Trace Cyrus cancels Canadian concert because of tattoo-harassment stress

Trace Cyrus

A few months ago, Trace Cyrus (via his little sister, Noah) claimed to have been denied entry into a Kentucky restaurant because of his tattoos. The details of the situation were unclear. Trace may have been trying to dine shirtless, or perhaps the restaurant actually rejected him for his extensive body ink. He was very upset about the situation, and I felt badly for him. Trace’s tattoos can’t be covered up (they practically form a shirt tattoo); removal would be a terribly painful, long process. He also loves his tattoos and shouldn’t ever have to consider removing them.

Trace has reached another stumbling block as a result of his tattoos. He posted the announcment on Instagram (but has since taken his account private). Trace cross-posted the announcement to the Facebook page of his band, Metro Station. Trace says he cancelled his Canadian concert because of stress. Every time he tries to cross the border, he’s detained because of his tattoos, and he can’t bear to go through it again:

Toronto I deeply apologize but I won’t be making it to the Warped Tour date today in Canada. Most every time I cross into Canada, border agents treat me like a criminal. Even though I’ve never been arrested, had a DUI, or any serious trouble with the law. With the image I have I become an immediate target. One of my last times going there I was put in a room for hours and interrogated and searched till after hours of them finding nothing they finally let me go. I suffer from severe anxiety and panic attacks and the idea of being detained in a room against my will is just something I can’t handle mentally right now. I’m embarrassed that I have to cancel this show. I’ve been around the world playing shows since I was 18 and never have I been treated this way in any other country. My fans in Canada are amazing. I love playing shows there but right now this issue is just stoping me from making it to this show. When u r part of a very famous family it seems they r hoping they find something illegal just so they can make a news story about it and make an example out of me. I hope u guys can be understanding and realize I am deeply sorry and I will be back to Canada in the future to make it up to u. Once again I apologize to my fans, band, and everyone involved in warped tour.

[From Trace Cyrus/Metro Station on Facebook]

Panic attacks are no joke. If border agents truly detain Trace for no reason except for his tattoos, it’s hard to blame him for feeling harassed. It’s also possible that agents really do want to make an example of him because of his family ties. There’s no easy solution to this dilemma. Poor Trace.

Trace Cyrus

Trace Cyrus

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN

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161 Responses to “Trace Cyrus cancels Canadian concert because of tattoo-harassment stress”

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  1. Franca says:

    Poor guy, being detained must be a horrible experience if he has anxiezy and panic attacks.

    Tattoos ate not my cup of tea, but they certainly don’t mean that the person is a criminal. What is wrong with people.

    The only thing I will never understand are face tattoos. Why would anyone tattoo their face?

    • Tiffany says:

      I have been to Canada twice. When I was in Montreal, no issue with customs officer.

      Vancouver. I arrive, fill out my card and of course I got this barely legal junkbox. Asked me the standard questions and then asked how a student can afford to travel. So I just looked at him because I did not have an answer. The he asked why I was fidgety (which I was not) and I said I have been in the air and airports for 8 hours and I am tired and just want to leave.

      It was odd and on this one, I can see Trace POV.

      • Who ARE these people? says:

        Vancouver has something of an injected drug problem. That might explain it, but the officer sounds like a “sit still, stop fidgeting!” kind of kindergarten teacher.

      • Mary-Alice says:

        These are absolut3ly standard questions and far from any harassing, and quite usual in the process of determining if a person has something to hide or npt. They are asked not only at Vancouver’s airport but at many others as well. In fact, these are very gentle poking questions, from my experience, amd I don’t have tattoes. As someone who often travels around Europe I find this guy’s whining quite ridiculous. First the restaurant, now the border officers, next will be the barrista. He should focus on therapy if he is sincere, the problem is not witn others.

      • TotallyBiased says:

        “Why are you fidgety” is standard? For an interrogation, maybe, but not just going through customs. I thought you Canadians were supposed to be the nice and gemtle folks and we US cits in the police state–but sometimes I wonder.

      • Tessy says:

        Well we aren’t near as nice as we used to be after 10+ years of that evil sh*t harper. Our cops are also increasingly beating people up and killing them just like the big boys in the US do too.

        That said, I highly doubt he’s being detained because of his tattoos. They have to be used to them when so many people are covered with tats nowadays. He just looks twitchy and weird to me, probably does to them too and they want to check him out to see if he has some good drugs on him.

  2. MrsBPitt says:

    Two things come to mind…

    1. He has fans?

    2. Even guys can have bangs trauma!

    • Esmom says:

      Lol.

      I can’t believe the Canadian authorities would waste so much time detaining someone just because he’s excessively tattooed. Although I have to say the last time I crossed into Canada the border agent treated me like crap because I dared to glance at my phone while she was looking through our car. I showed her it was a map and I was trying to figure out our route and she lightened up a bit.

      • qwerty says:

        He claims it’s cause they’re looking to find sth on him since he comes from a “very famous family”. Personally, I think they just take him for a criminal and have no idea he’s Miley’s brother…

    • serena says:

      Acutally, Metro Station’s music isn’t half bad.

    • SmellyCat says:

      I know right? I was surprised as well. Like, he has a tour? I just can’t with this family!!

    • shi_gatsu says:

      Lol!

  3. sensible says:

    He was not born with the tatts, it is not a disability he has randomly with no say in the matter. He chose consciously to have them, so why play the victim card? Its not to say I think he should be detained without cause, but the reason he has created his look is for attention and to appear original or something. So he got his wish, he gets attention, its not the adoring kind he probably wishes for, but if you want to look the way he does then some of the attention will be the negative kind. Its like drug habits, yeah mate I feel sorry for you, but in the end you decided to take the first hit, no one forced you…..aannndd cue outrage in 3,2,1.

    • Franca says:

      I’m not outraged, but I find your opinion on, both people with tattoos and people with addiction, very sad.

      • Evie says:

        Are you kidding me? A 90 year old man in my neighbourhood was beaten up last week by a drug addict. I suppose you feel sorry for the drug addict?

      • Franca says:

        I feel sorry for both.

      • Kitten says:

        People who have never seen a loved one struggle with addiction are usually really callous about that kind of thing. Sad but not uncommon.

      • Beth says:

        One addict beating up an old man — as horrific as it is — does not represent an entire population of people struggling with addiction. I agree with Kitten’s comments: you have to see a loved struggle with addiction to truly understand.

      • Lana says:

        Kitten, on the contrary, its actually those of us who have dealt with addicts (alcohol and drugs) and know how destructive, selfish, abusive and manipulative they can be who are the hardest on addicts.

    • InvaderTak says:

      I’m not outraged either but your opinion sounds like it was formed in a sheltered environment.

      • Franca says:

        I was raised in a very sheltered environment, I know very few people with tattos and I don’t think I ever met a drug addict. That doesn’t mean I’m gonna get on my high horse nad judge others. People confuse me sometimes.

      • Wren says:

        Except…… you did. The “ya mate, I feel sorry for you but…” attitude towards addiction is, as another person said, callous and, yes, judgmental.

        Tattoos are just tattoos. Like clothing choices, they are personal and don’t appeal to all people. He may look slightly alarming to those not accustomed to seeing someone with so much ink, but at the end of the day it’s just ink. The hardest thing for many to people to wrap their head around is that most tattoo lovers get tattoos for their own personal enjoyment and reasons, NOT to garner attention and approval from others. Yes, there are those out there who do, but they are not the majority.

      • FLORC says:

        Wren
        Very well stated! I wish more people could grasp this logic.

        And I’m not sure the tattoos are the culprits with Trace. I’ve heard stories of his attitude and the way he carries himself. You can be covered in tattoos, but if respectful/polite people don’t identify you by them. If you feed into the stereotype you have no one else to blame.

      • DahliaDee says:

        @ Wren and FLORC,
        Check again, Franca isn’t the OP.

    • JWQ says:

      I agree with both yours and jinni’ s comment.

      On a side note, I will never understand people who treat drug addicts who kill to get more drugs as victims and defend them! They are doing this to themselves, whatever their reasons may be, no one is forcing them.

      • Esmom says:

        I’m not sure you understand how addiction works. I’m not excusing murder but you’re really fortunate if you or anyone you love hasn’t experienced this particular form of hell.

      • Kiddo says:

        Who is defending anyone who committed homicide? This guy was detained for having tattoos. The authorities didn’t find anything or else he’d be in jail.

        ETA: there are also a good percentage of people who don’t decide to do a first hit. They are prescribed pharmaceuticals for pain and end up being addicts.

      • JWQ says:

        I know people who have been through that, and as much as I love them, I do not justify their actions.

        Addiction works in this way: there are things in this World that are not meant to be introduced in your body because if you do, they make you addicted, and most of them are man-made or constructed in a way that amplifies the way they work. If you take them, even just once, whatever your reason is, it’ s on you, buddy!

      • Kiddo says:

        That’s great JWQ, it will be interesting for you to undergo painful surgery without anesthetics and pain meds. Good luck.

        Some people take meds prescribed for them and have no idea they are going to become addicts.

      • JWQ says:

        @Kiddo, I wasn’ t talking about this guy, I was talking in general. Most people want them in jail, but there are some who defend the ones who kill/beat/steal because “poor things, they don’ t know what they’ re doing because of drugs”! Case in point, Franca’ s comment about feeling sorry for the drug addict who beat an old man.

        The ones who get addicted by a prescription are another thing entirely, and you know it. I was obviously talking about people who consciously decide to take drugs over and over again not because a doctor prescribed them, but because they’ re sad/bored/angry/want to be trendy/whatever. I don’ t believe for one second that a person who starts taking ecstasy or heroine or cocaine doesn’ t know about the collateral effects! And if they do and take them anyway, it’ s their fault!

      • Kiddo says:

        I didn’t know what you were referring to. A significant enough number of addicts are drawn in through legally prescribed drugs. Further, there is enough literature out there which suggests that people who take illicit drugs beyond a low recreational level, to get f-cked up even before addiction might set in, may be self-medicating for undiagnosed and/or untreated mental disorders including, but not limited to depression.

        I think every criminal case should be evaluated independently of every other case based on the specifics of aggravating and mitigating circumstances. And I personally am capable of having multiple emotions and rational reactions to events simultaneously. I can be angry that the old man was beaten, I can feel sad for him, but I might also feel sorry for the addict if he had been abused (and angry about that), or if he is mentally ill but couldn’t get treatment, there I can have some compassion about that.

        ETA: I think non-violent, drug related crimes, such as possession, should be treated much differently than more destructive acts.

      • JWQ says:

        Of course there are situations that would make me feel compassion, like the mentally ill people you have written about, for example. And yes, you should have the medical/personal history of every person to make a judgement. However, I can’ t have an insight of their backgrounds, and when I hear about a drug addict beating someone, I automatically think that we are talking about a selfish idiot.

        It’ s probably because of my personal life. When the only experience you have to draw conclusions from is the one about two childhood friends who started taking drugs, lie, be verbally abusive, and find excuses for every single thing, for years, because one got dumped by a woman after three months of relationship, and the other because he wanted to try it, it’ s kind of a given that you feel like this.

      • Kitten says:

        @JWQ-You have an incredibly one-dimensional, overly simplistic view of addiction.

      • Kiddo says:

        JWQ, no doubt, and there is a point where you are just PISSED at that person for being a total a-hole. And I did experience this with a family member, but I have a more nuanced view following his death, when other things about his life were unearthed/revealed. It didn’t turn him into a saint, nor erase his f-ckery, but it created a better understanding for me, about his circumstances.

        On the other side of that, some people who do drugs may have personality disorders to begin with. Some of those people would be horrors and a-holes even without drugs.

      • JWQ says:

        @Kitten, you have the same incredibly one-dimensional, overly simplicistic view of people who are tired of dealing with this s**t, or who have never dealt with this and don’ t want to. To be honest, I am quite happy with my one-dimensional point of view, are you ok with yours?

        @Kiddo: True. Again, you should know everything about a person to pass a judgement, but even if you try, it’ s just impossible. There is always the chance that someone got into drugs by accident, and you can feel for him, but there is also the chance that that person got into drugs because he wanted to, even if he got abused or is sick. You just can’ t read their minds. Even when it comes to people close to you. You are never able to know what they really think and feel.
        You just make assumptions about their actions and words, and most of the times, people who have this problem do and say nothing that makes you think: “Hey, maybe there’ s something else!”.
        It’ s all on you, and you do reach a point where you are simply exhausted, physically and mentally, and even if there is a little voice that tells you to be a little more open, you shut it down because you just have had enough and you do not have energy to spare anymore. Maybe it’ s the cowardly way to go, but there are times it’ s the only way you have to save yourself.

      • Nanumee says:

        @JWQ – I get what you are saying, and unfortunately drugs can intensify the worst traits of a person. In all likelihood, the individuals that commit violent acts as an addict, would have probably on some level been attuned to do that without the drugs. I don’t condone their acts, but on a level I can empathize with them. Drugs are a hell of a thing to be addicted to. They bring out the worse aspects of whom you are, and the “need” to get the next fix makes you do things you won’t in your everyday life. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t still held accountable for your actions, because you should be. In my years of being an addict, it never once crossed my mind to violently hurt anyone to get my next “fix”. Emotionally, yes I did hurt people. I lied and stole from my family. I was living places I would never step foot in now. I did have a choice to do drugs or not. As a teenager and young 20 year old, I didn’t have the knowledge or capability to reach out for help, so I self-medicated. I wrote letters to my mother, telling her something was wrong with me long before my self-medicating. In my circumstance, it was ignored. That doesn’t justify my actions, but a lot went into me spiraling. Abuse, sexual assault, and a whole list of things had happened in my life that most people (thank God) will never experience. I thought at the time, I had no way of dealing with it. The drugs numbed that for me. For that split second, I was happy and content. Life was okay. That’s how a good amount of drug addiction works. There are some truly horrific things people do to one another, that sometimes people don’t know how to get help for. It doesn’t justify addiction, but maybe if I explain some of my story, you can understand a little more of what goes into the mind set of an addict.

      • ORLY says:

        If being searched by border security is so painful for Trace, perhaps he should just fly to the city, and let his bandmates do the driving.
        Border security is very tight at land crossing because a lot of people bring in contraband. This is not about Trace or tattoos, it’s about keeping out drugs and guns etc.
        When he claims to have been detained, it’s not like he was locked in a little room somewhere and interrogate, he would have been directed to the “waiting area” while he vehicle was searched. The search can take a while. It is what it is.

      • JWQ says:

        @Nanumee, believe me I do understand. And I do empathize. The point, though, is that you are a person who understands and admits that it wasn’ t anyone else’ s fault but yours that you started doing drugs. You had a choice, you took it, then you worked to get over it, and now you acknowledge that, while you could’ ve been saved sooner if someone else listened to you, it was still your choice and what you did was your fault. It’ s admirable and wise to have that kind of attitude, and unfortunately not many people in your situation would do the same.

        What I dislike is when someone takes the part of a drug addict no matter what. When there are excuses to be made in every situation, when a person who beats or kills, or even just steals or insults isn’ t considered responsible for his actions. And this comes from both the person in question and his friends/family. The fault is always someone else’ s and the ones who judge him are just selfish jerks who are too invested in themselves to help their loved ones. I think that giving second chances is a great thing, but people who preach about being more compassionate and open minded and then refuse to see your point of view make me go crazy!

      • CatFoodJunkie says:

        My brother died after a black tar heroin addiction. He was an addict I believe all his life. I felt for him. I feel for people with addictions. BUT there are addicts who do not go the criminal route (other than the drug itself). I think there are just simply two kinds of addicts (to put it simply) and they all get lumped together. Some suffer their addiction quietly, some of them physically hurt people or steal to fuel their addiction. I have sympathy for the quiet addicts, not so much for the violent offenders … Don’t know what this says about me, but I believe firmly that drugs don’t MAKE you into a criminal.

      • Marie Alexis says:

        Hi, my name is Marie. I’m a drug addict. I didn’t decide to do this to myself. After a series of surgeries, I realized I was addicted to opiates (painkillers). If you take certain medications long enough, your body eventually needs them…simply to function. Then there is psychological addiction. Did you know that almost all addicts have an underlying mental illness? In my case it was depression and anxiety disorder. Opiates made me feel good (and better than good!) When you realise that you don’t have to suffer, it’s hard to stop. It’s called self-medicating.

        Anyone who blames the addict for taking that “first hit”…look at it this way. The VAST majority of people have tried a drink, a cigarette, a Tylenol with codeine, a drag of a joint. Most people don’t become addicted; a few do. Nobody is better or worse than anybody else.

        FYI, after a few trips to rehab and having the support of my family and wonderful Fiancé, I no longer “use”. And thanks to my current doctor, I no longer suffer from depression. I speak out because the stigma and ridiculous stereotypes need to go away.

      • Lana says:

        Agreed. Esmom, as someone who has seen several addicts up close and personal, I think it is those who have never dealt with it personally that feel sorry for them.

    • Kiddo says:

      Yes, that’s very sensible because in the history of transporting contraband and/or drugs, IT’S ALWAYS the tattooed guy and never a senior citizen, a pregnant woman, or other ‘non-suspecting’ looking types. In fact, the entire DEA manual in the US is only one page long and it reads. “Only detain tattooed guys for hours”.

    • Lana says:

      I completely agree with you, but I held back on saying anything because I imagined the comments I’d get in reply. After I read what he said, and then looked at the pictures of him, I thought, “what do you expect?” Sure, having tattoos shouldn’t be reason for suspicion, but even though it is 2015, we have not yet reached that utopian state where those who look like that are not even given a second glance. It is rather like a guy with a multi-coloured neon punk Mohawk complains that people stare at him. I mean, seriously? Yes, it’s unfair that he is treated like that, but he clearly wanted to stand out, so maybe he should have thought about all this BEFORE getting the tattoos that are only going to make him look like a melting blob of ink if he makes old bones.
      PS I had never even heard of him before seeing this article. I don’t know if that is a good thing, or a bad thing. Or maybe it’s just that my musical taste is stuck in the 80s and 90s. lol

      • holly hobby says:

        I think Ed Sheeran or Margaret Cho said it best. They don’t have tatoos on their hands or neck because they can cover them up if need be to avoid issues like border agents. Sorry, sometimes, it’s better to not go through the hassle with the govt.

    • Stacey says:

      I get what you are saying. if you are going to live boldly and make bold decisions, like tatting your entire body and face…then you better have the balls to back it up and the confidence to back up your choices.

      I do feel for him on the panic attacks!! not fun!!! maybe tattoos werent the best choice then though if criticism is a trigge. goodluck, and put the pipe down- it makes you paranoid

      • ysodum says:

        For all you know, he chose to get tattoos because of panic and anxiety about his body. Lots of people get tattoos to cover up self-injury scars, burns, or to reclaim their body after trauma. It’s more than a little presumptuous to assume that he doesn’t have balls to back up his tats because he decided he wasn’t going to put himself in a situation that he knew would cause him unnecessary mental stress/trigger panic attacks.

    • chrissy says:

      Wow your comment makes me sad. As someone who has tattoos (a large shoulder piece, a chest piece and a wrist tattoo) I find your opinion just incredibly hurtful. You’re right I chose to have my tattoos. I chose them because of very personal reasons and they are kind of my badge of survival and visual reminders to myself of what I’ve gone through. And you’re basically saying that my expression makes it okay for people to treat me like a criminal. Even though I have done nothing illegal in my life I should be judged harshly because of what you think my tattoo represent.

      • Jessibes says:

        Not every one thinks that way. There are many reasons to have a tattoo, for beauty, for a reminder…

        Your tattoo being a badge of survival brings tears to my eyes. You are awesome & beautiful.

      • Lana says:

        I’m sorry, but, I just think that if you need to permanently draw on yourself to have a visual reminder then that is kind of sad in itself. Jmo.

    • Shambles says:

      13 tattoos and counting. This is a subject close to my heart. Yes, I got my tattoos knowing that they would cause me to stand out in certain situations, and I accept that. Just like I accept that I always have to wear long sleeves to work because I got my tattoos. The journey to that acceptance was mine to take, and mine alone. That does not automatically mean that I only got my tattoos because I want attention. I’m actually quite an introvert. That also does not mean it’s okay for anyone to assume I’m a criminal, drug addict, sex worker, am unintelligent, am immoral, or anything of that nature, simply because I am tattooed. My tattoos are a form of art and self expression that I get to carry with me for all my life, to remind me that I can tolerate pain and that pain eventually turns to beauty.

      Just yesterday, there was a thread about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt’s tattoos. And most of the comments I saw were about how interesting and cool all their tattoos are, which tattoos were everyone’s favorite, and how beautiful a couple those two make. But Trace Cyrus is more heavily tattooed, so his actions make him comparable to a drug addict? That’s really messed up, IMO. By making that comparison, you proved him right. His entire point was that he’s never been in trouble with the law, yet he’s treated as such because of choices he chose to make in regards to HIS OWN BODY. As a woman who receives the message that I’m not allowed to have a say in what happens to my own body every once in a blue moon, I can’t stand for anyone receiving such treatment.

      Bedhead, it warmed my heart when I read, “He also loves his tattoos and shouldn’t ever have to consider removing them.” Thank you for that. Seriously.

      • Wren says:

        All the agree.

      • Kiddo says:

        +1

      • Bridget says:

        Can I just point out that he himself also said that it was his “very famous family”? The Canadian Border sees an incredible amount of people every day, are we supposed to believe that everyone with massive tattoos are detained? More likely, they saw the band equipment and that combined with the tattoos did a check.

      • Nanumee says:

        I love your comment. I have my entire back tattooed, and am in the process of starting my sleeves as we speak. I also understand the ramifications of getting such large pieces, and how some individuals will likely judge me on my appearance. I also was very calculated when getting them, as I know this, so I made sure, like you, I could cover them with garments if need be. Or placed them in strategic areas on my body, that made them less visible. As much as I love my tattoos, and am proud of them, I still know that people judge what they, themselves, don’t understand. As the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. It’s sad that even in 2015, people can still judge so harshly.

    • mememe says:

      I WAS a drug addict and I agree. Addiction is just weakness, stupidity, and manipulation.

      • Kiddo says:

        mememe, you are speaking your truth, but that doesn’t account or speak for every single addict other who is out there. Again, some addicts are people with untreated undiagnosed mental illnesses. Some addictions require medical intervention rather than mind over matter, because of the dangers of going cold turkey.

      • Nanumee says:

        As a reformed cocaine addict, I can agree with your comment, but also disagree. Addiction is weakness and stupidity, on behalf of the addict. Instead of obtaining the help for whatever issues they are dealing with, they stupidly try and self-medicate until it becomes their crutch and weakness. But I had extenuating circumstances and was ill-informed on how to treat said issues. What happened to me, didn’t happen to anyone else. How I overcame it is also my own personal story. Everyone has their own experiences, therefore everyone can not be the same.

    • Lizzieb says:

      I don’t know about border patrol, but the dude looks hideous.

      • Blackcat says:

        I agree with you. His look grosses me out–mainly the face and neck tats. Plus his resting face is not so attractive.

    • Jensies says:

      There’s a lot i could say on this thread, but I’ll keep it to the point.

      I have quite a few tattoos. Not one of them did I get for attention. Rather, I got each one to make my outside reflect who I am inside. Some I got to memorialize a period in my life, others so that I could have a beautiful art piece to look at every day. Not saying that’s true for everyone who gets tattoos, but I do think that that rings true for the majority.

      And even though I have these, I still expect and feel I have the right to be treated like the human being I am, rather than a criminal, just because I paid several thousand dollars to put art on my body.

    • Jessibes says:

      I don’t have any tattoos. Not because I don’t want them but because I can never make up my mind what tattoo I want or where I want them. Perhaps also because I am a chicken where needles are concerned.

      Many colleagues of mine have big awesome tattoos – they are also police officers. So no judgement there. Although they do get suspicious when the tattoos are obviously criminal gang related.

    • Still Deciding says:

      Very sensible, sensible.

    • Nikki L. says:

      If you tattoo your face, don’t scream that you’re being discriminated against. I agree, he inked his whole body, he wasn’t born with it. If you tattoo YOUR FACE and you have issues getting into nice places or getting a job, perhaps you should have thought of that before. It doesn’t exactly scream good decision making.

  4. jinni says:

    I don’t think he deserves to deal with this kind of treatment, but I also can’t really muster up that much sympathy for his situation because he chose to have the body art that he got. Because of that fact, despite his anxiety I find his complaining kind of whiny and can only image the kind of hermit he’d become if he really had to deal with what real minorities ( ex. racism, ableism, etc) have to deal with all of the time. He could have avoided this by not getting so much ink. Since he chose this path, he really needs to just deal with the repercussions of his choice and hope he can get a better grip of his anxiety issues.

    • Jag says:

      He also could avoid it by:

      1. Using coverup makeup for tattoos.

      2. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt or a nice suit. Business casual would definitely help him.

      2. Flying into Canada, rather than driving.

      When I flew into Canada the two times that I’ve been there, everyone was so nice. I would find it hard to believe that they would treat him badly, unless he looks like he does in the pictures where he’s not smiling. The guy definitely has resting bitch face happening!

  5. Who ARE these people? says:

    Respect for his apparent sincerity and sympathy over the anxieties but 2 questions. ..

    1. Anxiety responses can be very specific so no fear of needles, right?

    2. If he knew of this then why was Canada on the itinerary in the first place?

    • InvaderTak says:

      To answer #2: The warped tour made the dates not him/his people. He signed up to do them all presumably so Canada wasn’t his idea.

    • Jag says:

      Yes, anxiety can be specific.

      I have PTSD and have no fear of needles or thunderstorms, but other things can trigger me, e.g. I can’t go into murky water, and, for now, I can’t even look out the window at night. My sister has no fear of needles, but gets terrified during thunderstorms. My brother, who grew up in the same abusive household as we did, isn’t scared of anything and has no anxiety over anything. I am technically agoraphobic right now, so can’t go outside, and would freeze if put in front of a crowd to talk. But let me be on a chat medium to play the online game that I play, and I am able to talk to anyone.

      • Who ARE these people? says:

        Thanks, that’s what I thought. Sounds as if he would be better off with an opposite pattern of triggers. Sorry to hear what you go through each day.

    • Wren says:

      #1: Yes, anxiety can be very specific. I have anxiety and can panic when I have to go to the doctor. I’m a very bad patient. It’s not pretty when I have to get a shot or poked for any reason and I have to work hard to control myself. However that’s as far as that goes. I have tattoos, no anxiety there except before the first one (because, duh, new experience), and have administered countless vaccinations, taken blood and performed minor surgery without a problem. Lots of needles involved there. It’s different for every person and can be general or oddly specific.

    • Lucrezia says:

      Re #1: I have panic attacks, and I don’t have tatts, but I had to have some fillings recently. I had to take valium to get the nerve to go into the dentist’s office, but it’s not the needles or drilling – it’s the idea of being stuck somewhere (socially or physically), having a panic attack and not being able to leave. I have the same reaction to any situation where you’re socially trapped – long queues, restaurants, cinemas.

      The thing is … the dentist is actually less triggering than some of the other places. They’re used to people panicking, so it’s not “embarrassing” to freak out there. I imagine tattoo parlours have the same “non-judgemental” vibe.

  6. Kath says:

    Oh FFS. People are behaving like this is some sort of terrible affliction he was born with.

    Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but as an Gen X-er who remembers when this whole trend of mass-tattooing started, I can’t help but roll my eyes at the foot-stamping that goes on when someone points out that having a massive tattoo on your face etc. might affect the way you get treated in society. It may not be right, but that’s the way it is.

    This dude tattooed his entire body – ’cause personal expression, freedom of choice yadda yadda yadda – and then gets upset because an employer, a restaurant, or whoever doesn’t like them? Please.

    • Kath says:

      Before I get yelled at, I should add… detaining someone on the basis of their tattoos is ridiculous.

      • Bridget says:

        Is it the tattoos or the famous family, though? He mentions both.

      • claire says:

        Who knows if that’s why he gets detained though? It seems a bit odd that tattoos would be the reason. There could be other indicators that he matches that cause the detainment. I mean, he’s in a band and his sister is a drug addict so it could be that that’s enough that they want to check him out.

      • Pandy says:

        Have to agree with both of your posts, Kath. Full-body tatt coverage is a bit bad ass – combine that with playing in a band and yeah, you’re probably getting your tour bus ripped apart. Take a valium and wait it out. Wuss.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      I’m not going to yell at you at all. I loathe tattoos and will never, ever understand why someone would do what he did to himself. I look at him and think he must hate himself, even though I know that’s not true, but why else would you deliberately make yourself so ugly? But, there is a big difference between hating the tattoos and discriminating against someone because he has them. They aren’t illegal, and he has a right to look any way he wants. And I have a right to think he looks awful, but I don’t have the right to refuse service to him (I don’t think, anyway) or hold him for questioning when he hasn’t done anything wrong.

      • Lizzieb says:

        He’s scary, and yes, he defaced himself. My attitude is boo-effing-hoo dude. Get over it and yourself.

      • pinetree13 says:

        My biggest issue with tattoos is that over 90% of the people I know have at least one and the percentage that actually look good with them is like <5%. I feel like a ton of people rush into them and don't properly research the artist. So they end up getting tattoos where I'm like "Oh you got an apple tree?" and their like "WHAT!? No! That's my favorite flower bush" "ooohhhh I can kind of see it now"

        Seriously, so many bad tattoos I have seen. Crappy drawings, spelling errors, discolouration, poor placement, etc. For most people it makes them look worse. The problem is that everyone is trying to look like that one guy or gal we all know that has an awesome tattoo and looks great with it.

        My cousin recently got a tattoo and it looks like a giant bruise unless up close. But everyone praises it to be polite. Think real hard before you ink!

    • bellenola says:

      I like tats and I like Metro Station, but it works my nerves when people are all ‘look at meeeeeee!’ and then think they can pick and choose when that happens.

  7. Fori says:

    Entire families and boats of migrants are drowning in the Mediterranean while trying to escape the hell that ISIS and Al Qaeda have unleashed on formerly stable countries thanks to the West and Arab oil nations funding them to overthrow political enemies so excuse me if I can’t muster up any sympathy for a spoilt rich kid whining because Canadian border officials asked him some questions. Seriously, he should be embarrassed for being such a wimp.

    • marrria says:

      So on point! I myself have been stopped and asked for identification on multiple occasions for no other reason but my “latina complexion” or my brother being stopped by the police while jogging at night and being asked why he’s running and whether he’s running from a crime. And I’m lucky because I am European. I can’t imagine the troubles of those poor minorities who have to suffer through this daily. He’s a privileged white young man who had the option to alter his appearance in this manner. Minorities don’t have these “privileges”.

    • Meowsy says:

      Oh no I better stop living my life and dealing with my problems because someone somewhere else is suffering. I hate this kind of mentality.

      Speaking of tattoo shame, a few years back there was an episode on Ellen where she briefly spoke about a limited edition Tokidoki Barbie. This particular Barbie came with tattoos and it was a collectors item. Anyway she proceeds to go “What kind of mother would buy this tattooed Barbie for her child??” like she focused on the tattooed aspect of the doll and of course the crowd full of suburban mothers were agreeing with her. And I thought to myself (besides the Barbie not being one to give a 5 year old because it was like $70), there were probably mothers in that crowd with tattoos who felt like utter garbage. There is this mentality around tattoos that still lives on today where they’re considered trashy. I don’t like him or his music but I think he has the right to complain. We can’t even get over simple things like this in our own communities and you want use to deal with ISIS. I invite you to go overseas and deal with then yourself if you feel so strongly.

      • InvaderTak says:

        THIS ^^^ all day. Great comment.

      • Flim says:

        I appreciate your comment, especially noting the fruitlessness of negating someone’s pain by comparing it to another’s—spot-on!
        But the Barbie thing: I can get tattoos and get drunk and have sex all I want; I see no shame there. But no way will I give my seven-year old a Barbie with tattoos, condoms, and a bottle of Jack.
        Marketing adult behaviors to children is the issue, not shaming parents who engage in them.

      • Meowsy says:

        Flim you’ve taken my words and warped them.

        My first point was that it was not a Barbie made for kids or marketed for kids. Tokidoki is a mid-high end brand that sells to adults. They sell handbags and stationary and they used to sell make up at Sephora. I don’t know many parents buying their seven year old make up. So I can 100% say this Barbie was not marketed to children. There were no cheesy commercials on the TV that a seven year old can see and pester good old mommy for it. Ellen brought up the doll because she panders to her suburban mom army.

        And about the condoms and the bottle of jack. This Barbie came with neither. But its nice to see you make the blatant stereotype that tattoos = sexed up drunk. Flim you don’t have to have tattoos to have a lot of sex, you don’t have to have tattoos to be an alcoholic. You don’t have to have tattoos to be a bad parent.

        Its fine you don’t like tattoos or if you personally believe they are trashy but don’t pretend to “think of the children”.

      • Wren says:

        There’s ALWAYS something worse going on in the world. I don’t know what logical fallacy it is to try to negate an argument or point of view because someone else has it worse or another issue is more important, but it is a logical fallacy.

        And that’s really sad about Ellen and the tattooed Barbie. I get so mad when people go off on the tattoos = drug addict/criminal/”jack and condoms”/insert negative image here. Like wow really? Way to be judgmental and close-minded.

      • I Choose Me says:

        *Applauds.* So glad to scroll down and read your comment. And I’m disappointed in Ellen for such a thoughtless remark.

      • Aren says:

        I agree with what you said. No life experience should be invalidated.

      • Flim says:

        Meowsy: I didn’t realize the Barbie wasn’t for kids. Simple mistake. The rest of your comment is hysterical, thanks!
        😀

  8. Bridget says:

    Is it the tattoos, or the famous family (as he put it), or is it possible he behaves rudely?

    People are allowed to do whatever they want with their bodies, but common sense just says to stay away from the face and the neck. When seems cool and bad*ss at 22 may not seem the same way at 52.

    • lucy2 says:

      Yeah, I’d be curious to know what his behavior was, because I’m guessing that was the real reason for being detained. Tattoos are common enough these days that I don’t see that as being the actual reason, those his are more extreme than most.

      • Bridget says:

        The Canadian border sees a TON of people every single day – I’m sure they see plenty of people with significant tattooing, and I can’t imagine that they detain them all.

  9. Tig says:

    Seems to me he is trying to take a page out of the Miley C playbook, and it’s not working. He wants attention for him first, and his band second. Just wondering- if his experiences with Canadian officials so unnerve him, why agree to an appearence there in the first place? And since he cancelled, did he pay his band mates? Presumably the backers of the show don’t pay if you don’t play.

  10. Mira says:

    This is not a comment on him, his tattoos or his situation. Instead, I want to say something about the very common “no one forced you to get tattoos” opinion.

    I got my tattoos while I was experiencing a very strong, very destructive manic episode. My tattoos are very big and extremely noticeable and pretty much impossible to hide. They are not something I would have even considered getting if I had not been mentally ill. I was not diagnosed then yet, and I was so out of control that getting inked wasn’t even the scariest or the most idiotic thing I did.

    I’ve no knowledge of his tattoos or the reasoning behind getting them. I just wanted to remind people that things aren’t always as simple as they might seem. Most people choose to get tattoos, that is obvious. That being said, I do know quite a lot of lovely people I met in the so called loony bin who, like me, crashed down hard after a manic episode without any idea or even that many memories of how or why or when they got tattooed in the first place.

    I’m a reasonably intelligent woman, and now that I’ve been diagnosed and I’m on proper medication, I’m able to work and be a loving mother to my child and wife to my husband. I’ve learned to live with my ink which, quite honestly, makes me look like a middle aged suburban housewife who wants to join Hells Angels. Quite frankly, they look ridiculous on someone my age and gentle nature, but they remind me, on a daily basis, of the importance of taking care of myself, taking my medication and going to my therapy group.

    In your opinion, the story of my tattoos might be just an isolated incident and most tattooed people are morons who will regret their decisions later. That might be so, but from my personal experience, it doesn’t hurt to try and be a little more understanding just in case. It doesn’t hurt to get to know the person behind the tattoos before judging him or her.

    • NewWester says:

      I just wanted to say it is a post like yours and other posters that make me enjoy Celebitchy so much. So many different opinions and points of view makes me look at the articles posted with a open mind. Thank you

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      A very good point, and one I needed to think about. Thanks for sharing that.

    • GingerCrunch says:

      Yes, Mira. Thanks for the eye-opener this morning!

    • jinni says:

      I never thought about the possibility that some get tats due to manic episodes and if that is what happened to him then he has my sympathy. But something tells me his tats has more to do with his rockstar/ edgy alternative musician persona and less to do with mental illness. Plus unlike most people I’m sure he has more than enough money to have them removed if they really were a mistake.

      • Kitten says:

        Regardless of Trace’s motivations, Mira’s comment is still a reminder for all of us to chill out on the judgment.

    • InvaderTak says:

      Thank you for your comment. I knew someone who has had similar issues. He would get tattoos because he found the actual process of getting a tattoo to be therapeutic. In a lot of ways it was like cutting. And now he’s covered in them. He’s even had some of them done over. I never found out if he got the help he needed or not.

      • Nanumee says:

        Your friend, sounds a lot like my bestfriend and myself. Our tattoos, are for ourselves, but the process is incredibly therapeutic for both of us. She’s a recovering cutter, and I am a recovering addict (Because you are an addict for life. no matter what). So its our way of meditating and resetting when life gets difficult.

      • Lana says:

        But Nanumee isn’t that basically swapping one addiction, for another? Especially your friend who is a recovering cutter, has substituted that for the pain of the tattoo needle? Far from therapeutic, it sounds like you both still have very unhealthy mindsets and are swapping one unhealthy practice, for another. Just think about it.

    • Wren says:

      I appreciate your point of view and find your perspective interesting. I knew someone who said tattoos were like therapy for him but I didn’t know him well enough to ask why.

      I’ve also known people who claim to be tattoo addicts who were covered in ink as well as people who had many, many tattoos because they just liked them so much. If I had more more money and less sense (because alas I need to earn a living) I’d probably have a bunch more too. I just adore them and the experience of getting one can be exhilarating. Plus you have a work of art forever. I’m not expecting everyone to agree or understand, but for me it’s not attention seeking or a result of a certain state of mind, I just like them that much.

      There may be a lot more going on here than we know, and being all “bah, screw him, he chose to do this!” is not terribly compassionate.

    • Still Deciding says:

      This was a joy to read M! I too, got inked while in the middle of a manic episode. 12 medicated years later, my ink is just another visible reminder scar of that time. Big hugs to you.

  11. Katrens says:

    Has anyone ever looked at his Instagram before he went private? I did out of curiosity–to see how the Cyrus half-sibling would use the Miley fame to propel his own career.

    A bunch of his pics relate to drinking Jack or smoking a blunt and strange selfies with him striking “tough guy” poses that kind of look ridiculous. Not that the Canadian Border Patrol stalks his instagram but he probably was detained for the image he puts out there about drugs.

    He uses the tattoo piece to get attention, imo. I have anxiety too, so I am not trying to discount his feelings.

    • Livvers says:

      Good point. They have the right to examine your electronic devices, so setting your social media accounts to private won’t help you at the border if you are still signed in to the app, and if they think you will engage in illegal activities while in the country, they can refuse entry. Have you seen the show Border Security (the Canadian one)? I have sometimes wondered if they ramp up the scrutiny for the cameras, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear they use all those methods for bands entering the country.

  12. Bichon says:

    It’s not the tattoos or the pot, it’s that so far, the Cyrus kids have a desperate need for some kind of attention.

  13. Ummm…Canadian Border patrol are dicks to everyone man…that’s their job. Especially when you’re in a band and related to Miley who is well known to have fondness for recreational substances. That’s probably why they keep giving him the 3rd degree.

    • ORLY says:

      …or it could be because (in his words) he hasn’t been in “serious trouble with the law”. If you’ve ever been arrested, serious or not, you’ll have a difficult time at the border. I don’t know if he has ever been arrested, but that could be his problem. He should fly next time.

  14. Livvers says:

    All my sympathies to Cyrus dealing with anxiety issues while crossing international borders. I do wonder if his tattoos aren’t the whole story for his past border treatment though. What if being a member of a band with a large entourage and a number of vehicles flagged his party for extra attention, rather than his tattoos? Especially considering visa issues for everyone? Another thing that could potentially have held him up was if he had prescription anti-anxiety meds with him but the documentation on them was not in order, or maybe he had a legit prescription but he had such a large quantity of pills on him that it flagged him for extra scrutiny. I just think some of what he said is probably fact (he was held up for a while at the border before, his anxiety problems make that an issue at border crossings going forward) and some (his tattoos are the cause) is speculation.

    • Friday says:

      “never had any serious trouble with the law.”
      so he’s had some trouble with the law? i wonder if that, plus the tats (and travelling with a rock band) are why they stop and search him.

      yep. just saw this after i wrote my comment, below (#16)

    • Wren says:

      I do wonder too. It’s not too hard to imagine that this is how boarder patrol treats most rock bands entering the country, and he may not be aware of that. He’s grown up very privileged so he may truly not understand that this is just a thing and not personal at all and not related to his tattoos. Grungy looking band members traveling with several vehicles and lots of equipment sends up red flags. If he copped any attitude (not saying he did but it’s not out of the realm of possibility), I can see why he’d be detained.

      Thing is, we don’t know. We only have his perspective and his opinion, which may be wrong.

  15. grabbyhands says:

    While I genuinely feel bad about his anxiety/panic issues. I kind of find it hard to believe that the Canadian border authorities have time to waste on harassing someone about their ink. And frankly, if they’re trying to get dirt on a member of the Cyrus family for press, it seems like they would be going for someone higher up the ladder than he is, because I feel like I only hear a story about him maybe once a year and up until a few years ago, I had no idea he even existed. But I also don’t follow the Cyrus family much, so that might just be my lack of awareness.

  16. Friday says:

    “never had any serious trouble with the law.”
    so he’s had some trouble with the law? i wonder if that, plus the tats (and travelling with a rock band intending to work for money in canada) is the reason why they stop and search him. 3 “flags”, not just one in isolation.

    my ex-boyfriend toured with his canadian rock band. no tattoos, but the presence of guitars and amps were enough for the US border guards to search the car, every time (for pot, i assume). also, to be very thorough (and intimidating) asking how long they would be staying in the US, and how much money they were earning, etc…

    • Yup…like I said…that’s their job. My husband/Sister in law and I are all highly inked and travel across the boarder often without issue. But we’re not in a ‘rock band’.

  17. Lucy says:

    The amount of BS I’m seeing in some of the comments is not even outrageous anymore, but simply hilarious.

  18. Lbliss says:

    If he was a Canadian going ino the states he would have an even bigger problem I’m sure. Sorry that happened coming to my country.

  19. mememe says:

    For someone so tatted up, he certainly is a whiny little bitch.

  20. Dvaria says:

    I’ve been detained at customs in my mom’s country of origin and all i have to say is he was lucky it was Canada and not some corrupt misogynistic land that dislikes American foreign policy and thinks all Americans are rich. I’ve literally been fleeced everytime i go or I would have to stand in the “long line” aka hours upon hours and this only happens because I’m one of them but also American and “need to help out my poor country” even though i was born in the US. Any tourist is treated fine though.

    I feel badly for him in any case because an anxiety disorder is no joke and panic attacks are terrifying. I’m sure it was something other than tattoos but he has a complex about them because he’s obviously tattooed more than the average person and people will often stare at the unusual.

  21. Sos101 says:

    he should try covering up with makeup when crossing the border if it gives him that much anxiety. Or maybe he needs to match his government issued id? And, that’s why kids, you don’t tattoo your entire face/hands

  22. original kay says:

    As a Canadian, I am very sorry Trace has been treated badly by representatives of my country,

    Canada is not what it used to be, sadly. The election this year is critical, we simply have to send a clear message to Ottawa. What is happening here makes my heart ache 🙁

    • ORLY says:

      As a Canadian, I’m not sorry for what happened to Trace. He was stopped and searched by border security, what’s wrong with that? I’m sure when he says he was “detained”, he was just made to wait while they searched all his vehicles and equipment for contraband, that takes a while.
      I highly doubt he was stopped just because of his family name or appearance, but because of a combination of things. He even said he has not had serious trouble with the law, any trouble with the law raises a red flag at check points.
      Next time Trace should fly, let his bandmtes do the driving.

      • Mary-Alice says:

        As a current Canadian citizen, I think this country desperately needs to tighten the borders and think twice re: quality of immigration. And no, I am not an immigrant, my husband is Canadian but I have no issues with living in Eirope at all, therefore don’t cling to my Canadian passport for dear life.

      • original kay says:

        @Orly

        Canada doesn’t need border guards to “protect” us from people trying to enter Canada, what we desperately need is someone to protect Canadian citizens from our own government. C-51 has pretty effectively ended our civil rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to the point where there is no oversight to watch what our police, RCMP, government, and yes, border guards, are doing to people (and sometimes just based on how they look).

        Broader issues. Trace can go to twitter and speak out, many can’t. It’s not hyperbole, it’s truth. There are organizations, right now, appealing to the United Nations over the Canadian government’s abuse of civil rights. Google it. Google: “This is not the Canada once knew” amnesty international canada.
        google: Canadian activists turn to UN with challenge to controversial anti-terror bill. There is lots to read and lots of ways to help. Reject Fear.

        @pandy- no truer words. we need Canada back. 🙁

      • ORLY says:

        Who said anything about “protecting” us? Kay, those are seperate issues, this isn’t about immigration or civil rights. Trace is not trying to migrate to Canada, he’s visiting. The border security was likely looking for contraband. Did they violate Trace’s civil rights by searching his vehicles and making him wait while doing so?
        I’m not getting why you’re using this story to rant about your agenda.

    • Pandy says:

      Let’s hope we dump Harper! Amen.

  23. M.A.F. says:

    Pretty sure he was a target due to being in band. The tats may not have helped (just look at the comments here) but I’m sure a bus will be target for inspection instead of a car.

  24. guest says:

    I am Canadian and when I cross the border into the US I feel intimidated. Border guards are scary. My friend got searched twice and then a female guard was called to search again. No reason that I know of. We are 60 year old grandmas, no tattoos. Not famous. It happens. But I love how he blames Canada.

    • TwistBarbie says:

      Second that. Airport security is high on my list of things that cause anxiety. Never been searched but boy they sure love to yell at you if you don’t put your hands out exactly the way they asked or something “NO I SAID A 67.5 DEGREE ANGLE!!!!!!!!!” Also apparently if you admit to ever having smoked pot they can deny you entry, even though it’s legal in many states.

    • mazzie says:

      Right? I’m Canadian and I got pulled aside in the US to be searched because the button on my jeans and the hooks on my bra set off the alarms. They were, “You can go to a room if you want privacy” and I was, “Nope. You can do it right here” and spread my arms out. The female border agent tentatively felt me up. I kinda wanted to tell her to just do a full breast exam and tell me if she felt anything.

      My friend just sat there laughing. We’re assholes.

      • ORLY says:

        I’ve had similar problems with US customs and border security. I’ve been searched and had my things swabbed for narcotics on more than one ocassion. They’re doing their job.

  25. Sam says:

    Okay, lemme say this –

    Authorities do keep a database of tattoos that gets updated now and again. Tattoos can be identifiers for certain kinds of criminals, gang membership, etc. And they often change the symbols. I have relatives in law enforcement and one of them said a few years ago the spider web tattoo got adopted as a coded symbol for several white supremacist and Nazi organizations. It wasn’t before, but they adopted it. In some locales, people could be detained if a cop noticed that tattoo on them, just to investigate if they might have a member of a hate group on their hands (the tattoo also often meant that the wearer had committed a violent crime against a black person as well). So it might be possible that Trace has an image on himself that is tripping somebody’s radar – even if he doesn’t know it. If that’s the case, that’s a shame, but I don’t fault the authorities for being thorough.

    • Jessibes says:

      Yes exactly that. Some tattoos are gang/crime related. Police or border patrol will zoom into that kind of tattoo and investigate.

    • Aren says:

      After reading some very intelligent comments here I would hate to say something terribly dumb, but those points you mentioned sound like blatant prejudice and discrimination.
      There are racist people who are dangerous and have no tattoos or any other “sign” that they are part of a hate group. And of course there are many innocent people who could have incriminating tattoos.

      • Sam says:

        Way to miss the point.

        Many gangs do use tattoos as ways of identifying fellow members or communicating their status. One of the reasons people with spider webs got a lot of scrutiny was because in white supremacist culture, having one not only meant you were racist, you “earned it” by killing or maiming a black person. So yes, police pain a lot of attention to people with them for a while – and a lot of innocent people got caught up, but I don’t blame authorities for trying in any way to root out dangerous hate groups.

      • Bridget says:

        Very, very very few people would accidentally get one of those kinds of tattoos, and if they did it’s likely that someone would get a tattoo like that because they wanted to look cool or tough. Gang tattoos are definitely not a new thing, so I don’t really know where you’re getting “prejudice” from.

  26. Nanumee says:

    Honestly, I seriously doubt his tattoos had anything to do with him being detained at the border and questioned. My best friend and I, crossed over to Canada to see her boyfriend whom resides there. No issue going into Canada, but leaving to come back to the US? We were detained by US border patrol for an hour and a half. They ordered us to even leave our cell phones in the car, and we couldn’t take them. The searched our vehicle and tried to look through our locked phones. We were both questioned repeatedly and all kinds of stuff. They kept asking why, if we lived in California, did we rent a car. I mean, come on, is it so difficult to understand that some people would rather not put mileage on their own personal vehicles? And we are two Asian females that don’t dress or act crazy.

  27. Cheryl says:

    I don’t get a vibe that he is feeling victimized by the trials of crossing a border. As we can read here, grandmas get stopped and search and held up at the border. I get an overwhelming vibe that he personally isn’t up for the stressful situation and he is owning that and apologizing for it.

  28. Nephelim says:

    Why Trace don´t use make up to cover up some of his tattoos?

    := )

  29. hogtowngooner says:

    Full disclosure: I’m Canadian so I’ve never dealt with our border agents the way non-Canadians have.

    But I’m kinda side-eyeing this narrative of “they’re detaining me because of all my tattoos.” Sure, border guards in many countries are known to apply racial profiling and MANY of them can be dicks, but I just don’t buy that his issues are SOLELY because of his tattoos.

    If he’s been busted for something drugs-related in the US, he’s inadmissable to Canada. I’m thinking he didn’t have his visa papers in order, or he did but got turned down before departing, and he’s spinning it to make it into a discrimination-causing-me-anxiety thing.

    I could be totally wrong, but that’s just how I’m interpreting it. He’s blaming Canada 😉

  30. TheBizzla says:

    Wah wah wah. Cry for attention from an attention hungry rich kid IMO.
    I’ve never been to Canada but I’ve been detained by those border patrol people myself. Don’t think you’re so special Trace;) I’m in a musical group and we have played several times in Vermont. Google maps ALWAYS sends us to Canada for some reason. The last time it was just myself and one guy driving our gear home after the last stop on our tour. We end up at the border, realized the mistake and simply try to turn around. They detain us and search the car. Question the hell out of us. We have zero tattoos.
    He should just hop on a plane and skip the BS. If you can’t do something you signed up for that’s on you. No one, especially a fan, is going to be impressed by excuses.

  31. LA Juice says:

    I don’t even know what is happening here. There’s a BOY Cyrus, and he looks like the spawn of Marilyn Manson and Mylie? Your world frightens and confuses me.

  32. Beezers says:

    They’ve just never seen a tattooed, talking pony before.

  33. Nikki L. says:

    Don’t jump to conclusions, he probably wasn’t dressed properly for that restaurant.

    In any case, if you’re going to tattoo your FACE, you need to deal with the repercussions.

  34. Galpal says:

    The border agents into Canada can be over the top and scary. I had a layover there once going to Europe once going back both times I was pulled out of line and interrogated. I wasn’t even entering the country they make you go through customs on a layover! After being insulted for wearing a cross by a border agent I asked for a supervisor. The supervisor told me I looked “flashy” and that I shouldn’t wear anything that looked expensive or wear makeup if I didn’t want to be bothered in the future. I will never go to Canada every again.

  35. Amy M. says:

    I personally don’t like tattoos and have never seen one that I ever liked on a person. Some of the tattoos on Miami Ink were amazing though–clearly there are serious artists among tattoo artists. But I would never want such an elaborate tattoo on my body. Also I never see people with these amazing tattoos walking around.

    Certain cultures do not look favorably on tattoos. I think it’s Japan especially where tattoos are a bit of a no no since they are associated with gangs and violence. Am I wrong about this? Something to be aware of when traveling since not all cultures consider tattoos to be an art form. An American vlogger I follow on Youtube was walking around Japan and he has a full arm sleeve of tattoos. He kept commenting on how people didn’t seem keen on approaching him and the commenters kept stating his tattoos were scaring people.

    • Nephelim says:

      No . You are not wrong, but not only Japan. Sino or sino influenced cultures are very, very against tattoos. It´s all about Master Kong ( Confucious and Confucionism) and Classic Filial Piety. Tattoo men are regarded as criminals and women prostitutes.
      Tattoing things in chinese/japanese/ korean alphabet… or wisdom quotes from that cultures doesn´t mean you are honoring them.
      Beware

  36. alicegrey12 says:

    It isn’t just the tattoos he wears it is also the family name he carries “CYRUS”.
    that is why he is so harassed by other people every he goes. I feel so sorry for that.

    • jwoolman says:

      I doubt that anybody even made the connection. He really isn’t famous and he doesn’t seem to get papped with Miley in recent years. I only knew he existed because I was reading something about Miley years ago that mentioned him and other members of her family. Loads of people don’t really know who Miley is, also. Or even their dad. I think that speculation was just wishful thinking on his part.

      He could have been profiled for the tatoos, more likely for the vehicle and equipment. Don’t know about the restaurant, I would assume dress code first.

  37. Jonathan says:

    (No irony/sarcasm) I think he looks lovely and sensitive….

  38. Punkypuss says:

    I am tattooed heavily I cover it for work and my husband is tattooed heavily and is an ex police officer who left the force to persue his dream of making guitars. Neither of us are criminals and yet always always with out fail he is flagged at customs and airports! I have even been forcefully dragged from his side and questioned if I am with him willingly or being held! We now carry a copy of our marriage licence because of this but even he hates when we need to travel due to them always targeting him due to his personal choices! Random searchers my ass! Look through some peoples bags that fit in and you may possibly find something don’t always target me and my husband damn it

  39. Neonscream says:

    I’m heavilly tattooed and have never had any problem crossing borders in every continent with them. Including very conservative countries. Most respectable artists don’t do face tatts because of the problems they cause. Especially on someone so young. A 45 year old who’s already heavilly tattooed and who owns their own business in an industry where it’s less likely to be a problem is one thing but on someone young who may want to enter a more conservative field later in life it’s really irresponsible.

    I suspect a little exaggeration here. Seriously how many random Canadian border agents have the slightest clue who he is? This gets his name in the mags far more than actually playing would.

  40. Jenna says:

    it’s not because if your tattoos. It’s because your music sucks and you wear a wooden washboard as a shirt.

    — Canadians

  41. CoolWhipLite says:

    I can’t help but think that the Cyrus children didn’t receive what they emotionally needed from their parents. Such an insatiable thirst for attention.