Top 10 Worst Celebrity Tattoos
Celebrities love to show off their tattoos – for the most part - but many of these celebrities probably regret these tattoos. Whether the tattoo has no meaning to them anymore, was spelled improperly, is in a different language and doesn't make sense, or was a foolish dedication to a previous relationship, we've got them all covered like Chris Andersen's (Birdman) tattooed body. We'll tell you the meaning, or the original meaning, and where it went wrong for Kellyn Osbourne, Kimberly Stewart (Rod Stewart's daughter), Ryan Gosling – sorry – Ryan Cabrera, Hayden Panettiere with a misspelled Italian slogan, Chris Brown, Angelina Jolie and her ode to Billy Bob Thornton, and of course, Mike Tyson's infamous face tattoo. You'll get some great tattoo ideas. Or, at least, what not to get tattooed on your body for life.
#10: Daddy’s Little Girl Loves…
Kimberly Stewart
Given the music cred of this socialite’s father Rod, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Kimberly Stewart paid homage with some body ink back in 2005. Sure, the location of her “Daddy’s Little Girl” tat is somewhat disturbing, since that’s a fairly intimate area. Buuut there’s more. The bottom half of the tattoo at one time was meant to be a love letter to another important man in Kimberly’s life: then-fiancé Cisco Adler. When the relationship went south, it no longer made sense to have Adler’s name… down there, and she had one letter changed, making her ink read “Daddy’s Little Girl Loves Disco.”
#9: Keyboard
Kelly Osbourne
Here’s yet another fashionable daughter of a noted musician, who even dabbled in the music industry herself. But until a 2013 laser removal procedure, she was also the girl with the keyboard tattoo. The ink was definitely not hidden, brightly colored and positioned smack dab on her forearm. But the real kicker is that she’s admitted that piano playing is not one of her actual skills, citing her misery as the key inspiration for the ill-advised ink. But all things must pass, and Kelly ultimately zapped her instrumental tat, only to later rock a head tattoo with a more substantial message.
#8: Ryan Gosling’s Face
Ryan Cabrera
In 2013, this “True” singer educated society in the art of “tattoo roulette,” a game in which you a wear a blindfold and get inked up with your pal’s tat selection. Cabrera won big, however, because he got an image of heartthrob Ryan Gosling. Granted, Cabrera was allowed to specify where the eventual ode to the Canadian hunk wound up, so he relegated it to his lower extremities. This portrait has been called the “Bentley of tattoos” by some… well, actually just by Ryan Cabrera... but despite the distinguished look of Gosling’s mug we can’t help but feel it’s sitting in judgment of some of Cabrera’s life choices.
#7: Free Bird
Chris Andersen
Known as the “Birdman,” this unique individual is one of the NBA’s standout players. He’s no stranger to the tattoo game either, but one of these pieces of “art” is really noticeable: his massive neck tattoo. For the full “Free Bird” experience, one may need a couple of different angles to truly appreciate the collective vision of the art. But the meaning behind the tattoo is actually quite simple: Chris Anderson saw the opportunity to commemorate both his personal moniker and his liking of Lynyrd Skynyrd in one fell swoop. The result is one of the most vibrant tattoos in 21st century professional sports. Fly high, Free Bird.
#6: Billy Bob
Angelina Jolie
After an Oscar-nominated performance in 1999’s “Girl, Interrupted,” this controversial actress embarked on a well-documented relationship with Billy Bob Thornton. It seems Angelina Jolie was confident about the relationship’s future, since she got her new hubby’s name on her shoulder. However, the couple divorced in 2003, and soon afterwards, his name and the accompanying Chinese Dragon were removed. Once Angie’s relationship with Brat Pitt evolved, she gave the same spot a newer design with a more lasting meaning – well, until they split up too. Angelina broke the so-called “First Commandment of Getting Inked”, but hey – tattoo-loving celebrities surely maintain a small budget for potential laser procedures.
#5: Vivere senza “rimipianti”
Hayden Panettiere
This 5-foot actress probably should have brushed up on her Italiano before getting this body art. Though she intended to feature the life mantra of “to live without regrets” along her rib cage, unfortunately the design of “vivere senza rimipianti” has a major flaw, as the last word of the poignant phrase – meant to be rimpianti, Italian for “regrets” – was misspelled. Panettiere “regretted” that all the way to the tattoo removal parlor in 2013… though that was a full four years after getting it in the first place. Thing is, there is a great sense of irony to the whole thing.
#4: Day of the Dead Skull
Chris Brown
In 2009, this pop star’s reputation was forever tarnished when reports came out about him physically assaulting then girlfriend Rihanna. Three years later, Chris Brown made the conscious decision to celebrate Mexico’s Day of the Dead not just in spirit, but also on his neck… at least that’s what he claims. The public didn’t react favorably when Brown modeled his new body ink at red carpet events, as some critics pointed out that the tattoo looks like a battered woman, and may bear a resemblance to photos of Rihanna’s injuries from the domestic violence case. Either way, maybe next time pick something that can’t be that misinterpreted.
#3: Make Love, Not War
Jay Bothroyd
Here’s a celebrity tattoo with a clear message – or at least it is to English footballer Jay Bothroyd. On first look, the eye is drawn to the large grenade, or even to the machine gun. But what might not be so obvious is that the collective weaponry spells out “LOVE” in an “artistic” way, according to him. When Bothroyd posted his bare torso to social media, he was criticized for promoting weapons and crime in general, and accused of insensitivity towards victims of violence. His response? That it means “you have to fight for love.” Well, you’ll have to fight to get people to accept that.
#2: Tribal Tattoo
Mike Tyson
In the ring, this boxing legend struck fear into the hearts of opponents with just his menacing gaze, and he was dubbed “the scariest boxer ever” by Sky Sports. Then a 2003 tribal tattoo only added to his persona, as the face art further demonstrated that “The Baddest Man on the Planet” was not afraid of anything. It’s a tattoo that one commits to, even if the inspiration had less to do with culture and more to do with being a “pretty wild” guy. Actually, believe it or not, this was one of his tamer ideas! Even so, the unique ink marked the beginning of the face tattoo scene, with Mike Tyson becoming the defining figure of the trend.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Lil Wayne
- Rex Ryan
- Bam Margera
#1: Ice Cream Cone
Gucci Mane
Whereas Mike Tyson loves him some tribal art, here’s a rap artist that loves him some ice cream. In 2011, Rolling Stone asked Mane the most pressing question of all: what does it mean? Quite simply: Gucci Mane is “cool as ice,” according to his rep, and those four letters on the tattooed cone refer to how he’ll “make ya say Brrr.” Gucci hadn’t really been hiding his cool demeanor, or his love of the ice cream image, having worn it around his neck several times. His single “Gucci Time” lets you know he’s “colder than a polar bear sleepin’ in the freezer.” That’s great, Gucci, but now we just want some ice cream.
Do you agree with our list? Which celebrity do you think has the most dreadful tattoo? For more entertaining Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.