Cher is a pop culture icon who excels at firsts. According to The Hollywood Reporter in 2011, she was the only artist with No. 1 records in six consecutive decades. It is the oldest female to be a No. She is the oldest woman to have a No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 song, a feat she achieved in 1998 when her hit dance “Believe” was released. Cher’s boldly showing off tattoos is another area where she is an unusual woman.
Cher spoke out about how she had recently removed a tattoo in a 2008 interview for USA Today. She explained that only two women did the tattooing: Janis Joplin, Cher, and biker girls. It doesn’t really mean anything. It’s not surprising. My tattoo was a sign of independence. It happened right after my departure from Sonny Bono. It was my badge. Parade’s 2010 article gives an estimated date of Cher’s first ink tattoo. Other sources, including Purple Clover and News 24, give the dates as 1972 or 1973. Cher’s new status as a single woman was celebrated with what type of design?
CHER & DAVID LETTERMAN TALK ABOUT HER TATTOOS
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Cher was interviewed by David Letterman in 2013 on his late-night talk show. Letterman also spoke about Cher’s tattoos. She corrected the host when he quoted her as having said she had tattoos she’d never seen, noting, “That’s not what I said; I have tattoos that I hardly ever see. “When I was with a boyfriend, they told me all about it,” she said gesturing behind her while holding her thumb. Rosie O’Donnell interviewed her about tattoos from around the same period. The interview is available on the same YouTube link. She called them “passe”, and said that she had “em all over me”. It would be nice to just look at my body once in a while before I go. it.”
Cher also mentioned the connections she had with Janis Joplin as they were both early tattoo adopters. After reminiscing, she said that “I believe my first tattoo was on my butt.” Letterman asked Cher if she was interested in …” and Cher replied, with deadpan: “Hi, sailor.” Letterman winked and she continued to laugh as the studio audience applauded. “That was on one side. That’s what it said. Cher, who was then 27 years old, said that the art had advanced in the past few decades and she would like to remove them.
CHER’S TATTOOS ARE PART OF HER IMAGE
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Cher is not known for her actual tattoos on her butt. Cher made the 1989 video for “Turn Back Time”, which showed her on a battleship wearing a very revealing leather-and mesh costume that highlighted her butterfly tattoos and the flowers across her backside. According to a Baltimore Sun 1996 article, Cher has made references to “a garden”. [her] she said, “Butt”, and that of her early body artwork, “My mother wasn’t happy.” All were shocked. That was fine with me. Everybody has a tattoo.”
According to The Baltimore Sun, Cher has six tattoos total at the time and is considering having all of them removed. She joked again about her life without her iconic ink and said that she couldn’t picture what it would look like without all of the you know. News 24 reported that her tattoos also include a necklace and black orchids on her right arm. A chrysanthemum is on her left leg.
