Netflix’s latest sports comedy Running Point is facing intense backlash after viewers called out a scene they deemed “racist and Islamophobic.”
The series, produced by Mindy Kaling and starring Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, has been a hit on the streaming platform since its release on February 26. However, a controversial exchange in one episode has sparked outrage across social media.
In the scene, Gordon confronts podcaster Sean Murphy over rumors regarding her team’s Most Valuable Player, Marcus Winfield (played by Toby Sandeman). During the heated conversation, she exclaims: “Just tell whatever wife-beating Dagestani MMA fighter they can wait.”
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Social Media Outrage
The remark quickly drew criticism, with one Reddit user in the r/MuslimLounge forum branding it “a completely unnecessary and racist attack on Dagestanis.”
“What makes this line so outrageous is that it comes completely out of nowhere,” the user wrote. “This wasn’t satire. It wasn’t a joke. It was a direct attack, casually inserted into a show where it had no place. And the fact that Netflix signed off on it shows exactly how normalized Islamophobia has become in the media.”
The post has received hundreds of upvotes and numerous comments, with many interpreting the line as a veiled jab at Dagestani UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, a devout Muslim who remains one of the sport’s most famous figures.
Calls for Accountability
The controversy has spilled over to X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, with journalist Sana Saeed weighing in: “Calling Dagestani MMA fighters ‘wife beaters’ in passing is how well-positioned bigots will surreptitiously perpetuate anti-Muslim tropes in pop culture.”
She continued: “Conor McGregor was found guilty, in a civil case, of rape and Dana White is on video slapping his wife.”
One TikTok user went viral after sharing her reaction: “It literally made me pause the show and gasp. Khabib and all of the fighters from that camp in Dagestan, they’re all Muslims.” She added, “Media will time and time again try to perpetuate Islamophobic tropes, especially considering Khabib is THE iconic Dagestani MMA fighter, who made a name for fighters of that region.”
The uproar has led some viewers to boycott the show, with one person commenting: “Thank you, definitely NOT watching. Almost was.”
Netflix and Warner Bros Remain Silent
The Independent reached out to Netflix, Mindy Kaling, and Warner Bros for comment, but no response was received at the time of publication.
Despite the backlash, Running Point remains in Netflix’s Top 10 rankings. Whether the streaming giant will address the controversy remains to be seen.
Running Point is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Source: The Independent