I'd heard it in evangelical circles, loosie. I'm pretty sure the phrase is also in the King James Version.
Instead of "the truth hurts", I'd always envisioned "ears tickled" as people who listen to inconsequential things, fripperies, distractions from what is "Really Important". As in, you know, "The Truth"TM.
....
Well, hum. You might be right. Here's some versions of 2 Timothy 4:3
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/versions.pl?book=2Ti&chapter=4&verse=3&version=KJV#3
Wll, there's one instance. "Ears Tickled" is used in the New American Standard: