedicated her “Warrior” song to Bruce Jenner. And now she’s in a social media war with her former tattoo artist. Demi has several tattoos, but the one in question (a set of pink lips) happened when she was drunk (at age 18). Demi hated the tattoo (you can see it here), which looked like a vadge drawing. Now Demi’s covered the tattoo with this one ^^^^, a lovely rose. Demi is thrilled with the new art and dropped a #RIPvaginatattoo hashtag. You can still see the vadge shape if you squint, but this is a vast improvement.
Ashley McMullen, the original artist from yesteryear, is angry, and she started a huge social media war. You can see the interaction here. Ashley left a comment on Instagram about how Demi was ungrateful for the free tattoo, never gave credit, and peed on the toilet seat at the tattoo studio. She called Demi a “drunk a**” and “a goon” before adding a #drunkallthebeer hashtag. Demi tweeted and deleted a response that E! preserved:
“Dear Ashley McMullen, I wasn’t going to acknowledge your bitter Instagram comments but since your side of the story has picked up some headlines, I would like to share my thoughts and send you a proper apology. First, I would like to say I’m really sorry I don’t remember you or getting tattooed by you, but as you know I was f***ed up and sometimes people act like ‘#turds’ when they’re loaded. Second, I apologize for my ‘#peepeetoiletseat’… That wasn’t on purpose, I was simply a drunken teenage girl. Lastly, I apologize for making fun of your work.. But… if I were you, I wouldn’t claim that one because it looked more like an open vagina (or even a butt hole as my 8 year old little sister called it at the time.)
“I also wouldn’t be admitting to the fact that you tattooed a very intoxicated 18 year old on a tour bus without the proper judgment that most legit tattoo artists have of saying ‘Hmm… This underage kid is wasted, maybe I shouldn’t permanently ink a hot pink kiss mark on this girl’s wrist….? Oh well… F*** it, she’s famous.
“I can’t blame you for getting the tattoo, I take full responsibility for that but if the issue here is you wanting credit, maybe next time you should wait for the person to get your tattoo sober so they would actually remember getting the tattoo in the first place, or perhaps you could’ve thought about all of this as a blessing that I forgot everything about you — that was until you outted yourself for the now internationally infamous ‘vagina tattoo.; But you’re right, I should give credit where credit is due, and you Ashley, surely deserve credit for this one. #justputitonmytab.”
[From E! Online]
All that mud-slinging over a fugly tattoo. Is it normal for an artist to act offended when a customer covers up a bad tattoo? Please enlighten me on the proper protocol. This all seems so petty, and I can’t believe an artist would ink someone who was so obviously drunk that she’d miss the toilet seat. Then again, this Ashley McMullen once appeared on the Ink Master show, and god, she’s dramatic.
One more thing. Demi Instagrammed this 4/20 masterpiece and tagged Joe Jonas, who once accused Demi and Miley Cyrus of forcing him to smoke pot.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
What a tacky exchange. However, I agree that if you must tattoo someone, you should do it when they’re sober. Now, I think I’ll go take a shower.
I don’t know, I feel like she took responsibility for her part in it and made some good points. The only offensive parts were “vagina tattoo” and “butthole.”
You’re right, it was mostly the tattoo artist who was being offensive.
Wow, Demi Lovato is throwing shade left and right on social media lately. Not saying some of it isn’t deserved, but just… wow.
Yeah, I feel like that’s all I’ve been hearing about her the last few years, I can’t name one of her songs from the last five years.
So let me give your heart a break…your heart a break.. lemme give your heart a break… Oh Bay bay
Yeah, Give Your Heart a Break, Neon Lights, Really Don’t Care, Skyscraper… not to mention that she sang the pop release of “Let It Go.”
She’s irksome, but she actually is putting out music that charts fairly consistently.
No one would have known it was that tattoo artist if she hadn’t done that post looking for her 15 seconds of fame. So stupid.
Seriously. If it were me, I would have been embarrassed as an artist and left well enough alone. No one would have known it was her crappy work had she not called attention to it herself, which is pretty ironic. Add that to the fact that her argument was just nasty attempts to humiliate the person she agreed to tattoo, rather than being any sort of logical, and she just comes off like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Not someone I would allow to ink permanent art onto my body.
Team Demi. Her response was a thing of beauty.
Completely agree. I was impressed.
Really? I think her response was obnoxious and pushed any and all responsibility off her shoulders and onto someone else.
I did stupid stuff when I was 18 too. You can’t blame everything on everyone else.
Except she isn’t. She clearly said in her last paragraph that she took full responsibility asking for the tattoo in the first place. She is right though, that artist should not have tattooed someone who was clearly under the influence.
Agreed. She comes off as an over entitled brat.
She says: “I can’t blame you for getting the tattoo, I take full responsibility for that but if the issue here is you wanting credit, maybe next time you should wait for the person to get your tattoo sober so they would actually remember getting the tattoo in the first place, or perhaps you could’ve thought about all of this as a blessing that I forgot everything about you …”
She takes responsibility. She then notes why the tattoo artist didn’t get the credit she was seeking (“if the issue here is you wanting credit”).
She was drunk and underage. The tattoo artist was unethical and broke the law.
She should never have tattooed a drunk person. The end.
Exactly. It’s completely unethical.
It’s illegal actually. Alcohol in someone’s bloodcan also cause bleeding like crazy and that’s bad for everyone.
“Goorl”? Yeah, I’ll go google it, but what?
It’s “goon” but for some reason the font makes the letters and quotes run together. I thought it said “goorl” also and figured it was new slang I wasn’t cool enough for.
Ha! That makes better sense. I couldn’t figure out if it was “goon” or “goorl,” then I just figured I’m old.
The tattoo artist should have shut up in the first place.
Why would you want credit for something so bad, and why would you publicly admit to tattooing a very intoxicated 18 year old? Dumb.
Demi seems to be trying to get her life back together, and I wish her well.
Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Exactly. And, excuse me, but the tattoo is on DEMI’s body, so I do believe Demi has the right to decide what she wants to put ON it or in it!!
If her age really was 18 when she got the tattoo, why is she calling herself underage? I do agree with her points regarding the tattoo artist, and I think the original tattoo was horrible. The rose is much nicer, but the way the middle of the rose is done makes me think of the same part of female sexual anatomy because it’s elongated, instead of rounded.
I think the underage was in reference to her drinking as she was not of legal drinking age.
she was under the legal drinking age assuming this took place in the US
She was underage for drinking is what she meant. Not that that should make a difference– tattoo artists shouldn’t be inking drunk 21-year-olds either.
I will never, ever understand the appeal of tattoos.
I know I’m going to offend the masses by saying this but I think they just make people look dirty.
*runs and hides*
Don’t hide! We can agree to disagree. I think they have the potential to make people look dirty if the subject is really tasteless and the quality of the work is poor and scratchy looking. But I also think they have the potential to be really interesting and beautiful on a person if done right. I might have a few myself if you can’t tell 😉
ETA: the Bloke is tatted, are you saying he looks dirty?! (Yes, he does, and yes, it is fantastic)
Bloke still looks amazing, but I think he would look better without the tattoos.
I can appreciate tattoos as singular works of art (remember I went to art school) but I just don’t understand loving an image so much that you have it permanently seared onto your skin. Then again, I just love the purity and simple beauty of uninterrupted skin. I just see no reason to mar that or cover it with anything.
But I’m sure your tats are badass and of the highest quality, Shambles. I would expect nothing less from you! 😉
I can appreciate your appreaciation for pure skin, just as I am more a fan of black and grey tattoos for myself but can appreciate color tattoos on other people. Different strokes for different Blokes. And shucks, thank you. I’m proud of ’em, and that’s what matters to me.
I will come sit with you, Kitten. I am not a fan either.
All depends for me. Some are dirty looking, and some are really beautiful. Depends most on the person imo. You can always tell the people who get them not knowing anything about them. Good ink is really hard to find. I think all of DL’S are bad. Random, badly done in a lot of case and don’t fit with her personality.
Me too. I’m just not a fan of them.
I admire people who get them but would never get one myself for exactly that reason.
I completely agree. My beautiful nieces have them all on their arms and I just want to cry.
I don’t hate all tattoos but some just crack me up like Demi’s vagina. I follow some Instagram fitness accounts and I saw this chick that looked like her left boob was significantly larger and hanging out of her sports bra. It took me entirely too long to realize it was an underboob tattoo. Same for a tattoo I saw on the side of some girl’s ribs- it looked like fat rolls. Couldn’t figure out why they were only on one side at first.
Meh, I think it depends.. But I know a guy that got his kids initials on his back and I mean it’s HUGE, and it also spells out “skank” ha ha ha. He never realized it until it was on him..the dude’s an idiot
My neighbour got his kids names and b-days but he gave the wrong birth year for his daughter 🙂
I’ve never seen a nice tattoo – they’re all tacky. The only ones i could *maybe* get on board with would be Maori tribal tats which can be cool… but most others are just blahhh
I’ll come hide with you. I’m not a fan generally. Some are cute, some are sexy but I have seen a lot that are tacky or make the skin look ‘dirty’. Depends on the person and tats I guess. But overall not for me. I especially hate neck tattoos.
I get what you’re saying Kitten. Although I have seen quite a few tattoos that are beautiful when looked at individually I’m just not a fan of the overall look they give to the skin. Plus they seem to age terribly. When they start to fade they kind of remind me of mould.
And ANY neck tattoo is a bad tattoo in my book. Ugh.
*GASPS* Me and my tattoos are offended! We have officially put you on a Tom Hardy ban for the weekend.
Ha! That should teach you to have your own thoughts and opinions, Kitten!
Honestly tattoos look good on like 0.1% of people. Every single one of my friends that has tattoo…I don’t like it. I’ve seen such terrible work where you can’t even tell what it is until they explain it! And then you have to fake liking it to avoid hurting a friends feelings (it’s there forever after all).
Ditto, Kitten
I once went out with this guy who was a Marine and had a military tattoo on his bicep. It was SOOOOOOOOO sexy.
And that’s it. That’s literally the only time I’ve ever seen a tattoo where I was like, AWESOME! All the other ones? Yeah, I don’t get it. I mean do you and follow your bliss, but I just don’t see the appeal, PERSONALLY.
Demi really grates on my nerves.
i don’t think tattoo artists should take coverup work personally. while i’m sure a lot of people cover up “bad” work, a lot of people also cover up tats they no longer like, which is completely subjective.
Ok, what is it with celebrities and bad tattoo artists?
Seriously this rose is ugly and the cover up covers… NOTHING?!
My tattoo artist could do better with his eyes closed and a hangover and I don’t have the kind of money Demi has.
+1000 you think with her money she could find a true artist.
Demi still seems so brittle. Good for her for her dedication to her sobriety, but I’ve never been able to understand how she’s still with Valderrama.
Remember Demi has Bi Polar so in manias everything seems like a good idea, piece whats she being doing the past few days maybe shes in a manic episode its possible!!!!
The lips never looked like a vagina. The rose tattoo is also ugly, dated, and cliché. And both women are acting like aholes.
This particular tattooer was on Ink Master, and she was the most obnoxious, whiny, annoying brat baby I have ever seen. Any tattoo artist worth a lick of salt would NEVER tattoo someone who was obviously drunk. She should have kept her mouth shut instead of whining and drawing attention to her complete lack of professionalism.
OMG, this tattooer is a whiny nasty scratcher. Why draw attention to your crap work? I got tattooed shortly after her season of Ink Master aired and Oliver Peck had little kind to say about her.
This exchange makes no sense though. In Ashley’s post she says that Demi peed on her toilet seat, and in Demi’s post she says it happened on a tour bus. WTF?