Tattoo Artist Talks Origin Of One Of The Undertaker's Tattoos, Asking Taker If Wrestling Is Real
Last year, world famous tattoo artist, Paul Booth told a story to Inked about a time back in the 90s when he worked on The Undertaker at a tattoo convention. While working on Taker in a hotel room, some fans stopped by and wanted to give Booth a human head they found in the cemetery as a gift. A bit freaked out, Taker would stay behind as Booth went to check it out.
In the video above, Booth talked again about that same encounter with The Undertaker to Loudwire, but focused more on The Deadman's demeanor, along with the origin of one of his tattoos.
"That was the first-time?I believe?I met him," Booth said. "Very quiet guy, very in character. Quiet, big, menacing guy, he had to duck and turn sideways to walk into the hotel room. I remember thinking, 'Holy crap, this guy is huge.' ... The Undertaker's a guy that really only speaks when he had something to say. As I remember it, ya know? I mean we've had great conversations, very polite guy, very serious guy, but very friendly. You see him being The Undertaker in real life, 'Yeah, that's The Undertaker.' He still has that vibe, I mean it's very genuine."
Booth noted the large demon tattoo on Taker's arm was inspired by The Deadman himself.
"I tattooed his bicep," Booth continued. "The demon I drew was inspired by him, because of the way he would come into his victim [during the pin] and kind of had that thing going on. So, I did this tattoo of a demon kind of lurching forward, not him, but inspired by him. And I remember his arm was so huge it was like doing a back piece, I couldn't even wrap my hand around it."
Because he couldn't help himself, Booth said he had to ask if wrestling was real and Undertaker gave him a simple response.
"He just sat down, and didn't move," Booth recalled. "I?of course?asked the question, 'Is that s— real?' And he's like, 'I'm a hurtin' motherf—er, man.'
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Loudwire with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.