03.06.09 NEW REALITY TV MEME: PUT IT ON A BUS

Following the success of VH1’s “Rock of Love Rolling Slut Transport,” A&E has followed suit by putting one of its reality shows on a bus.  In “Tattoo Highway,” “Inked” tattoo artist Thomas Pendleton will take his show on the road.

Pendelton and his wife and business partner, Monica (who also appeared on “Inked”), have transformed a 1970s tour bus into a mobile tattoo parlor. They will travel to cities including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Salt Lake City, inking customers…

“All the other series have been based in tattoo parlors,” [exec producer Bob Horowitz] said. “Here the premise is this is the first tattoo parlor on wheels, and he goes where the stories are. Imagine all the things that can happen when you take something like this on the road and all the things that can happen.”

“Imagine all the things that can happen, like, uh… things! …that can happen.”

In one episode, Pendelton mixes the cremated ashes of a deceased wife into the ink for a portrait on her husband’s chest. In another, he uses UV ink for a tattoo visible only with a black light for a customer wanting a constant reminder of his mother.

Because something only visible under black light is such a constant reminder.  What, does he live in a dark room?  I’m gonna go ahead and call it.  Time of Suck: 30 seconds after it premieres.