Changing your look doesn’t have to stop at a certain age — and John Stamos has just shown that by getting his first tattoo at 62. Some fans even think the new ink gives him serious ‘baddie’ energy.
“Guess who got his first tattoo?” the Full House star wrote while unveiling a large design that now covers much of his right shoulder — a piece tied to both personal meaning and a recognizable thread of American cultural history.
The artwork shows a Native American figure on horseback, arms raised toward the sky in an appeal to the Great Spirit. While Stamos is of Greek heritage and the subject matter may surprise some at first glance, the image connects directly to a longstanding influence in his life.
Stamos posted video of Oskar Jordan at Dark Arts Tattoo studio doing the work, and explained the inspiration behind it: “The Beach Boys placed this image: ‘Appeal to the Great Spirit’ over Brother Records as a symbol of artistic freedom and trust in a higher creative path.”
Although it’s an unusual choice for a first tattoo — a Beach Boys-related image that also traces back to a 1908 statue outside Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts — it neatly reflects the range of Stamos’ career and the paths it’s taken him down.
After first becoming widely known through daytime television, Stamos eventually formed a genuine bond with the iconic surf-rock group. In 1985, that relationship led to a headline moment when he played drums with them during a July 4 celebration in front of an estimated 1.5 million people.
For many, that kind of high-pressure cameo could turn into a nightmare story about falling flat in front of your heroes. Instead, the band was impressed, and Stamos went on to join them for tours and recordings multiple times over the years.
In that context, the ‘Appeal to the Great Spirit’ design isn’t just a nod to an album-era symbol — it’s also a marker of Stamos’ long-running connection to a major piece of modern music history, and a reminder of the creative risks he says he’s leaning into now.
Plenty of fans seemed to approve, with one writing ‘this is the coolest thing you’ve ever done’ and another commenting: “What a baddie.”
Stamos later expanded on why he chose it and why now, saying: “Lately I’ve felt that same pull in my own life. Stepping into this new chapter of my career, taking bigger swings, following the work wherever it leads.
“The timing felt right, so I put that Great Spirit on my arm as a reminder to stay brave, stay open, and trust the direction the art is taking me.”
The moment also lines up with his schedule, as he’s expected to sit behind the kit again this weekend and perform alongside the band once more.
However, the show is set to take place at SeaWorld — a venue that has drawn criticism for years — and the appearance has sparked backlash from animal rights campaigners. PETA has also weighed in with a statement.
PETA President Tracy Reiman said: “God only knows what The Beach Boys and John Stamos are thinking playing at this cruel abusement park, where complex marine mammals are condemned to a lifetime of misery in a dismal concrete tank.
“PETA is calling on the band to stick to Key Largo or Montego for tour stops and stop promoting cruel confinement of animals at SeaWorld until it releases these long-suffering animals to seaside sanctuaries.”