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Exploiting racism has been a profitable strategy in Hollywood since the dawn of filmmaking: 111 years ago, D.W. Griffith’s film “The Birth of a Nation” was incredibly popular and influential, while also being so racist that it was considered controversial even in its own day.

The industry saw immediately just how lucrative fear could be. More than a century later, there is always someone in the entertainment media willing to trade in racist tropes for money, as well as an audience ready to receive them.

Two new films, “Citizen Vigilante” and “Run, Fight, Hide: Infidels,” demonstrate that streaming platforms and social media no longer simply distribute controversial content but in fact thrive on content that provokes, polarizes and sustains attention, regardless of the social cost.

Both of these xenophobic and Islamophobic films are being pushed as “anti-woke” vehicles, deliberately engineered to bypass traditional critical reception and capitalize on a fractured media ecosystem. “Citizen Vigilante,” which features an American protagonist killing dark-skinned immigrants and Muslims in an unnamed European setting, was denied a rating certificate by the German government for inciting violence. Yet despite that determination, the film secured global reach through decentralized digital distribution and high-profile promotion from Elon Musk.

Similarly, “Run, Fight, Hide: Infidels” — a campus siege narrative evoking 1980s action film nostalgia that leans heavily into outdated, post-9/11 anxieties — relies on a built-in conservative media apparatus to guarantee financial returns. The film is produced by the conservative media figure Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire, which he co-founded. It is a sequel to a 2020 film that was their film company’s premiere.

But while promoters of such films frame their work as a brave rebellion, the reality is much more sinister: rehashing 40-year-old tropes while invoking conspiracy theories of Muslims bringing sharia law to America, because outrage is cheap to produce and easy to monetize.

Stories matter. Stories shape how we see one another. They influence what we love, what we celebrate, whom we trust, whom we understand and whom we fear.

Since January, the Muslim Public Affairs Council has documented a sharp escalation in threats and attacks targeting Muslims and Islamic institutions across the United States, including vandalism, shootings, bomb threats, attempted assassinations and physical assaults. These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a broader climate in which dehumanizing representation increasingly manifests as real-world violence.

Entertainment and politics increasingly employ the same tactic as one another, recycling narratives of fear and “otherness” to mobilize audiences, voters and consumers. When political leaders encourage those narratives, as President Trump recently did by amplifying and commenting on a photo of young Muslim American students in hijab, they further normalize the same stereotypes that entertainment companies have learned to monetize.

Yet while the social costs continue to mount, the economic incentives remain firmly intact. “Citizen Vigilante” earned a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes despite receiving just a 6% critics’ score. More tellingly, it quickly climbed to the top of Amazon’s and Apple TV’s paid video-on-demand charts.

And this isn’t just a Muslim and immigrant issue — and it’s not only about who is portrayed on screens, but also who is not. Representation has been backsliding, and audiences are left with fewer opportunities to see the reality and humanity of diverse communities, making them more vulnerable to fear-based narratives.

According to a 2026 report from the nonprofit Define American, which tracks representation across television and film, Latinos account for only 23% of immigrant characters represented on screen, even though they make up more than 40% of the immigrant population in the United States. In 2020, 50% of immigrants on screen were Latino.

The industry’s defense is that whitewashed and xenophobic films reflect audience demand. But the recent research by Define American challenges this assumption. Data show that nuanced, multidimensional storytelling, in which immigrants and minority characters are woven into the fabric of everyday narratives rather than tokenized or villainized, actually leads to greater audience engagement and deeper systemic understanding.

Entertainment doesn’t simply reflect culture; it teaches us who belongs within it. Studios, distributors, streaming platforms and filmmakers all have a responsibility to reject narratives that portray immigrants as enemies and instead embrace stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of our world. At the same time — as with voters — the power ultimately rests with consumers. The choice to demand storytelling that challenges prejudice rather than profits from it belongs to all of us.

Sue Obeidi is the senior vice president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council Hollywood Bureau. Jose Antonio Vargas is the founder of Define American.

The BBC Alba deal means there will still be some live coverage of the Commonwealth Games on free-to-air television in Scotland.

The commentary and presentation will, of course, be predominantly in Gaelic.

A similar deal is in place in Wales. This means there will be some live coverage on the Welsh language broadcaster S4C.

These deals happened because TV rights packages are available to cover many indigenous languages across Commonwealth countries – not just the main language.

The BBC was outbid for live English language rights in the UK by subscription service TNT. Channel 5 later secured a package of two hours of daily recorded highlights.

The Welsh and Gaelic deals ensure there will at least be some free-to-air live coverage.

BBC Alba and S4C are available to all viewers in Scotland and Wales respectively.

But the profile of the TV coverage will, inevitably, still be much lower to that afforded to previous Commonwealth Games in the UK.

The games in 1970, 1986, 2002, 2014 and 2022 got wall-to-wall coverage on BBC One.

The schedule on BBC One is currently dominated by the World Cup and Wimbledon. Major sporting events have the potential to bring large, diverse groups of people together to share memorable moments.

The deals covering BBC Alba and S4C are good news for these channels and inevitably some who do not speak Gaelic or Welsh will watch too.

But how will the scaled down Commonwealth Games fare without high profile live coverage on a major free-to-air channel?

June 26 (UPI) — The Transportation Security Administration on Friday said that it expects to screen roughly 18.7 million travelers at U.S. airports during the July Fourth holiday week that runs from June 30 to July 6.

The agency said it has prepared itself for the traditionally busy week of travel to be even busier, as this July 4 is America’s 250th birthday amid the FIFA World Cup, which has games in 11 U.S. cities next week.

AAA has projected that this year’s week of holiday travel is set to break records, with roughly 72.2 million Americans expected to travel at least 50 miles from their homes — an increase from the 71.8 million that traveled in 2025.

“TSA security checkpoints are fully staffed and prepared to welcome these travelers and handle the large passenger volumes expected during the Fourth of July holiday period,” Ha Nguyen McNeill, a senior TSA official who is performing the duties of the administrator, said in a press release.

“We’ve implemented significant technology enhancements at key airports for the historic FIFA World Cup 2026, as well as for America 250 celebrations across the country,” McNeill said. “TSA is working closely with federal, state and local partners to safeguard the traveling public and manage security for large-scale public events.”

TSA said it expects that Thursday, July 2, will be the busiest travel day next week, with more than 3 million people moving through U.S. airports.

The Top 10 domestic destinations for Americans during the holiday week for July 4 include Seattle, Orlando, Anchorage and Fairbanks in Alaska, New York City, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Denver and Boston,

TSA also has prepared for teams, team staffs and fans to travel to the 11 World Cup host cities in the United States.

The 11 cities have some cross-over with the locations most Americans are expected to travel, which include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.

Donald Gibb, the actor who played the hulking fraternity bro Ogre in “Revenge of the Nerds” and Ray “Tiny” Jackson in “Bloodsport,” has died. He was 71.

Gibb’s son Travis confirmed his father’s death to TMZ on Tuesday evening after he died earlier that day at home in Texas surrounded by family. Gibb, a former professional wrestler under the name “Don Gibb,” succumbed to “health complications,” according to his son.

A statement from the family, provided to People, described Gibb as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and actor.

“Known for his larger-than-life presence on screen and his kindness off screen, he brought joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories to countless people throughout his life and career,” the statement said.

“Above all else, Donald treasured his faith and the people he loved,” it continued. “His strength, generosity, and spirit will never be forgotten by those who had the privilege of knowing him personally and by the many fans whose lives he touched over the years.”

“Bloodsport” star Jean-Claude Van Damme remembered Gibb in an Instagram story, posting a photo from 1986 and writing “Rest in peace, my brother.” He also reposted a reel showing himself and Gibb in the 1988 movie.

“Whether he was the lovable brute Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds or the fearless Ray Jackson in Bloodsport, Donald brought a heart as big as his frame to every role,” the caption on the reposted reel said. “Watching him alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme was the ultimate display of brotherhood on screen. In the clip, JCVD asks, ‘What took you so long?’ It’s a bitter-sweet reminder that while he’s gone too soon, his legacy in the martial arts and 80s cinema world is timeless. ‘Anytime, anyplace, anywhere.’”

A representative for Gibb didn’t respond immediately Wednesday to The Times’ request for comment.

Gibb had about 100 credits, including the sequels “Bloodsport” and the movie and TV sequels to “Nerds.”

Born Aug. 4, 1954, Gibb started his career in the early 1980s with uncredited roles in “Any Which Way You Can,” “Stripes” and “Conan the Barbarian.” His TV credits included episodes of “Cheers,” “MacGyver” and “The Young and the Restless.”

He acted into 2011, then tagged on one last credit, for the 2026 movie release “Hands.” According to IMDb, that filmed sometime in 2023 or 2024.

[Update: At of 8:42 p.m., the festival advised via its mobile app that Stagecoach will resume momentarily. “We are working to open doors and prep the site for your safety,” the alert said. Just before 9p.m. the gates were reopened.

Stagecoach updated its schedule for Saturday night after a temporary evacuation due to high winds. Journey, which had been scheduled to play the Mustang Stage, will no longer perform; Riley Green, set to play the Mane Stage will also not perform. Lainey Wilson, who was set to headline the Mane stage, will play an hour later than originally scheduled at 10:30 p.m.]

Due to high winds at Stagecoach, the festival promoter Goldenvoice postponed the festival Saturday night until further notice and crowds are currently being evacuated.

An “Emergency Evacuation” message showed up on screens on the festival’s Mane Stage saying “the festival is been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.”

The city of Indio where the fest is located is under a strong wind advisory until 11 a.m. Sunday morning. The advisory issued by the National Weather Service was in effect at 2 p.m. but the gusts didn’t pick up until Teddy swims’ Mane Stage set just after 5 p.m.

Thousands of people poured out of the festival. Despite there being messaging on the screen to evacuate, some emergency exits were still closed by security staff between the main stage and the main entrance. In addition to messaging on screens, the Stagecoach app sent an alert for people to evacuate.

Fans at the festival reported that the winds earlier were much stronger than the evening gusts that resulted in the spontaneous postponement.

“The show was pretty windy when we got there but we went into a saloon to see one of our friends do karaoke,” said Krystine Malins, 58. “When we came out palm trees were like bending in half.”

Malins, who has attended the festival since the first installment in 2007, said an evacuation was “the best call.”

“I just feel bad for these girls walking around half-naked in this wind,” she said.

Two Stagecoach festival attendees, Ellie, 27, and Angelique, 22, sat at tables farther back from the stage watching people filing out of the festival.

“We were trying to see Pitbull at the end of the night, so that’s kind of like our whole night, I don’t know, ruined I guess,” Angelique said. “We were kind of hoping for a refund.” Asked about whether the wind felt seriousness enough to stop the show, the pair were cautiously optimistic. “Honestly I would say yeah [it’s bad], but I feel like there could still be potential for it to go down, but it felt worse earlier,” Angelique said.

Despite the evacuation, the general atmosphere among many festival goers was calm as crowds were walking back to their cars.

“I didn’t even know what was going on until I saw the screen [at the Mane Stage] and then I started hearing “Hey they’re evacuating, get out,” one festival goer told the Times. “But then we had to sit it out because there was a clog at the exit. It’s not that bad.”

Johnny Vegas has hailed his Benidorm co-star Elsie Kelly, who played his mum Noreen on the sitcom, as a “mother figure” to him following her death at the age of 89

Johnny Vegas has hailed Elsie Kelly as a “mother figure” to him following her death at the age of 89. The comedian, 54, was the on-screen son of Elsie ‘s character Noreen Maltby in the long-running ITV sitcom and after her passing, he has led the tributes with an emotional message.

The actor starred as Geoff Maltby, an obsessive quizzer who liked to call himself as The Oracle, and formed a memorable double act with Elsie, who, as long-suffering mother Noreen, was often at the resort with him and had to play along as he as he practiced his craft.

Taking to Instagram following the sad news on Wednesday, Johnny wrote: “A more generous, talented, funny, kind and hard grafting soul, and as an actor you could ever hope to meet. Elsie was a Mother figure to me, on and off screen. and guided me through many highs and lows whilst overseas together. When I say Elsie was loved by all, it is a wonderful fact, not merely an apt comment to make during such sad times.

READ MORE: Benidorm favourite Elsie Kelly dies as co-star pays heartfelt tributeREAD MORE: Sheridan Smith gives update on Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps reunion

“I had many young actors over the years saying to me ‘I worked with your mum,’ Elsie touched and guided so many careers and crammed more into her 89 years than anyone else I’ve known in this profession. When not giggling poolside, she was in her hotel room, putting together her next musical line-up for many a Liverpool theatrical production. “Elsie made going into work a true joy, in fact, it was more like playtime, and our time together, something to truly treasure. Bless you my other Mum, and thank you for the endless joy you brought into so many of our lives xxxx Elsie Kelly RIP.”

Crissy Rock, who played hotel manager Janey Yorke on Benidorm in the years before she was replaced by Sherrie Hewson, was the first to announce the news. She wrote on Instagram : “So sad to hear of the passing of Elsie Kelly this morning. We shared so many wonderful memories filming Benidorm, moments I’ll always treasure. She was an absolute joy to work with and brought so much warmth and laughter wherever she went.

She wrote on Instagram : “So sad to hear of the passing of Elsie Kelly this morning. We shared so many wonderful memories filming Benidorm, moments I’ll always treasure. She was an absolute joy to work with and brought so much warmth and laughter wherever she went.

“With a career spanning decades across television, theatre, and film, she most recently became a household name through her work on Benidorm…Her unmistakable charm, sharp timing and gentle humour made her a fan favourite.”

The cast was made up of other famous faces from British television, including the likes of Janine Duvitski, Steve Pemberton, Siobhan Finneran and Sheila Reid, who famously starred as Madge Bishop for several years.

Before joining Coronation Street as undertaker George Shuttleworth, actor Tony Maudsley was perhaps best known for his role as camp hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke on Benidorm. Other stars to enjoy short stints on the programme, which was created and written by Derren Litten, included Sheridan Smith, Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch, whilst showbiz legends like Dame Joan Collins and Cilla Black also made guest appearances.

As her on-screen career developed, she appeared in the sitcom Bread in the late 1980s, and took on the role of Enid in the film 1996 comedy Intimate Relations opposite Julie Walters, Les Dennis and Amanda Holden.

Elsie also filmed two episodes of Coronation Street in 2011, where she played Mrs Hargreaves, who died under a hairdryer at Audrey’s Salon, but, just months before her death, Elsie revealed that she had been in contact with Derren Litten amid speculation of a Benidorm comeback.

Speaking in a video that surfaced on TikTok, she said: “Hello all you holidaymakers in Benidorm! I do hope you’re having a lovely time, I am sure you are!

“We’ve just had a nice lunch with Derren and it will mean a lot to both of us. Anyway, I hope to see you soon, in Benidorm, and as Noreen would say, ‘I do hope your holiday is inconclusive!’ Siobhan Finneran, who played Janice Garvey also paid trubute, as she wrote on X: “We are devastated to hear about the passing of the incredible Elsie Kelly, known to many as Noreen in #Benidorm. Her acting + comedy abilities were out of this world. May she Rest In Peace.”

TV writer Derren, who starred alongside Catherine Tate on her sketch show before creating Benidorm, wrote: “So sad to pass on the news of the passing of Elsie Kelly aka Noreen in Benidorm.

“One of the best-loved characters in the show and certainly one of the most beloved cast members. Elsie’s acting abilities and comic genius were so natural they were almost taken for granted.”

“For someone who initially auditioned for the role of Madge (and gave an excellent reading of the part), her personality and natural warmth encouraged me to build up the part of Noreen from one or two lines in the first two episodes (initially intending to lose the character by the end of the first series) to many episodes and many series, culminating in her playing Noreen’s own twin, Doreen in series 10.

“Thanks for your talent, but most of all your friendship, Elsie. I am very sad today, but also happy to think of such a wonderful life well lived.”