And it's a good point: one should occasionally take risks; the results might be surprising (and, as in your example, profitable).

I never regret having lost gigs because of a tattoo or my long hair. FYI, that is, everyone's, that only happened twice (That I know of). I would never accept a job that involved some sort of cripling just to keep feeding the wheel of conservativism BS.

Bravo. Absolutley inspiring....

I have to disagree with you there. I was hanging out with a heavily tattooed crowd, on Friday. I had a blast...and I have the pictures, too! Some of us fit in, without the physical tattoo. Some of us have a "tattoo attitude".

I actually prefer to hangout with the bikers, because they have values without having to flaunt them. They're good people. Unlike the crowd in Grand Rapids that claims to be religious. Even when someone got bumped by vehicle, and knocked to the ground, people were helping out. There were no fights or harsh words. I can't say the same for Grand Rapids - where people often act like animals. The entrance fee for the rally may have had something to do with it, too - it keeps out the merely curious.

People, just like companies, have their own personalities. They have their own likes and preferences. Someone could be prejudice to a long hair, tattooed magician. Some just may be prejudice towards long hair instead of the tattoos. I say be who you are and I'm sure you'll find the work best suited for you. Just look at Dan Sperry and remember he's not low on work.

True.

It does take the sort of cojones many people don't have.

I have never lost a gig because of my tattoos because its a natural thing amongst todays generations...I also know my worth and don't have to work for people who are bold enough to discriminate against someone for tattoos...for me that is apart of me and hearing some of the things people say about it even on this forum offends me about as much as it would speaking badly about someone who is of a different nationality than you. People need to realize that everyone is different and stop being so full of hate and being so unaccepting

Wouldn't care if someone saw my tattoo. On the other hand if they asked politely then I'd gladly comply.

It's rare that someone would lose an opportunity because they had no tattoos or piercings. The opposite is not.
Yes, I have tattoos and a piercing but I know the real world.

I have a tattoo of a playing card on the inside of my forearm. I actually use the tattoo for reveals and an out for some routines. Never had anyone seem offended but have had regulars ask to see it again to confirm that it was still there and real. It is usually covered when I perform.

The customer is king. Good professional appearance is part of showmanship in addition to magic props that look classy and also very well kept and clean. In addition, I personally feel that tattoos could harm the showmanship of a performer by detracting from a professional appearance.

The bottom line is that a lot of people out there (in the US, anyway) are bothered by tattoos and body piercing. Many people do not know what it signifies when they see these things, and not understanding why someone would do this to themselves is troubling to them. Tattoos were, at one time, worn only by people at the margins of society. People who live and operate in an upper-middle-class/white collar culture may only rarely see someone with exposed tattoos, and their major point of identification with this might be rap artists, gangsters, drug culture, etc. When these people are spotlighted, they sterotypically have tatts. It may not be obvious to a spectator that having major tattoos and body piercing may not be an identification with those things or an intent to intimidate, but may be (for example) a creative self-expression, a way to bring a little edginess to your otherwise mild-mannered persona, etc.

I (and others on this thread) are mentioning this not to put anyone on the defensive, but to assist someone who has exposed tattoos, because (since you're pretty much stuck with this) you may still be able to say something to put people at ease, to catch a look of concern and turn it around quickly. In many performing venues, your attire, expressions, and external appearance are your marketing. Or you may make a conscious decision to cover this up in order to take any reason for concern off the table. Or you may just decide that performing for people who might be worried about these things is not for you, and seek a more edgy, adult atmosphere. Tattooed performers like Luke Jermay have been very successful with that sort of thing.

I'm not even thinking about my tattoo's they are there so what? Take me as I am or leave it.
People who will judge me by the way I look are not worthy enough to come closer.
I have maori style on my left arm/shoulder, happy robotdrawing on my leg, my name in chinese on the right wrist, an omega style sign on my right ring finger and Dai Vernon on my right under arm.
Every pic. has a story or motivitation for ME. It's nice when people like the pics but if they don't fine...
I'm not showing them on purpose they just seem to be there.

Whats nice to say is that people often ask me who the guy on my arm is. This way I can tell them about my passion for magic. It really is a nice conversation starter!
Dunno what Dai would think of it...don't mind also...Leipzig didn't like Dai and still he wrote about him. It's just a way for me of showing respect for his contributions and dedication (which I try to share) to the art of magic. Besides that it's just a pretty neat picture

To make it complete....

Click here to view attached image.

Nice work. Who did it?

A guy called Rudolph from Tallin, Estonia. I'm from The Netherlands and been there for holiday.
He made it from a tiny webpicture but the result is nice.

I have two tattoos, one each forearm. I have worked bars, Restaurants, Corporate shows (working on securing a gig for a fortune 500 as we speak) I do kid shows, as well as fairs, festivals, and anything I can get my hands on. Never have they been an issue, Good or Bad. I will admit they are often covered by my suite, but I do roll my sleeves up from time to time.

In response to the Government Officials not having fun I would like to point out that I was personally invited by the governor of Kentucky (Paul Patton) to perform on the Governor's train for the 2000-2001 KY Derby. It has around 300-400 of his personal guests on board including several celebrities and mostly a mix of both state reps as well as foreign dignitaries from Japan (a HUGE buyer of KY bourbon), Russia, and the United Kingdom. In all my years of performing I don't think I have seen that many "conservatives" party that hard!!! I am serious folks. Anything you wanted they had on that train haha. I remember getting back to Frankfort and having about 30-40 state patrol cars helping guests off the train and escorting people home or to the hotel. The cops would LITERALLY hold their drink with one hand and help them down the stairs with the other and then once in the back of the car, hand the drink back to them with a smile and ask them how their day was. LOL. It was an unforgettable experience.

In all fairness, these people that you wouldn't think are fun are mainly just very careful about whom they associate with. Once you're in good and in private quarters, trust me, they can party like college kids!

Stick to your guns. Don't perform for anyone with tattoos either.

"I'm sorry sir, but even though I'd love to do your event, and the money is quite good, the fact that you have tattoos really turns me off and I'll have to decline."