Flies On The Wall 1

Hello loyal readers,

Here at ToddBlog we are constantly striving to help out the future generations of piercers by dropping little hints of advice here and there. We recently decided to ask for a little help from some of the more "well known" people in the industry. So please sit back and take it all in, you just might learn something.

ToddBlog is proud to present it's first in an on going series titled:

Flies On The Wall: A Round Table Discussion.

Lets first meet the esteemed panelists.

Cameron , Stephen , Shawn

Vyky , Cere

ToddBlog: first topic: Drama, lies, and everything in between. We all know that the industry is filled with it. Everything from piercers lying to gain the respect of their peers, sleeping your way to the top (more commonly known as "Star Fucking"), trying to make others look bad to cover their own mistakes, the list goes on and on.

What we would like to know (along with our readers), is what do some of the more important people in the industry think of these methods? We hope that your answers will enlighten some on why these aren't always the best methods to use when trying to gain respect in the industry.

Cameron: Well, I'm not important by any means, I mean shit Shawn O'Hare doesn't know who I am, so that should immediately disqualify me as an "expert witness", if you will.

I'd like to think that most people who have a good head on their shoulders would be able to see through the yarn spun by these folks, but unfortunately the ratio of bullshitters to smart people in the industry, excuse me The Hobby, is in favor of the bullshitters. So that leaves us to where we are today, stuck in an industry that has become a professional farce. I saw a lot of "fucking to the top" at APP this year, granted this is no different than any previous conference that I've been to, but it seems that hot tubs may provide a false sense of privacy. Sure you're underwater, but I can still see that foreign girl eating that drunk chick's box on a dare from "Famous Mod Guy", and so can everyone else. Maybe fucking in public is your thing, go for it and have a blast while your letting every watch you get your fuck on, but we all know that genital osmosis of knowledge is a myth so there really is no point to it and know matter how many body fluids you ingest, it's still not going to make you a better body piercer. (Sorry Cere, I didn't mean to blow up your spot.) Actions such as that are really no different than people who wait outside a tour bus to be the next hole for some dude in a band. Sure you fucked so and so, you're still not cool and now we we all know embarrassing stories about you and how you have a funny shaped vagina and we'll all probably laugh about it in front of your face because, well, it's funny and you obviously don't have too much respect for yourself so why should anyone else?

As for lying to get somewhere, Shawn nailed it in his interview. Nobody checks references, so why not embellish the truth a little, or a lot (looking' at you Greg Duffek), to get a job or to get clients. I can't really follow up on that any better, suffice it to say that when you get caught in your lie you look like a complete and total fucking ass

Shawn: I got quite a few emails when my old friend Sean Philips was doing his "degrade yourself to become an apprentice" thing a while back. Since Sean and I have (good) history, I became a "sounding board" for people who wanted to know if the "Reality Show" culture had finally started influencing the piercing culture and to see if I was, as they were, offended by some of the tasks Sean made the hopefuls do in order to become a piercer. (which, lets be totally honest here- is an occupation with an expiration date for most of the people who get into the business)

The more I thought about it, the more that I realized I was more impressed that people were still even interested in apprenticing than offended at the silly tasks they were given.

As for "fucking to the top"... again, let's call it like it is: Most of the gals who put out to "get somewhere" don't get much farther than being an in-joke between those of us who've messed around with them. Modification is still a boys club when it comes to being a "big name" (which on a long enough time line means nothing anyway)...

Cere: Perfect timing for this topic! Thanks Todd!

Ahhh, the age old topic of star-fucking. It definitely has its advantages and drawbacks. I see nothing wrong with a woman who is impressed that she is in the presence of someone such as myself and understands how great I am and that she should offer herself to me. Actually the fact that she recognizes this just shows that she, more then the regular public not involved in "the hobby", understands the things that are truly great in life... namely myself.

Its when these same women think that the knowledge one contains can be swallowed where the issues arise. Sure you can get a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of wonderment by in taking my glorious nutrients, but will that impart knowledge to you? No. Even if you trick someone using manipulation into giving you a shot at learning, like some stupid-fucking-cunt-who-works-at-a-shop-where-you-wont-find-titanium-oh-wait-they-now-have-full-lines-of-titanium eventually you are found out and in the end you realize that no knowledge was gleaned. Just a lot of cum.

Whew. Let me switch gears to lying about yourself to pump your own fame.

I remember a story of a piercer who believed they were famous. Their claim was based on the idea that they invented a certain kind of style, lets call it "kick and papering" so that I don't out anyone. Anyway they went around claiming they invented it years ago. Well the truth came out eventually that not only did he not invent it, but he only did his FIRST one a week or two before he made those claims! He now has fallen so far he turns to hacks for ear sculpting advice.

Last I heard he was off somewhere correcting a lot of Brian Deckers procedure

Vyky: I'm proud to say I've not banged anyone in this discussion forum.

really? is that all I have to contribute to this conversation?

Cere: Cmon Vyky, let's let the truth out. I'm really your baby's father. I know we were trying to keep it a secret but with Wayde Million about to be born in about 8 1/2 months, we should let the world know about our power couple baby now.

Vyky: On the topic of star-fucking

really? where does it get you? to the top of the vagina transplant list because your own gash looks like it has leprosy from all the disgusting venereal diseases you've accumulated?

Vyky: Secret's out. I banged Cere in Philly and saved his seed for a year and a half and turkey-bastered that shit.

Stephen: Seriously, if you're sucking dick to get to the top or even jump starting an apprenticeship.. Its kind of the same thing as sucking dick for crack.

I think a lot of people take themselves too fucking seriously in The Hobby. But as Kelly Bundy put it on that classic television program "If you think you're hot everyone else will too". To a certain extent it's true. But you do have to have a little grain of truth in there for it to work. And if you put that shit on a hook and cast it out into a sea of noobs, there's always going to be some snapper that bites. Go go scene whore.

ToddBlog: So what you guys are telling us is that those types of behavior not only won't actually get you anywhere, but you will be ridiculed and joked about by the very ones you use these methods on?

Cere: First off Todd if you're in this industry you deserve to be ridiculed and joked about, so thats not the issue really. The real issue is "Will it work?", "Will star-fucking really get you the attention you want?" or if its actual knowledge whether thru an apprenticeship or thru just bullshitting with people you are now spending time with, will star-fucking get you all that.

The answer is Yes, it will. Star-fuckers will have other people not only notice them because they are on someone's arm but also they will be able to pick and glean information from those around them which now include "the elite". So yeah, they'll be joked about and made fun of, but if they didn't star-fuck their way there it would just be something else that they would be made fun of or ridiculed for.

So star-fucking works. We've established that it gets the endgame it wants. What it will NOT get you though is respect as an artist. Everything that star-fucking will get you, the info, access to "celebrities", the exposure, you can get from just walking up to someone and talking to them.

Vyky: So my question to you then, Cere:

Why is a certain horse-faced ugmo still stuck poking holes in silicone in the middle of the desert?

You'd think she could have banged her way into a better job title.

And wait.. Doesn't she know Sarvas?!?!?

Cere: Just cuz it gets you the introductions and knowledge you need doesn't mean you'll use those contacts and information properly. And look, did it work? Look at the attention she has. Really, almost everyone now knows who she is, I mean, here we are discussing her in a roundtable. It worked. her name is known. And being where she is she has access to artists and can pick them for information at anytime. Too bad she isn't smart enough to do anything with it though....

Cameron: I think, Cere, you may be giving star-fucking too much credit. After all we pretty much all agree that piercing has an expiration date, right?

So. Chick sucks a dick, learns some things while she is in the company of people smarter than her, takes that to a shop and pierces for what 3 maybe 4 years before she gives it up for a job with benefits and insurance (or just marries a tattooer), and is titled "that dirty slut that used to pierce."

it all works itself out in the end really, but in the meantime it's just a headache.

Cere: Actually i think we just gave it the same amount of credit. All star-fucking is meant to accomplish it DOES accomplish. Its just not meant to accomplish anything more then 10 minutes and a google search could do.

But what about the other aspect? The part where the girl has no aspirations to be an artist and just wishes to bask in the company of those who are "famous"? Obviously I cant expect you to have met women like that Cameron, since you know, you're no Shawn O Hare, but what's wrong with someone meeting (and then sucking off) a childhood hero? NOTHING I SAY!

Cameron: It's not for me, personally, but if someone else can opportunistically get their rocks of by some else's folly, then game on!

Vyky: Even just reading this conversation makes me feel dirty.

Shawn: When you make a list of world-class practitioners... how many women are on it?

Just saying.

Vyky: What makes a person world class, exactly? Seems like an arbitrary description. Is it by whose name spreads to further corners of the earth or who can stand 100% behind their work?

Shawn: An keep in mind that O'Hare stands 100% behind his work.

Cere: I think both Vyky and a lot more. Not only does a world class artist produce good solid work that they can stand by 100% but they do so with their clients safety and happiness being foremost in mind. A world class artist pushes boundaries safely and add insight and knowledge back into the community they are a part of. They are able to take criticism and give it back constructively both elevating themselves and their peers.

Because of the above traits they earn respect and their name does get around. You can DEFINITELY be well known and not be a world class artist.

Shawn: When I say practitioners, I don't generally mean piercers. Are there "world class" female piercers? Absolutely. But piercing, as much as you'd like to call it an art, is a skill.

You look at the worlds of scarification, tattooing, surgical work... it's a boys club. That's not to say women aren't CAPABLE of surpassing their peers and becoming what I'd consider world class- it's just that they haven't.

ToddBlog: Well, i guess that concludes our discussion. We wanna thank you guys for taking time out of you busy schedules to be a part of this. We hope to hear from you all again when we have our next discussion. Until then, we hope our readers enjoy what you have had to say.

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