Random guy welcomes American protagonist

Hollywood has a long history of perpetuating stereotypes and appropriating cultures. Aslan Pahari – known for his satirical anthropological content – skewers the noble and wise Middle Eastern guide who typically leads American ‘heroes’ through supposedly ‘exotic’ lands. By combining tired tropes of Arabic culture – sand dunes, ‘wobbly air’, ‘traditional’ singing – he exposes Hollywood’s uniformed attitude towards non-white characters. Recently, Arabic and Islamic imagery and language was appropriated in Dune (2021), yet the film featured no Middle Eastern or North African actors. By including videos from other users calling out stereotypes, Pahari also demonstrates there’s no single way to represent a people or culture.