USAIN BOLT dressed up as a woman in the new multi-million pound advertising campaign has led to accusations that he has “crossed over to the dark side” in the pursuit of wealth.
In the light-hearted 40-second TV commercial, the Jamaican 100m and 200m Olympic champion plays a whole family of characters, including a mum and dad, a baby version of himself, a teenager and ageing grandpa.
Created by BBH advertising agency, it shows the comical Bolt family simultaneously using Virgin Media superfast broadband service to perform their favourite tasks.
Richard Larcombe, the brand and marketing director at Virgin Media praised Bolt for “bringing the ads to life with his brilliant portrayal of an unforgettable Virgin Media family.”
However, the fastest man on the planet has since been blasted by those – most notably his fellow Jamaican countrymen – who claim the advert is offensive and that Bolt has “sold out”.
Angry comments were left on a Facebook page called Ragashanti, saying Bolt was being emasculated and exploited by mainstream media amid speculation his head had been superimposed on a female body.
One user wrote: “He is Jamaican and he represents us on the world stage. [Whether it is] making money or not, I will not sell out and that’s what he did. He is now walking on the dark side and when you do that of course [the mainstream] are gonna put him in a dress.
“Making money is one thing but what kind of profit is [losing] your soul, or in Usain’s case his manhood, in the process of acquiring wealth and fame.”
It comes a few years after comedian Dave Chappelle first raised the issue on Oprah of black comics and actors – including Wesley Snipes, Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy – being pressured into wearing dresses by Hollywood producers.
He told Winfrey: “Maybe I’m reading too much into things… I’m funnier than a dress. I don’t need to wear a dress.”
IN HIS ELEMENT: Bolt celebrates another win (PA)
Others said they were unsurprised by the backlash because of Jamaica’s anti-gay attitudes. Many of Bolt’s critics quoted lyrics from Harry Toddler’s reggae hit Bad Man Nuh Dress Like Girl.
One Facebook user, Julie Grant, said on the social media site: “It’s meant to be funny.
“All you yaardies who see it as feminising a black man need to step into this current century.
“He’s an incredibly smart and talented man.
“No doubt traveling the world has opened his mind and he doesn’t have an issue with [dressing up as a woman for a joke].
“Funny how Jamaica is one of the most homophobic countries on the planet… due to religious views! Just remember that religion was forced on the slaves to keep them in fear and [under] control of the whites! Wake up!”
Since 2009, the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All-Sexual and Gays (J-FLAG) had recorded a 400 per cent increase in the number of reported homophobic or trans-phobic attacks against LGBT Jamaicans, including at least nine murders in 2012.
Last year, 16-year-old transgender teenager Dwayne Jones was brutally killed on July 22 after turning up to a party dressed as a woman.
The humorous side was not lost on everyone. Tanisha Knight wrote on Facebook: “I can’t see nothing wrong with the ad, it’s funny to me”. While Melissa RF added: “Thank god he is a man, he makes a terrible woman. LOL.”
Quick to hit back at the critics, Mike Wreckless Brown said: “The people who are speaking about white Hollywood producers putting black men in dresses to demoralise and conquer black [men] are crazy. What about the when whites wear dresses; for example Robin Williams in Tootsie?”
Usain St. Leo Bolt OJ CD (born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican sprinter widely regarded as the fastest person ever. He is the first man to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records since fully automatic time measurements became mandatory in 1977.
Along with his teammates, he also set the world record in the 4×100 metres relay. He is the reigning Olympic champion in these three events, the first man to win six Olympic gold medals in sprinting, and an eight-time World champion. He was the first to achieve a “double double” by winning 100 m and 200 m titles at consecutive Olympics (2008 and 2012), and topped this through the first “double triple” (including 4×100 m relays).
Although gaining worldwide popularity for a sprint double victory at the Beijing Games, Bolt has had more victories as 200 m runner. While he had not won any significant 100 m title prior to the 2008 Olympics, he had won numerous crowns in the 200 m event at the youth, junior and senior levels. Further, at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Bolt completed a hat-trick of 200 m world titles by winning his 3rd straight gold in the event.
His 2009 record breaking margin for 100 m, from 9.69 seconds (his own previous world record) to 9.58, is the highest since the start of fully automatic time measurements.
Bolt’s achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname “Lightning Bolt”,
and awards including the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track & Field Athlete of the Year, and Laureus Sportsman of the Year (three times). He is the highest paid athlete ever in track and field. He has been called the world’s most marketable athlete.
By winning 3 gold medals at the 2013 World Championships, Bolt became one of the most successful athletes in the 30-year history of the athletics world championships.