X

Woman tattoos forehead for $10K

Jennifer Guevin Managing Editor / Reviews
Jennifer Guevin is managing editor at CNET, overseeing the ever-helpful How To section, special packages, and front-page programming. As a writer, she gravitates toward science, quirky geek culture stories, robots, and food. In real life, she mostly just gravitates toward food.
Jennifer Guevin
2 min read
By now, stories of people offering to don corporate logos on various body parts are a dime a dozen. But some are just too sensational to ignore.

The latest in eBay mania is the story of Karolyne Smith, a Salt Lake City, Utah, woman who recently auctioned off her forehead to any company willing to plop down $10,000. In return, Smith agreed to get a permanent tattoo of the company's logo placed square in the middle of her forehead.

Karolyne Smith
Credit: GoldenPalace.com

Within only a few days of the auction's start, the self-proclaimed "Forehead Goldie" appeared on CBS's nightly news, was fielding offers for interviews from local radio shows, and made it to the No. 2 spot on eBay's list of most watched items. With press coverage at its peak, Smith had created just the kind of marketing frenzy companies look for. And who stepped in to seize the opportunity? All together now, class: GoldenPalace.com.

Using eBay's "Buy it now" feature, the online casino sealed Smith's fate for a cool $10 grand. And it appears Smith meant business. She went through with the tattoo this week, reportedly after employees at the tattoo parlor she selected spent seven hours trying to talk her out of it. PRNewswire is hosting video of the tattooing taking place as well as some crowd reactions after Smith exited the parlor with her newly decorated noggin.

In her original auction posting, Smith says she loves to be the center of attention. Looks like she and GoldenPalace.com just might be boon companions.