Peck could not be reached for comment, but he made public apologies on Instagram.
“After filming 13 great seasons of Ink Masters, the producers and I have decided it’s best to part ways,” Peck said Jan. 7 in a statement on Instagram. “I want to thank the cast, crew, the contestants and all the awesome fans of the show. It’s been a blast and I wish all my friends and colleagues the very best in whatever the future may hold.”
The photos initially reported on by TMZ were from Peck’s old Myspace account. In the photos, Peck can be seen in various costumes in blackface. In one, he’s dressed in a sports jersey with the letter "N" and shorts, with an afro wig and a white headband dribbling a basketball. He can even be seen applying the dark-toned foundation in some of the photos.
“I want to profusely apologize for my completely inappropriate, insensitive and immature behavior,” Peck said Jt on Instagram. “I look at those photos and it’s hard for me to believe that I could have been so clueless, insensitive and dumb. I hope that I’ve matured a great deal since then and I’m deeply sorry for everyone I’ve offended.”
The date of the pictures is unclear.
Paramount Network released a statement saying: “We, like many others, were appalled when we saw the photos of Oliver. We were glad to see his apology and accept that he is taking full responsibility for the damaging impact of his actions.”“I want to profusely apologize for my completely inappropriate, insensitive and immature behavior.” — Oliver Peck
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Since the show's 2012 premier, Peck has been a judge on judged Ink Masters alongside musician Dave Navarro and the tattoo artist Chris Núñez. Peck's replacement has not yet been announced.
Peck is one of 15 other tattoo artists at Elm Street Tattoo, which he co-owns with Dean Williams. Along with the tattoo parlor, Peck also owns the Deep Ellum spot Tiki Loco Coffee and Tacos and has hosted festivals in Dallas in years past. It is still uncertain how this will affect his D-FW business ventures.
Elm Street Tattoo declined to comment.
