Cosplayer WholeWheatPete Gets Canceled ... Again

The cosplay community found itself in the midst of heated discourse after content creator WholeWheatPete, whose real name is just Pete, made a controversial costume choice at a recent Texas-based convention. What might have been intended as a topical reference quickly spiraled into a serious discussion about responsibility and sensitivity in cosplay content creation.

The incident highlighted the fine line between commentary and controversy in the cosplay world, as Pete's decision to engage with current events, such as P-Diddy’s own controversy through costume choice led to immediate backlash from both fans and fellow creators alike. The community's response emphasized the importance of considering the broader implications of costume choices.

The situation unfolded when Pete and another content creator, D-Piddy, arrived at a Houston, Texas convention dressed as Justin Bieber and Sean "P-Diddy" Combs. The costume choice immediately drew criticism for appearing to make light of serious ongoing investigations into Combs regarding allegations of racketeering and sex trafficking. More concerningly, the paired costume seemed to insinuate a connection to Bieber, who was possibly a victim of Combs’s actions.

Following swift community backlash, Pete stated his “Close Friends” Instagram story (via X, formerly Twitter) acknowledging his error: "I'm honestly so genuinely mad at myself for this. I'm doing my best to accept full responsibility, and I'll be taking an extended leave from content to spend some more time reflecting and thinking about this." His response indicated recognition of the costume choice's implications, but that doesn’t change the fact he initially thought it would be funny.

Even still, Pete publicly apologized on his Instagram, stating: "This is my public apology to everyone in both the cosplay community and my community for my stupidity to join in the content involving cosplays of PDiddy and Justin Bieber. I have no excuses for these actions. My goal is to push the boundaries of cosplay content in exciting and unique ways, and never to disparage either the people portrayed in content, or the ones who view it."

He added, "I am so sorry to everyone I have negatively impacted due to my mistake. Also, please refrain from attacking anyone who has made content with or has associated with me in the past as this content was my mistake and mine alone." The internet has gotten so riled up from his "mistake" that some have apparently been dragging his colleagues online, so perhaps that's why he added a public apology to the mix.

The cosplay community's reaction was immediate and unified. Veteran cosplayer Yaya Han wrote, “BOTH OF YOU KNOW BETTER … SA and abuse of minors is not a cosplay,” while other prominent figures emphasized the need for better judgment when choosing costumes that reference current events or sensitive topics.

Looking back at Pete's content creation history, this incident marked a significant turning point. While he had previously faced a Twitch ban in 2019 during his IRL streaming days, this controversy sparked a broader conversation about ethical considerations in cosplay choices. The community began examining where to draw the line between creative expression and potentially harmful commentary.

One person on X didn’t shy away from saying Pete should “disappear from the cosplay community permanently,” while another wrote that he “has been a disgusting human for years.” In 2019, Redditors explained that his “content was basically to endlessly annoy people that he didn't even know, at one point even getting close to injuring someone,” so clearly, not much has changed.