‘Swear It Was a Slur’: Shark Tank Judge’s Disturbing Interaction Calling Two Black Female Entrepreneurs ‘Colorful Cockroaches’ Resurfaces

A shocking and embarrassing moment on the pitch competition show “Shark Tank” in 2015 turned into a multi-million-dollar success story. When Kevin O’Leary called two Black women entrepreneurs “colorful cockroaches” during their pitch, no one could have predicted how thoroughly they would prove him wrong. Melissa Butler and Rosco Spears had come to the show seeking $125,000 for their cosmetics company, The Lip Bar. The cruelty-free lipstick brand, offering unconventional colors like purple and green, was met with immediate skepticism from the sharks. The Lip Bar Founders Proved Shark Tank Judge Wrong After He Passed on Investing and Called Them ‘Colorful Cockroaches’ (Screenshots: YouTube) O’Leary first said, “This is a new innovation. I can see a massive market share in the clown market.” “The chances that this is a business are practically zero,” O’Leary declared. “You can’t get a share, if anybody thought you could sell purple or green lipstick they’d do it.” He added, “And they would crush you like the colorful cockroaches you are.” The “colorful cockroaches” comment sparked immediate outrage on social media. “‘Colorful cockroaches’ was actually so egregious. He’s on my ‘eat the rich’ list. I will flay him,” one person tweeted. Another wrote, “GENUINELY! i...