S05.E11: Up In Smoke

[thewhiteowl]

Artists tattoo amputees where their limbs once were; Josh causes controversy that could get him kicked out of the competition.

 

 

[PepperMonkey]

OMFG are you frakking kidding me????

I've been rooting for Josh since I found out he was coming back and I really thought he had a chance to win this whole thing this time. Every week, I diligently post Josh FTW.

 

Then to find out he GOT HIMSELF ELIMINATED BY BEING STUPID???? Okay, so I did want to slap the smug off Cleen's face; I'm completely over him at this point. But I am pissed as hell at Josh. He KNEW that everyone hates him and he still did something he knew he wasn't supposed to do. The only thing that smells is the timing; why wasn't this brought up weeks ago if they they all knew about it and felt he was cheating?? Makes no sense. Josh, I hope that was 100K weed, dude.

 

Now I don't care who wins and I'm not sure I'll even keep watching this season.

[WickedTuna]

Damn. I would never have guessed that in a million years. What an idiot. Did he really think he wouldn't get caught smoking pot?? Usually when they're sitting around ragging on other artists I tune them out so I missed how he got busted. Did he just confess?

I was really surprised Erik won the FC. I couldn't even figure out what the hell it was. I hate to admit it but Cleen did do a good job in the FC but what the hell was his canvas thinking? I wish he would have explained what the hell it all meant.

I didn't like any of the EC tattoos. I hate being so shallow but Don's canvas grossed me out. It did look disease-y.

[ShadowSixx]

OH JOSH WHY OH WHY!!!!

There's nobody to root for now and timing is a little bad. Don't know if I'll continue watching now that Josh is gone. Only one I've been rooting for and wasn't really paying attention to the tattoos this eppy. Dammit Josh!!!

[MuMuGuy]

I'm pretty sure that everyone in the competition knows what weed smells like, so I find it kind of weird that no one mentioned it until now. The contestants live in the same house and are all basically joined at the hip in the shop, so no one could smoke weed and hide it. They just needed something to keep the drama train going in Emily's absence. If there is a clause in the contract banning contestants from smoking weed, then the judges did the right thing by giving him the boot. What boggles my mind is the fact that they keep Jager in the Lounge. Clearly they're not worried about the contestants being under the influence while working.

 

As far as the tattoos, meh all-around, which is par for the course this season. They praised Josh's tattoo in the FC even though the woman in the tattoo had a deformed arm hanging in the air. Chris and Don both need to go because their work as a whole is utter dog crap.

 

I'm going to be keeping my fingers crossed for a new season of Best Ink after this crap fest.

[Richness]

It's a shame that the arguably most talented artist there went out on a rules violation that has nothing to do with tattooing. If that was spurred into fruition due to the bitterness of the other contestants and not the producers, that speaks volumes about the others, and their lack of confidence in their skills. I also call shenanigans on his weird exit with the security guard escort out the door. Doesn't he get to pack his knives, I mean kit, and go?

 

But in all honesty, I really don't care who wins this season since none of them are that spectacular. I guess CR1 would be the most talented remaining artist, cause I just can't root for the bundle of nerves that is Jason, despite the epic red beard. The only one I actively hated was Emily, and she's gone. So I'll just soak in the shallow end, and enjoy looking at the pretty that is Don while he lasts.

[GeminiDancer]

Really? Josh gets eliminated because he smoked weed? You have got to be kidding me. There are artists who have done far worse who outlived their welcome.

 

Side note: I smoked with my artist before our session (I experienced a major crisis earlier that day where I was in a near panic), and it calmed me down enough that we could finish up. I'm glad that I did because I would have had an epic meltdown.

[Bix]

I'd be shocked if it didn't come down to being some kind of legal or insurance issue. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue if the show was shot in California, but it's shot in New York.

Like everyone else I'm curious when the contestants and producers became aware he was smoking up, but I can't blame the producers for kicking him off the show for doing something so stupid. How did he think it wouldn't catch up to him?

[Muffyn]

I don't care if they're shooting heroin into their dicks.  Smoke.  Don't smoke.  Just do a decent tattoo.

 

Yes, I'm sure it is a legal issue.  They don't want them doing anything illegal.  Wouldn't want to besmirch the great reputation of tattooers.

 

There were some seriously bad tattoos in the EC.  Josh was an idiot so the creators of the double helix of crap and empire state building that looks like it was done by a spastic monkey are okay.

[Bix]

Yes, I'm sure it is a legal issue. They don't want them doing anything illegal. Wouldn't want to besmirch the great reputation of tattooers.

That's ridiculously unfair stereotype and reinforcing it seems like a weird attitude to have if you watch this show.

These shows have to be insured and like it or not, pot is illegal in NY. I can't blame the show for kicking him off since everyone has to follow the rules. Plus it's kind of insane to bring pot into a reality competition show where everyone lives together and not expect to get caught.

[phoenix780]

So this was just marijuana, right?  Because they said "rules violations" like he did multiple things wrong, and something doesn't quite fit, imho.

 

On the one hand, I can't really fault the decision to boot Josh for breaking a rule because, y'know, rules.  Although it makes me wonder about the filming of this show.  As others have said, it's a little inconceivable that nobody in production had any idea- unless they don't film that often.  Or, were they just ignoring it until others decided it was an unfair advantage?  

 

On the other hand, this is Ink Master, bro, where everything is amped up and super aggro and extreme (but not in a late 90's way), and it's all sponsored by alcohol companies (drink responsibly).  In this context, for me there's something really pathetic about a no-marijuana clause (insurance regulations be damned) and bunch of whiners who got absurdly indignant given the rule violation.  I'm probably biased though because I don't think marijuana's all that bad in the grand pantheon of drugs (both legal and non).  

 

So I guess that's where I'm sitting.  He was kicking their asses, apparently while high which I think is impressive, in a way (love to see someone do that drunk/hungover).  They all whined like a bunch of punks.  And the show- despite all the noise they create- kind of lost its edge for me.  They should have at least eliminated one of the bottom-dwellers while they were at it.

 

Josh should have just managed anxiety with prescriptions.  I wasn't exactly rooting for him, but now...someone better magically step up (and erase my memory of their random righteous fury).

 

...Wait.  There's a reunion element in the live finale for this show, right?  I do not want to hear Emily's reaction to this drama.

Edited November 12, 2014 by phoenix780

[Kelda Feegle]

1. feelings on marijuana aside he broke rules and had to go - fair enough

2. all the tattoos were crap and I wouldn't want any of them on me. Josh's lady firefighter had the weirdly short arm and the shark completely missed what the canvass wanted to say with his choice and that is a tragedy for someone with an amputation trauma who obviously wanted something specific as part of his dealing/coping/rehabilitation/owning it.

3. part of me wonders if Josh self-sabotaged - scared he wouldn't win and so set it up so he ultimately wouldn't have to.

[thewhiteowl]

Hahaha! Josh had this in the bag and he tosses $100,000 to get stoned? Hahaha, Yes, kids, smoking pot does wonders for your decision making process and mental acuity. Here's proof of that. Hahahaha!

[Hana Chan]

Well, I'm done for the season. I'm not going to stay to watch Cleen McSmuggster win. I can understand the rule against smoking pot since it is still illegal in NY and NJ (which is stupid, but whatever). Josh broke the rules and that was that. But it completely sucks to lose one of the best artists in the competition this year for something really idiotic.

 

And yeah... the timing of this really stinks. My conspiracy meter is pinging.

[sofaslug]

Oh, Josh. What a stupid, stupid thing to do, knowing full well by signing the contract (you did read it, right?) that pot use wasn't ok. Like another poster, I missed how he came to be busted for it.

That said, there should have been a double elimination and Chris should have had to close up shop. Now, I'm not an artist (can't do stick people with a ruler) but, that DNA helix looked more like a rope ladder blowing in the wind.

[PepperMonkey]

Chris has a sweet personality, but he is never going to the finale and I do not know why they didn't go ahead and eliminate him last night.

Remember last season when they did a couple of double eliminations in a row because they said let's get some bottom feeders out of here?

 

STILL FURIOUS with Josh. I agree with WhiteOwl: I'm pretty sure he had this in the bag, even with Cleen declaring himself the best artist since Picasso. Yes, he should have gone, broke the rules, his own fault. But as I said, the timing is suspect. I feel kind of like I felt last year with Kyle. I keep wondering if both Kyle AND Josh didn't come back in agreement with producers that they would lose their shit and go home early. I hope it pays off for them. Josh is still the only one of this entire cast I would let near my skin.

 

Also, I understand what you're saying about stereotypes and all the artists I know personally are good family people, but holy hell, these guys on InkMaster are the worst sort of stereotypes without us even saying anything. If they don't want people to think negatively about the industry, stop casting people who are talentless assholes and/or just assholes in general.

Edited November 12, 2014 by PepperMonkey

[Stimpson]

What a dumb move by Josh.  If it was in the contract he signed as a rules violation then he absolutely should have been booted, regardless of the timing.

 

I guess it's going to be Cleen and Erik in the finale.  That should make them even more conceited, if that's even possible.

 

I like Don as a person but man he's done some bad work this season.

 

I weep for anyone that gets a tat by Chris.

[AlliePK]

 

Yes, I'm sure it is a legal issue.  They don't want them doing anything illegal.  Wouldn't want to besmirch the great reputation of tattooers.

 

 

Really?  On behalf of myself and all those in my profession, thank you for your ludicrous stereotype.

 

Josh signed a contract. A contract that included no illegal drug use.  Since marijuana is illegal in New York and New Jersey, he is in violation of his contract and thus is disqualified from the competition.  Simple as that.

[Dirtybubble]

I think the main problem the other artists had with Josh was that smoking weed gave him an unfair advantage over the other contestants.  Ganja being a natural stress reliever would allow him to handle the pressure while everyone else has to deal on their own.  I don't give two toots what any of them do on their free time but yeah not only is it against the rules it is an unfair advantage and he should have been eliminated.  Good riddance and IMHO I never saw him winning this thing.  In the top 3 maybe but winning, not with Cleen & Erik in the competition.  So long douche bag =)

 

I do wonder what other rules he broke.  I remember specifically David saying he broke several rules so I don't know if that just included pot being illegal and against the contract as several or did something else screwy go down that wasn't mentioned. 

Edited November 12, 2014 by Dirtybubble

[dialyn]

Josh smelled of self-entitlement.  I think he presumed he was such hot stuff that the rules meant for others simply couldn't apply to him.  He could at least back up some of his egotism by actually being able to turn out a decent tattoo, unlike some of the other competitors.

[cpcathy]

I'm going to go out on a limb and call shenanigans, as my conspiracy-meter is also buzzing. I think the producers needed drama and offered Josh a special deal of cash, convinced him he wouldn't have won and gave him a super fake pot story to boot him. Josh's "I didn't think it was a big deal" was just so blase.

[TattleTeeny]

Did anyone else feel like the reveal about Josh came out of nowhere (from an editing standpoint, I mean, as opposed to a sense of "and I thought I knew Josh so well!")? It seemed like the contestants were talking about Josh and his weed as if we already had been introduced to the topic--I felt like I walked into the middle of a conversation because I saw no lead-up! It was tattoo business as usual and, all of a sudden, a "how could he?" discussion. I rewound to see if I missed something and there was nothing there. 

 

Cris pissed me off. I was so excited to see a shark tattoo like the guy wanted! Instead, he just slaps on a picture of a shark, which, unless the canvas is really into sharks (and he might be for all I know), is kind of a random thing to have on one's body.

Edited November 12, 2014 by TattleTeeny

[phoenix780]

I thought it was abrupt, too, and that's why I'm thinking production instigated this whole dramatic event.  Easiest way to get things to erupt is through the questions they ask when they interview people for the talking heads (learned that one from following "Big Brother").  As you rotate through and they come out, they're bound to talk.  You just can't show the beginning of that conversation because it would reference production (as in- "Hey, did they ask you about Josh?  That's so unfair what he's been doing.").  Hence we get something that seems to be in progress when we join.

 

That's my inner conspiracy theorist, though.  I'm probably way off base...but to me it fits, and it's more interesting (I wish reality shows would just admit that production is a factor- the semi-behind-the-scenes stuff is fascinating, imho).

 

I think the main problem the other artists had with Josh was that smoking weed gave him an unfair advantage over the other contestants.  Ganja being a natural stress reliever would allow him to handle the pressure while everyone else has to deal on their own.  I don't give two toots what any of them do on their free time but yeah not only is it against the rules it is an unfair advantage and he should have been eliminated.  Good riddance and IMHO I never saw him winning this thing.  In the top 3 maybe but winning, not with Cleen & Erik in the competition.  So long douche bag =)

 

I do wonder what other rules he broke.  I remember specifically David saying he broke several rules so I don't know if that just included pot being illegal and against the contract as several or did something else screwy go down that wasn't mentioned. 

I have a hard time seeing it as an unfair advantage.  Against the rules, against the law- sure.  But some kind of extra bonus that they can't access a different way...I'm not seeing that aspect of it.  There are lots of ways to reduce stress (like, say, sitting on a balcony smoking cigarettes and complaining, as they did last night to introduce this topic).  Is marijuana really that superior?  

[WickedTuna]

Now, I'm not an artist (can't do stick people with a ruler) but, that DNA helix looked more like a rope ladder blowing in the wind.

~lmao~ that is hilarious! I'm going to have to borrow it.

I agree with the poster that Josh probably thought since he was all that they wouldn't eliminate him. I can just imagine what he he was thinking...Moi? How dare you. Do you know who I am? He should have asked his doctor for some Valium before he left home.

[TattleTeeny]

Thank you--I thought I had lost my mind or missed something.

[Monty]

I'm going to go out on a limb and call shenanigans, as my conspiracy-meter is also buzzing. I think the producers needed drama and offered Josh a special deal of cash, convinced him he wouldn't have won and gave him a super fake pot story to boot him. Josh's "I didn't think it was a big deal" was just so blase.

I'll go farther than that. I think Josh was brought into this season with the understanding that he wouldn't be allowed to win. He was just cast so he and Jason would provide the ready-made "rivalry" angle to explain the season. And if he got too far, they'd eliminate him with a phony scandal.

 

I have a very similar theory about the way Willam was eliminated on RuPaul's Drag Race that one time.

[TattleTeeny]

The whole rivals thing is so stupid! It doesn't even make sense from a competition standpoint! Maybe if it was done in a sort of Survivor way, where they're a team until numbers dwindle and then it's every man for himself or something. But the way this is, the rival part has barely come into play in the challenges. And with people being eliminated one by one, not everyone even has a rival anymore, so what's the point here?

[Muffyn]

Also, I understand what you're saying about stereotypes and all the artists I know personally are good family people, but holy hell, these guys on InkMaster are the worst sort of stereotypes without us even saying anything. If they don't want people to think negatively about the industry, stop casting people who are talentless assholes and/or just assholes in general.

The issue I have with the show is the way they choose to present tattoo artists as overly aggressive assholes constantly looking for a fight.  They have no problem keeping the booze handy and they try to up the drama by creating any kind of disputes possibles.  So basically the show tries to show tattoo artists as a huge bunch of assholes.  So when I mentioned besmirching the great reputation of tattooers, I should have been more clear that I was speaking about the reputation as bad boy outsiders one step from a complete meltdown/busting heads that is promoted through this show.  Of course, when they actually talk to them as individuals, rather than trying to create Dramuh!, we see parents concerned about taking care of their children, people who have had struggles in life that they have overcome and, in most cases, professionals trying to do their best as artists.  However, that is not the focus of the show.  

[cpcathy]

I thought of Willam's situation on RPDR as well, and I think it's amusing that the same person who watches this show will also watch a drag race competition.

[thewhiteowl]

I don't see a producer conspiracy here. IMO there are certain types of people who think the rules don't apply to them, arrogance, entitlement or hubris, whatever you call it, Josh had it and IMO so did Willam. They got caught and tossed. It happens in every workplace.

I feel bad for whoever does win, now and forever they will hear "Josh should have won"  and that's a shame. And I disagree, Josh deserved to get tossed and that's all he deserved. He brought and used an illegal substance endangering the entire process. He's lucky the police were not involved. I don't know if it was cheating but I'm sure he had the advantage of being less stressed than the competition at least when he was stoned. Then being so down on Jason for his stress? He should have shared. lol j/k.

[Charlesman]

I don't think anyone left has enough skill for me to find myself rooting for them. It's not like in Season 1, where there was so much talent the eventual winner was decided because the runner-up had one B+ level tattoo back several weeks before and that was the only difference between the two. Now everyone sucks at least a little, and some suck a lot.

 

Cris has a golden horseshoe up his ass, that's for sure. He should have been eliminated six times already. Guy is terrible. His shark was a copout and his DNA was horrific. He couldn't make straight lines or curves work. Seems every time someone else does something impossibly worse.

 

 

(and on the drug controversy, rules are rules for liability reasons. I'm sure the standard contract says "no illegal drugs" because the producers don't want to be sued if some contestant OD's or goes on a bath-salts-fueled murder spree while living in the housing they provide. Plus, that... they provide the housing and could lose the permit from the city to have the show set there in the future. Josh was a moron and deserves to be kicked out. It reminds me of when Marcel got assaulted (by the legal definition) on Top Chef... guys were just kidding with him but the rough-housing went just one step too far for one minute, and the producers had to step in and kick off a chef because of it. No choice for production.)

[qtpye]

Damn it Josh, I was rooting for you....we were all rooting for you.  If this was not a production set up, then I truly do not understand why the hell you would do something so stupid and you knew that the show would have a zero tolerance policy for something like this?  I can not blame this on you being stupid, because I know you are fairly intelligent, even in your more arrogant moments.  It felt like you left in disgrace, far worse then just doing a bad tattoo.

Edited November 12, 2014 by qtpye

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I don't know if it was cheating but I'm sure he had the advantage of being less stressed than the competition at least when he was stoned.

Josh pretty much admitted that it was giving him an advantage in the way he denied that was why he was doing it. He's often insulted other contestants for not being willing to exploit any available opportunity to win, but in this case he was crossing a legal boundary, so I think that qualifies as cheating. The judges may not have cared since he was such a favorite of theirs, but the wrong person found out. I suspect most, if not all, of the scenes relating to the issue were staged to explain why he was being bounced.

[AppleCore]

I think Emily is behind Josh's exit. She said she would be back with an extra wild in her eyes. I think she told production about his use then, expecting they would bring her back into the competition to keep the numbers right. They can't take the word of CrazyBitch, so they either had to do a blood test that took a while for results, or catch him in the act. I don't think he was smoking right before he worked, I think the worst stress was right before judging panel. He wanted to appear calm and non-defensive and in control. When they first teased about this, I fully expected him to produce a medical use certificate and a Colorado driver's license.

[phoenix780]

I thought of Willam's situation on RPDR as well, and I think it's amusing that the same person who watches this show will also watch a drag race competition.

Add me to the list of those who watch Ink Master and the gloriousness that is RPDR.  I thought of Willam too- wasn't one of the suggests at some point that he was smoking pot, too?  

 

I think Emily is behind Josh's exit. She said she would be back with an extra wild in her eyes. I think she told production about his use then, expecting they would bring her back into the competition to keep the numbers right. They can't take the word of CrazyBitch, so they either had to do a blood test that took a while for results, or catch him in the act. I don't think he was smoking right before he worked, I think the worst stress was right before judging panel. He wanted to appear calm and non-defensive and in control. When they first teased about this, I fully expected him to produce a medical use certificate and a Colorado driver's license.

That sounds...like a strong possibility.  Also an unfortunate one.  She had some kind of on-camera reaction to nearly everything that happened, except when she was dying in a bathroom for 5 minutes.  For her to do something this fun off-camera...not cool, Emily.  Not cool.

 

Have to admit, I'm liking this little bit of controversy.  The tattooing is weak, the personalities are obnoxious, imho.  This is giving me something to play with.  As a bonus, it's helping me kill a bit of time being stupid during the workday, which is what I think all good television should ultimately do.  

[TresGatos]

OK..rules are rules and Josh signed a contract so he had to go but I think the rest of them should be eliminated as well for being a bunch of whiny pussies.

[thewhiteowl]

OK..rules are rules and Josh signed a contract so he had to go but I think the rest of them should be eliminated as well for being a bunch of whiny pussies.

 

 Even Josh has been a whiny pussy so there would be no show at all.

[MuMuGuy]

I wonder why they've been hesitant to do double eliminations this season. They had 2 or 3 consecutive episodes with double eliminations last year and they needed to do one this week for sure. Even though Joshua did deserve to go for breaking the rules, Chris should've been given the boot for that horrible tattoo and the fact that he is consistently on the bottom. I'm tired of his "I know I can do better" speeches. Competition shows like this need a 3-Strikes Rule, which holds that a competitor gets the boot automatically on their 3rd time in the bottom.

 

With Joshua gone, I honestly hope Cleen wins, if for no other reason than he's the only one there that doesn't whine and complain over being given a difficult client. I can't stand seeing adults whining like a child that didn't get a new toy.

Edited November 13, 2014 by MuMuGuy

[SGTCpride123]

Josh probably only broke one rule. When you break a rule, no one usually says, "You broke a rule." That's probably why Dave said he broke the "Rules."

 

The other artists said Josh was cheating because he went against the contract and still tried to stay on the show. You could tell if you listen real closely to what the artists said. I caught this after re-watching this episode, today.

 

They didn't show Josh packing his machines because he might've already packed when he went to his room and another artist asked if he was going to pack up his stuff.

[Muffyn]

I think they also wanted the big dramatic look of Josh being escorted out.  Of all of the nutjobs on this season, I really don't think they had something to fear from him.

 

I wish Cris had been eliminated.  That is one seriously bad tattoo.  The design was bad; the execution was terrible.  And, as others have noted, he's spending a lot of time in the bottom.  He's the Wendy Pepper of the competition - just barely one up from the worst.  

[303420]

Assuming nothing was manufactured, I have to say I'm right there with Josh in being gobsmacked that anyone gave a crap about his toking.

 

In this day and age, pot is becoming so much more accepted and so commonplace that many of us potheads are used to not needing to hide it so much. I bet two thirds of potheads have an employment contract that prohibits consumption of illegal drugs. I certainly did at my previous job (which I left voluntarily), and everyone there, including the boss, knew I toked, but no one cared because I was great at my job and it was never an issue. A guy in another department got fired for being stoned at work and I totally get that. Perhaps it could be argued that on Ink Master you're on the job all the time, but at the same time, I can totally see how if you're going to be constantly around a bunch of artists and alternative counter-culture folks, you don't think twice about it.

 

In Josh's shoes, it never would have occurred to me that anyone would care that I was toking, no matter what I'd signed. It's hard to even think of it as "an illegal drug" anymore. I'd be more likely to expect that someone would ask to share (which I happily would have; maybe the fact that no one did should have been a tip-off that it wasn't all good).

 

Rules are rules and all that, but I get how it didn't occur to Josh that it would be an issue. I wouldn't have thought it would be. Frankly, I'm surprised that sentiment isn't more present here. I'm not surprised that the little hashtag poll ended with #KeepJosh.

 

FTR, I have no particular affinity for Josh. Sometimes he's a dick. Overall he's a good tattoo artist. I wouldn't travel to get a tat from him but I wouldn't run away screaming either.

[aussieinsydney]

Damnit Josh. I am disappoint. :(

They should have at least eliminated one of the bottom-dwellers while they were at it.

 

 

Cris or Jason defintely should have been eliminated for their pieces of crap tattoos.

 

Josh is still the only one of this entire cast I would let near my skin.

 

 

WORD.

[WickedTuna]

Rules are rules and all that, but I get how it didn't occur to Josh that it would be an issue. I wouldn't have thought it would be. Frankly, I'm surprised that sentiment isn't more present here. I'm not surprised that the little hashtag poll ended with #KeepJosh.

 

I can see how maybe it wouldn't occur to him the other artists would mind but he had to know TPTB would. They didn't put it in the contract just to use up more trees.

OK..rules are rules and Josh signed a contract so he had to go but I think the rest of them should be eliminated as well for being a bunch of whiny pussies.

i thought they were a little OTT with their reactions. They were acting like he'd done something unspeakable to them.

[psychoticstate]

I don't think it s so much that Josh was smoking pot as it was that he had an illegal drug on the property.  Nunez did say something about not owning the property so I think that's where the issue was.

 

I'm disappointed that Josh is gone since I was rooting for him.  Other than Don being pretty, I don't really care about anyone else.  I do think it will now come down to Rock and Erik.  Sigh.

 

Add me to the list of posters who think Emily may be behind this.  She was eliminated last week but in the show's timeline that would have been a day or two before this happened so very likely.  I find it hard to believe that others knew what was going on and didn't say anything based on their bitching after it was revealed and the fact that there's always some kind of narc-ing that happens every season (although usually it's whining about tracing or some other form of "cheating".)

 

I wonder if the disqualification will eliminate Josh from being voted back.

[leighdear]

Josh entertained me.  99% of the time, I'm annoyed by overconfident and boasting people, but something about him just made me smile & want him to win.  

 

When he was in front of the judges and did his apology, his voice seemed to break a bit.  Maybe relief in being done with the whole thing, or maybe I imagined it.  I buy the whole "It was a set-up from the beginning" deal.  Stranger things happen and there could have been a nice payday for him without winning the title.  

 

Whatevs.  Now, I really don't care who wins.  But I would absolutely vote him back for a 3rd round.  

[Evagirl]

I believe Josh would have won the whole thing.  I think he was one of the best artists this season.  However, smoking weed to get rid of jitters or for whatever reason is wrong.  There were artists who were on the verge of nervous breakdowns but still plowed through the challenges.  So it was cheating to smoke weed because weed does calm the nerves. 

 

If memory serves me right, I think he was caught tracing tats he'd found on the computer rather than drawing originals or something like that when he was on the first time.  When he was called out in front of the judges, they said they didn't care as long as a good tatoo was done.

 

The judges always have a favorite and I think it broke their hearts that due to legal reasons Josh had to leave the show.  It was obvious he was their favorite this season.

 

 

[Kromm]

Really? Josh gets eliminated because he smoked weed? You have got to be kidding me. There are artists who have done far worse who outlived their welcome.

Honestly, who CARES what he smoked? (the viewing audience certainly didn't according to that instant poll)  Pot isn't exactly performance enhancing. Is there a rule they can't have a beer before each round as well?

 

That said, I suppose they had to ditch him to protect themselves legally. Unless Josh had a prescription (which I doubt--but this is shot in California, right?  So it's at least possible).

 

EDIT - I forgot.  This is actually shot in New York.  Which wasn't legal for medical marijuana until this September.  Also, apparently NY has the most restrictive medical marijuana law out there.  Very few people qualify--its for serious terminal diseases and a proven list of chronic pain related issues.  Not for vague B.S. like "anxiety".  And it can't be smoked--it's only allowed in non-smoking forms.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Kromm

[LoneHaranguer]

 

Honestly, who CARES what he smoked?

Josh's mistake was probably getting caught on camera. The producers can't look the other way if there's footage to prove what he was doing.

[Madding crowd]

I think there is something fishy about the whole 'scandal' and I wouldn't be surprised if it was entirely made up. So yes, Josh is supposed to follow the rules if he signed a contract. But the endless wailing of the other artists claiming Josh personally hurt them and cheated them in some way, how?

 

Even if Josh smoked to be more calm, how does that affect the other artists. When you are at judging panel they look at the quality of your tattoo, not how calm you are. I liked Josh and liked his work and don't like anyone else remaining.

 

In regarding to copying images last season: all tattoo artists copy images. The Empire State building, animals, eagles, geishas, etc are all copied on this show and in real life. If you want a very specific image, you are going to get a copy. Very few people can draw these type of intricate designs freehand. 

[Kromm]

Josh responds: http://www.ibtimes.com/ink-master-season-5-spoilers-josh-hibbard-responds-episode-11-rivals-shocker-1722199