During the 51st Annual NAACP Image Awards, actor/comedian and Image Award winner Deon Cole wore a crushed velvet blue Gucci bell bottom suit. The black-ish star looked dapper, giving a nod to one of his self-proclaimed favorite eras, the 1970s.
Cole knew the public would have an opinion of his suit choice, but he didn’t realize he’d be on the receiving end of hateful comments about his pants, especially remarks challenging his sexuality, his talents and some even threatening his life.
“The hate that I have been receiving because I wore a bell bottom velour suit, has been unreal. I’ve always had the balls to wear what I wanted to wear. And with that, comes opinions,” Cole shared on his Instagram. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You’re supposed to. I’m not tripping over that. The part that I’m tripping over about this, is the hate. We got too much hate. It’s bigger than my bell bottoms.”
It is way bigger than pants. Cole continued, “It had me thinking about that 20-year-old kid that’s probably gay, that’s really gay, that’s scared to come out of the closet, that’s been bullied and all of that and people making him feel less than. I wonder what that kid goes through if I’m being ridiculed over some bell bottoms?!”
Check out the video above to see Deon Cole’s response to all those who feel bell bottoms are worth threatening someone’s life over.