Don King, the legendary boxing promoter is a well known cultural figure and a wonderful choice for a Halloween costume. He is well known for his extravagant hair that has promoted some of the biggest matches in the sport. He is credited with promoting through the rise and fall of Mike Tyson and has promoted fights with Muhammed Ali, George Foreman and Evander Holyfield. He is a popular media figure and has frequently appeared on talk shows and sitcoms. Not only has he made cameo appearances in many movies and TV shows, but a 1996 episode of the animated show The Simpsons featured a boxing promoter who was drawn to looking exactly like him. While the character wasn’t voiced by the real Don, King, but rather by someone who played him in a movie, the homage to the original is still understood.
Don King is a great choice for a Halloween costume if you’re an older gentleman with a little extra weight around your waist, but even if you’re not, don’t let that deter you. The classic image of Don King is very easy to put together. The first item is his clothes. Since he is often photographed at the parties he has been promoting, he is most recognizable in a suit or tuxedo. There are many different types of tuxedos, but he generally tends towards classic black and white.
His famous hairstyle can be created, if you have similar hair, with a good amount of hairspray, he himself confesses to using Aquanet to style it every day. If you don’t have his very distinctive hair color and texture, you may need to buy a wig. There are many sources to find great Don King wigs online. Once you’ve ordered your wig and got your tuxedo, you’ll need some classic Don King accessories. He wears prescription glasses with a thin gold rim, and these are pretty easy to come by. If you can’t find an inexpensive version with lenses for reading glasses (which you can take out), you may be able to find some at a goodwill store.
The other must-have accessory for a Don King costume is a cigar. He is very often photographed smoking cigars in the classic image of the successful businessman who has just won a lot of money.
Once you’re outfitted with the clothes, glasses, and cigar, you need to slap some of this man’s words on the face. He has some of the most outlandish quotes on record, such as “I am one of the best survivors in the world. I will always survive because I have the right mix of wit, determination, and silliness.” and, “I am the living testimony of the American dream. I am the exaltation of this great nation.” As the last quote demonstrates, he too has a reputation for creating words. During your night as Don King, go crazy with this new ability. He practices using words like “deceit” and “smear” in a sentence and don’t stop there. Go ahead and use tonight like Don King to add as many words as you can to the English language. This is the super power that accompanies any Don King costume.