I've only got one tattoo and its a black slash on my calf. I got it from trying to shoot a 357 magnum at a 100 yard piece of steel. Laid on my back and rested it just below the knee on my right leg with my leg bent. Got me through my jeans.
I really like Hickok's videos. I'm a big fan. Some of his vids are a little on the silly side (i.e. shooting a lawn mower with a .50 cal) but he generally takes the side of safety and caution. I think this is more of a poor comparison than sensationalism. There's a reason they do testing with ballistics gel and not paper or something else.
Years ago I took FIL+BIL's to the "Back 40" range. None of them had fired a handgun much (If at all??).
FIL wanted to shoot my Ruger BlackHawk .357. I was talking to His Son+looked over to see Him with the barrel laid over his left forearm (You know-John Wayne style)--BOOM--G*D D***IT--WHAT the HELL is wrong with this gun?? As he was rubbing the black off of his forearm!!
Needless to say, I let Him know that Ruger could not remove STUPID from the operation of a revolver...Yea, I was back in place as the "Black Sheep" of the family HA HA...Bill.