A man performing a human suspension act at a tattoo convention fell and broke a leg-this is a guy that was hanging from the ceiling by hooks pierced through his skin. These people really seem to like their pain, so maybe a broken leg just adds a new element to the act. Performer Jimmy Pinango was listed in critical condition at North Broward Medical Center late Sunday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The fall occurred at the Deerfield Beach Hilton, where the 13th annual South Florida Tattoo Expo drew about 7,000 people over three days. I have always found tattoos to be sort of interesting, and I do find women with piercings kind of interesting-but most other body modifications have left me a bit cold. Tattoo designs can be little works of art, any idiot can put fish hooks through their back and hang from the ceiling.
On Saturday night, Pinango, who weighs about 300 pounds, was suspended from six metal hooks clamped to the skin of his shoulders about 35 feet in the air, performance organizers said. In the first minute of his act he was dipping down when he fell to the ground from about 12 feet. There seems to be a kind of yo-yo effect with this type of suspension and he was a little too heavy to the gear. Maybe I should have said any idiot who doesn’t weight too much can hang from the ceiling by hooks in their back.
The rich and famous have helped to coin the term celebrity tattoos-as opposed to white trash tattoos? These celebrities often like to design their own tattoo, well, they are artistic types after all. I remember Pink wore some really large fake tattoos at an award show one time.
But a fake tattoo lacks the slightly insane dedication to the art that real tattoos give. Like the people on LA Ink and Miami Ink, many of whom would have felt at home in an old school side show. But then, old school tattoos of flags and battleship and MOM were not as shocking or complete in coverage as their modern tattoo counterparts tend to be.
And that is at least part of the fun of tattoos, freaking out the normals. Spider tattoos and eyebrow piercings and ear lobs with coke bottle stuck in them all garner stares and comments. Tattooing is still kind of a fringe activity, still a mark of being out there, at least a little bit. In some minds tattoos will always be a sign of a low life, a criminal, a bad person. But as any tattoo artist might point, all kinds of people get tattoos and piercings these days.
Theatrical suspension performance began developing into an industry about 15 years ago. A performer’s skin is pierced with large metal hooks, and the person is lifted into the air. Many groups across the country perform the acts-which they say are no more painful or barbaric than boxing or extreme sports. So I guess the occasional broken leg is no more barbaric than an afternoon of NFL football either.
Suspension.org has a large gallery of suspension images. I was not a big fan of pierced and tattooed women when the movement really got started a few years ago. But I kind of like the look of it now. This stuff is a little out there though.
Vending machines have temporary tattoos with cutesy designs for kids. Lower back tats are still all the rage. Cartoon charter tattoos and tribal tattoos show no sign of slowing down. But I have to think that it will be a while before we see Johnny Depp hanging from the a set of bungee cords with large hooks poked through his skin. Of course, I wouldn’t put it past Tim Burton, it sounds like his kind of thing.
A few years ago my friend basically forced me to go with her to one of those those suspension shows. I am all for showcasing your insanity, but that was a bit much for me. Interesting post!
Ouch. Is it wrong to laugh? It is. It’s wrong to laugh at that jackass.
Bad Cardiogirl. Bad girl.