Scott Campbell is one of the most influential figures in modern tattooing — a true luminary of the craft who’s tattooed tens of thousands of people, including some of the most recognizable names in culture. From royal palaces and private jets to backstage rooms and moving vehicles, Scott’s work lives in the most intimate place possible: someone’s body. And trust is always the through line.

In this conversation, Yale (a man with zero tattoos and a healthy fear of permanence) sits down with Scott to talk about what tattooing really is: control, surrender, agency, and identity. Scott shares how he didn’t grow up “creative” in the romantic way people imagine — he grew up in rural Louisiana where art wasn’t a thing… until ninth grade, when he realized he could draw. Tattooing began as punk-rock rebellion and a middle finger to responsibility — and turned into the ultimate vehicle for freedom.

They also get into Scott’s surprisingly deep philosophy: protecting clients from their worst impulses, designing tattoos with the future in mind, and why he’s pro “get Jenny’s name tattooed” if you love Jenny today. The conversation expands into Scott’s relationship with money (as freedom), the illusion of freedom in the fine art world, and why “Dad Scott” is the version he’s most proud of. He opens up about what it really takes to have “the best divorce ever,” the power of a divorce ceremony, and why co-parenting well is worth doing anything for — because it doubles your Christmases. The result is funny, raw, and unexpectedly wise — a conversation in Scott’s Office.

Don’t miss this episode where Scott talks about:

• Tattooing in the wild: royal palaces, private jets, prison cells, and moving vehicles
• How tattoos became synonymous with agency
• Why his job is simply trust
• His take on partner-name tattoos
• Freedom as the real currency
• “Dad Scott” as his favorite self
• A divorce ceremony, and choosing respect over destruction
• Creativity and the subconscious, and why sleep is part of the process

Find Scott:

IG: @scottcampbell

TikTok: @thatscottcampbell

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

Thank you for listening.