Netflix viewers have been left furious at what they have called an “offensive” exchange in one scene in the show Running Point.
The basketball comedy stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon who takes over the family’s sports business. Produced by Mindy Kaling, it has remained in the top 10 on Netflix since its release on 26 February.
In one episode, Gordon confronts podcaster Sean Murphy for spreading rumours about transferring her Most Valuable Player Marcus Winfield (played by Toby Sandeman).
She shouts: “Just tell whatever wife-beating Dagestani MMA fighter they can wait.”
The scene has prompted backlash across social media, with one Reddit user calling it “a completely unnecessary and racist attack on Dagestanis”.
In the r/MuslimLounge forum, they wrote: “What makes this line so outrageous is that it comes completely out of nowhere.”
They added: “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 normalised Islamophobia has become in the media.
“If a line like this had targeted any other group, there would be immediate outrage. But because it was aimed at Muslim athletes, it’s just brushed aside. It’s disgusting.”
The post has been upvoted hundreds of times with dozens of comments. May have interpreted the jibe as a subtle attack on Muslim Dagestani boxer Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Independent has contacted Netflix, Mindy Kaling and Warner Bros for comment. No comment was received at the time of uploading.
The discussion spread to X/Twitter and TikTok, as journalist Sana Saeed wrote: “Calling Dagestani MMA fighters ‘wife beaters’ in passing is how well-positioned bigots will surreptitiously perpetuate anti-Muslim tropes in pop culture.”
She added: “Conor McGregor was found guilty, in a civil case, of rape and Dana White is on video slapping his wife.”
One TikTok user shared a video describing the interaction as “Islamophobic and disgusting”. She said: “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 Islamophoic tropes, especially considering Khabib is THE iconic Dagestani MMA fighter, who made a name for fighters of that region.”
One person commented: “Thank you, definitely NOT watching. Almost was.”
Running Point is on Netflix now.
