"I Hate AJ Good"

If you aren't familiar with the phrase "I Hate AJ Good", you probably don't live in Chillicothe, Ohio. Here, you can find the phrase plastered on bumper stickers, t-shirts, and even tattooed on the bodies of some of our residents. Surprisingly, most of the people who sport this phrase aren't even aware of the meaning behind it or who AJ Good actually is.

I went to the man himself to get the answers as to what "I Hate AJ Good" actually means and who he, as an artist, is. For those of you who aren't familiar with the man behind the phrase, AJ Good is a local tattoo artist who works under 2-Dollar Pistol, which can be located on North Bridge Street. He is also an artist as well as a collector of masks. In fact, Good currently holds over a thousand masks in his collection (ranging from horror to Slip Knot) and claims that he is more renowned for his masks than his tattoo work.

His social media presence as a collector and artist is apparent as he touts a following of approximately forty-two thousand followers on his Instagram page(@thehouseofmasks), and he recently hit twenty-five thousand subscribers on his YouTube channel ("The House of Masks"). Good uses his social media accounts to share his art, his massive collection of masks, and to share his experiences at mask conventions.

While interviewing Good, we found out something extremely coincidental. Good is a 2012 Chillicothe High School alumnus. Even more surprising, the movement of the "I Hate AJ Good" phrase started in this very building.

"It all started at CHS. I was a pretty big dou---. I never caused any trouble, by any means, but I didn't like a lot of people. I was pretty mean and notorious for it," said Good. "So, I thought it would be funny, since I was making tattoo money, to make stickers that said "I Hate AJ Good" and hand them out to everyone who didn't like me. I never intended for it to get so big."

Over the years, the inside joke has spread and turned into something much bigger than Good ever intended. The slogan has spread so far that some people have gone as far as to get the phrase tattooed on their body. The phrase has traveled from our small town to all over the nation.

If you'd like to know more about the "I Hate AJ Good" story, head on over 2-Dollar Pistol and ask him. You might find yourself walking out with an "I Hate AJ Good" tattoo on your body.

Good's artwork will also be featured in an exhibition at the Pump House Center for the Arts in Yoctangee Park throughout the rest of this month. Entitled "Every Day is Halloween", the showcase includes paperwork, original masks, and even "I Hate AJ Good" merchandise.

Find AJ Good on social media: Instagram: @thehouseofmasks

Youtube: The House of Masks

Facebook: 2-Dollar Pistol