LA Ink is an American reality show on TLC that follows the events of the High Voltage Tattoo (and, later in the series, American Electric) tattoo studios in Los Angeles, California. The spin-off of TLC's Miami Ink, it premiered on August 7, 2007.
Background
After leaving the hit program Miami Ink because of a dispute with her fellow cast members, Kat Von D moved back to Los Angeles to open her own tattoo shop and was offered a spin off show. Initially, she hired her close friend Pixie Acia to be the shop manager, and her good friend Corey Miller as the tattoo artist. After considering many more artists for the job, Von D hired Hannah Aitchison and Kim Saigh to work for her as well. The cameras follow her as she opens the shop, while capturing everything that unfolds in between.
Each customer coming into the shop usually has a story or reason behind their tattoo. On occasion, even known celebrities make an appearance to get tattooed by Kat or one of the other artists.
Inevitably, as the show progressed, changes occurred. Von D fired Acia during the second part of Season 1. Saigh and Aitchison left the show after the Season 2 finale. Season 3 premiered with a new shop manager, former Rock of Love competitor Aubry Fisher, but she was fired by Von D during the Mid-Season premiere after getting into a lot trouble with most of the people at the shop.
Tattoo artist Amy Nicoletti was hired on a trial basis, but left to work at American Electric, owned by Craig Jackman. Tattoo artist Paulie Tattoo was also hired and quit to go to American Electric, because of lack of work. Fisher soon joined them as a "shop helper" at American Electric after she got fired from High Voltage. Fisher left to pursue her dream of becoming a make-up artist without telling Craig and was later fired from American Electric, but does make an appearance for a couple of episodes in the fourth season when she appeared at the shop's 11th Anniversary as a guest.
Von D broke a Guinness world record on the show, tattooing 400 people with the "LA" part of the LA Ink logo in 24 hours, giving the money raised to charity. The record was broken in June, 2008 by Kat's ex-husband Oliver Peck who tattooed 415 tattoos of the number "13".
During the Season 3, Nikko Hurtado is a guest artist on the show several times while Von D's sister Karoline and her brother Michael also make appearances on the show.
American Electric became the competitor tattoo shop to High Voltage, beginning in the Season 3 and is a major part of the series in Season 4.
Each customer coming into the shop usually has a story or reason behind their tattoo. On occasion, even known celebrities make an appearance to get tattooed by Kat or one of the other artists.
Inevitably, as the show progressed, changes occurred. Von D fired Acia during the second part of Season 1. Saigh and Aitchison left the show after the Season 2 finale. Season 3 premiered with a new shop manager, former Rock of Love competitor Aubry Fisher, but she was fired by Von D during the Mid-Season premiere after getting into a lot trouble with most of the people at the shop.
Tattoo artist Amy Nicoletti was hired on a trial basis, but left to work at American Electric, owned by Craig Jackman. Tattoo artist Paulie Tattoo was also hired and quit to go to American Electric, because of lack of work. Fisher soon joined them as a "shop helper" at American Electric after she got fired from High Voltage. Fisher left to pursue her dream of becoming a make-up artist without telling Craig and was later fired from American Electric, but does make an appearance for a couple of episodes in the fourth season when she appeared at the shop's 11th Anniversary as a guest.
Von D broke a Guinness world record on the show, tattooing 400 people with the "LA" part of the LA Ink logo in 24 hours, giving the money raised to charity. The record was broken in June, 2008 by Kat's ex-husband Oliver Peck who tattooed 415 tattoos of the number "13".
During the Season 3, Nikko Hurtado is a guest artist on the show several times while Von D's sister Karoline and her brother Michael also make appearances on the show.
American Electric became the competitor tattoo shop to High Voltage, beginning in the Season 3 and is a major part of the series in Season 4.
Ratings
LA Ink premiered on August 7, 2007, averaging 2.9 million total viewers at its time slot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the number makes the show the most-watched series debut for the cable channel since the premiere of the US version of What Not to Wear in January 2003. This is also the highest-rated series premiere in the history of TLC among adults 18-34, with a rating of 2.6 and a viewer count of 1.5 million. The premiere was also the highest-rated basic cable primetime program last Tuesday among several major adult demographics, including 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.
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