The comedian and actor has been undergoing tattoo removal since 2020, with much of them on his arms, hands, and neck gone. He initially said that he wanted to remove them due to how long the ink took to cover up with makeup while he was on set.
In a new interview with Variety, Pete said of his tattoos, “It was really just because I wasn’t taking care of myself. I used to be a drug addict and I was a sad person, and I felt ugly and that I needed to be covered up.”
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with tattoos, but mine, when I look at them, I remember a sad person that was very unsure. So I’m just removing them and starting fresh, because that’s what I think works best for me and for my brain,” he continued.
Now that he’s sober, Pete explained, “When I look in the mirror, I don’t want the reminder of ‘Oh yeah, you were a fucking drug addict. Like, that’s why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back.’ They should have meaning. Not just that I was high watching Game of Thrones.”
Logistically, it’s a tough process as it takes six weeks to heal after each session — with each tattoo needing 10-12 sessions. “I have to plan it in between work,” he explained. “That’s 60 weeks of your life right there on just one tattoo to remove. So, it’s pretty horrible. It’s like putting your arm on a grill and burning off a layer, and then you gotta do maintenance and let it heal properly. And it’s pretty tough. It sucks, I’m not gonna lie.”
As for how much the whole thing is costing, Pete said, “It’s a pretty uncomfortable amount of money to disclose, but I think one of the tabloids already leaked it. I’ve already spent like 200K and I’m like 30% done. So, like, it’s gonna suck. Now that I’ve said [the tattoo remover’s] name, though, he’s a little nicer, for sure.”
One day at a time, Pete! You can read the full interview here.