Latest news with #Loudon
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Footy legend Martin Lang's miracle baby with TV identity Dominique Loudon - 'so grateful we have her'
Footy legend Martin Lang and his wife Dominique Loudon remain on cloud nine following the birth of their daughter Josephine in March - and given the remarkable circumstances of her arrival, they have every reason to be. Six agonising years of infertility, numerous failed IVF cycles and a miscarriage left Loudon - a Channel 9 sports presenter in Queensland - wondering if she would ever fall pregnant. Determined to be a mother, Loudon, 39, and Lang, 49, met with obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Drew Moffrey at Pindara Private Hospital on the Gold Coast in 2023. Moffrey suggested the couple be tested for a rare genetic condition known as the DQ Alpha gene. Next was a visit to their fertility doctor, Dr Ong, who organised further investigations and a blood test, which later confirmed both Loudon and Lang were a partial match. In medical terms, elevated NK cells meant Loudon's body was effectively rejecting any chance of pregnancy. But Loudon and the NRL premiership winner with the Panthers - who has three children from a previous marriage - wouldn't give up. They agreed to take part in a treatment which sees a complex combination of immune protocols, LMIT (Lymphocyte Membrane Immunotherapy) and blood transfusions. According to News Corp, the process involves a serum using Lang's blood which is then injected into Loudon's body. Once the LMIT is completed, couples have six months to utilise IVF attempts. In their first round of IVF, Loudon fell pregnant. 'It was a fairytale, I've never felt anything like it,' Loudon said, when reflecting on Josie's arrival. 'I had that full-on just hit me like this big love bomb when she was put on my chest. 'It does feel like a little miracle baby. 'She is so loved, and we are so grateful we have her. We feel really lucky.' But despite the success the Lang's experienced, Dr Ong warned the DQ Alpha gene is still 'very much an evolving science', with no guarantees. Lang - who these days is a neuroscientist - made his first grade debut in 1996 with Cronulla before moving to Penrith in 2002, winning a Grand Final with his father John as head coach the next year.
The Advertiser
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
World-class fun: fresh approach for city's New Annual festival
The fifth year of the New Annual festival looks like a banger. Newcastle's premier arts and culture fest kicks off on Friday, September 26, and runs through to Sunday, October 5. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will come alive during the festival, with a live, original theatre production, Meet me at the Baths, running twice daily over seven days and set amongst the pools. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will also serve as a spectacular backdrop for a series of music concerts, under the title SOAK, commencing at sunset over five days of the festival. While 70 per cent of the New Annual program will feature local talent, there are some prized performers from elsewhere on the program. On Saturday, September 27, Spooky Men's Chorale plays a headlining show at Newcastle City Hall. Formed more than 20 years ago, the eclectic choir tours the globe with their humorous but gifted take on songs of all genres. They will lead a workshop on the afternoon of the show, which should fuel more crowd involvement in their evening concert. And where would New Annual stand if it did not have an outrageously zany theatrical show. Chicken, starring Irish actor Eva O'Connor, is a solo show about an Irish actor in Hollywood lamenting a career spent acting as a chicken. The show scooped up awards at Adelaide Fringe, Dublin Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. It will be performed October 1 through to October 4 in an intimate theatrette at University House in downtown Newcastle. Funded by the City of Newcastle, with financial assistance from NSW Government, the New Annual concept shines a bright light on Newcastle's creative arts scene as well as featuring world-class artists performing in iconic venues. Tory Loudon took the reins as New Annual festival director early in 2025 on a three-year contract. She has extensive experience in the arts world, including with the Sydney Opera House, Vivid festival and Sydney Theatre Company. She is a long-time fan of Newcastle's arts community. "There were a few things I wanted to do when I got here," she says. "One of them was to commission local stories, really focusing on who were the right people to tell those stories, the right places. So a lot of the program is site specific. "I think for me the balance is how to take art out into parks and streets and beaches where people can hopefully stumble across it and discover something new. It also means we have to deal with the elements. If it means less capacity, then so be it." The iconic Newcastle Ocean Baths was the first location Loudon wanted to lock in for the 2025 program. "Not only are the Newcastle Ocean Baths loved, and such a gathering ground for everyone, where there are those communal spaces you get those intergenerational moments happening ... those really egalitarian spaces where people come together, where they maybe wouldn't come together otherwise," Loudon says. Newcastle-based Whale Chorus Theatre Company was commissioned to create Meet me at the Baths, with Janie Gibson as director and Ang Collins as playwright. The one-hour production will run at 11am and 2pm daily through the festival, with the audience invited to bring a picnic and a cushion to enjoy the show from the comfort of the concrete steps near the lap pool. "We are using this beautiful place, a place of natural beauty," Gibson says. "On that site we are telling the stories of all the different types of people who come and go from the place over time. And really focusing on human stories that are about people facing life's big changes. Whether that be love, death, all sorts of things." The actors will be spread across the venue, and the audience will be provided cordless headphones so they can lock into the dialogue and soundtrack as they watch the passing parade of visitors (the baths will remain open during the show). "It's definitely a feel-good, heartwarming spectrum of stories, like a tapestry of human stories," Gibson says. "We don't shy away from stories of grief and loss, as well as love stories, comedy, family and hijinks." Loudon has sat in on the early development sessions of the show. "Ang has pulled out some stories that are very, very Newcastle. People who live here will recognise them," she says. During the run, the baths will also feature The Bathers, a series of portraits of individuals and groups who frequent the baths, shot by Edwina Richards and Lee Illfield. It includes a homage to the photographers who have been shooting at the baths and surrounding beach for years, Richards says. Richards was excited to be involved in the project, and sees her images as an extension of the "magical realism" of the Meet me at the Baths play. Like Gibson and Collins, Richards is a Newcastle local. To her, the baths are special: "I've always found them, particularly at night, as that magical, secret, personal place. I've skinny-dipped all through my life there - I mean, who hasn't. I've always loved it, particularly as a teenager." Tim Levinson, founder of Elefant Traks record label and best known as hip-hop artist Urthboy, has called Newcastle home for the past four years. "Every time I talk to somebody from outside Newcastle about moving here, there's not a person who doesn't say, 'Ooh, wow, Newcastle's really happening, isn't it?' It's an interesting outsider's perspective," he says. "It does mirror a preconception I had [of the city], a real DIY, not waiting around for somebody to give you permission to do your art; you just go and do it. And I love that attitude. It's awesome." Levinson was given the task of curating the line-up for five nights of music at the Newcastle Ocean Baths for New Annual. "When you get an opportunity to be creative, imaginative, about the role music can play in a public setting, that's an honour," Levinson says. "I feel honoured to dream up ideas that might capture imagination. "We are at a point in time, where the value of people coming together in public spaces, and sharing space, and connecting with each other, has never been more important." The SOAK program of free concerts at sunset includes: Newcastle rockers Dust (September 27); beatbox artist Thom Thum, hip-hop artist Dobby and jazz pianist Freyja Garbett (September 28); TikTok sensation and Sydney-based pop violinist Joel Sunny, accompanied by dancers and singers (October 2); soul and R&B artists Mason Dane, A Girl, Dean Brady, Boy Soda and Finbar Stuart (October 3); and Newcastle DJs Jayteehazard and GNGR host the ultimate pool party (October 4). A few favourite events return, including the opening night arts party on Friday, September 26, which will see Laman Street in front of Newcastle Art Gallery turned into a funky free function featuring singers Kira Piru, Davaura and Haiki Hands. Artworks from First Nations artists will be projected onto the exterior walls of the newly-expanded art gallery during the night. The Global Gathering is also back, but at a new location, taking over Beaumont Street on Saturday, October 4, with entertaining MCs Benjamin Law and Jenny Wong running two stages with food demonstrations, music, dance and performances. Of course, the ever-popular Spiegeltent will be an anchor of the festival. The Strut & Fret company's new production, La Ronde, will run from September 5 to October 5 in Civic Park. The show comes fresh from a first run at Adelaide Fringe, and promises the extraordinary array of fun and risque circus acts that Newcastle has come to love. Public Art Trail A self-guided art trail featuring original, immersive art themes will be in place in shipping containers near Nobbys Beach and Camp Shotland. Works include: Argo Escargot, by Jen Denzin. A cargo full of tall tales, lost histories and a healthy dose of the absurd. Listen to a Starfish, by Diana Chester and Damien Ricketson. Lie down, close your eyes and listen to field recordings in a sensory sound installation. Anchor, by Heidi Axelsen and Hugo Moline. Enter the camera obscura near Nobbys Beach and see the world differently. Bio Assembly An immersive exhibition that brings together found sounds and everyday materials to reflect on our relationship with the environment. Watt Space Gallery. Mini Putt Putt Golf, by Rosie Deacon and Jen Denzin. Tee-off on a colourful and whimsical 6-hole mini putt-putt course, built especially for New Annual. Locked On Leading Indigenous Australian artist Karla Dickens presents a solo show at The Lock-Up addressing climate crises and ecofeminism, honouring the legacy of non-violent protest. Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer and Night Night, created by The Last Great Hunt, at Newcastle Museum. POV, by re:group, at Newcastle Museum. A kid with a camera, two adults, no rehearsals. Just real reactions. An uplifting and unpredictable family portrait. Seance and Flight, by Darkfield. Seance transforms a shipping container into a Victorian seance room, using darkness and sound to provide a 20-minute experience challenging what is real and imagined. Flight transforms a shipping container into the interior of an Airbus 320 aeroplane to reimagine what happens when an aircraft loses cabin pressure. Wheeler Place, every day. First Rhythms First Nations composer and musician Adam Manning joins forces with contemporary ensemble, Australian Art Orchestra, for a performance that reimagines clapsticks, First Nations rhythms and visual art to explore the living pulse of Country. Newcastle Conservatorium, October 2. Surge, curated by Tantrum Youth Arts. A punk explosion of new performance, music, and interactive visual and installation art. Newcastle Museum, October 2. Ghosts Between Streams, by jazz musician Tom Avgenicos and an eight-piece ensemble. A groundbreaking collaboration featuring jazz, strings and visual art, showcasing the story of the Coquun/Hunter River. September 30, Ravella. Dancefloor Conversion Therapy Jonny Hawkins was once on the straight and narrow, now they're on the queer and wide. A show for clubbers, ravers, party people and all who've been born again on the dancefloor. Join the built-in after party in the laneway at Bernie's Bar. Devonshire Street, September 27. In the world of festivals, New Annual is still a baby. With only four years under its belt, it's still establishing an identity among the public, both locally and from further afield. For festival director Loudon, the fact the festival is still a relative newcomer on the scene is an advantage. "I see that as an opportunity, because it means you can play a little bit, take a few more risks," she says. "Many people don't have as many preconceptions as to what they think the festival should be. "I love the fact we've introduced a free public art trail this year. And there's a freedom that comes when something is still evolving. And again, it's important to make sure you keep offering things up in response to the environment around you. There is a cost of living crisis going on - I know how much it costs to buy tickets to go to shows, like, 70 per cent of the program is free or low cost ($25). That was really important. "We want people to come, and be able to enjoy it, discover new artists, see their city differently. That can only work if people come, so you try to think about how to remove some of the barriers. "You don't have to go into a gallery. You will stumble across art, in shipping containers, or at the Newcastle Baths, hopefully as you're out and about doing your daily work. "We are taking the art out to people and meeting them where they already go and congregate." Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge is eagerly looking forward to this year's program. "There was a need for a more mainstream focus and particularly an increase in local content [in New Annual], and that's been listened to," he says. "And, with local content, they've commissioned works around local themes, and particularly around Newcastle Baths, and I think that's great." The mayor is confident the program is a step in the direction for his personal mantra: "I'm happy for international superstars to come to Newcastle, but what I really want is for international superstars to come from Newcastle." The fifth year of the New Annual festival looks like a banger. Newcastle's premier arts and culture fest kicks off on Friday, September 26, and runs through to Sunday, October 5. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will come alive during the festival, with a live, original theatre production, Meet me at the Baths, running twice daily over seven days and set amongst the pools. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will also serve as a spectacular backdrop for a series of music concerts, under the title SOAK, commencing at sunset over five days of the festival. While 70 per cent of the New Annual program will feature local talent, there are some prized performers from elsewhere on the program. On Saturday, September 27, Spooky Men's Chorale plays a headlining show at Newcastle City Hall. Formed more than 20 years ago, the eclectic choir tours the globe with their humorous but gifted take on songs of all genres. They will lead a workshop on the afternoon of the show, which should fuel more crowd involvement in their evening concert. And where would New Annual stand if it did not have an outrageously zany theatrical show. Chicken, starring Irish actor Eva O'Connor, is a solo show about an Irish actor in Hollywood lamenting a career spent acting as a chicken. The show scooped up awards at Adelaide Fringe, Dublin Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. It will be performed October 1 through to October 4 in an intimate theatrette at University House in downtown Newcastle. Funded by the City of Newcastle, with financial assistance from NSW Government, the New Annual concept shines a bright light on Newcastle's creative arts scene as well as featuring world-class artists performing in iconic venues. Tory Loudon took the reins as New Annual festival director early in 2025 on a three-year contract. She has extensive experience in the arts world, including with the Sydney Opera House, Vivid festival and Sydney Theatre Company. She is a long-time fan of Newcastle's arts community. "There were a few things I wanted to do when I got here," she says. "One of them was to commission local stories, really focusing on who were the right people to tell those stories, the right places. So a lot of the program is site specific. "I think for me the balance is how to take art out into parks and streets and beaches where people can hopefully stumble across it and discover something new. It also means we have to deal with the elements. If it means less capacity, then so be it." The iconic Newcastle Ocean Baths was the first location Loudon wanted to lock in for the 2025 program. "Not only are the Newcastle Ocean Baths loved, and such a gathering ground for everyone, where there are those communal spaces you get those intergenerational moments happening ... those really egalitarian spaces where people come together, where they maybe wouldn't come together otherwise," Loudon says. Newcastle-based Whale Chorus Theatre Company was commissioned to create Meet me at the Baths, with Janie Gibson as director and Ang Collins as playwright. The one-hour production will run at 11am and 2pm daily through the festival, with the audience invited to bring a picnic and a cushion to enjoy the show from the comfort of the concrete steps near the lap pool. "We are using this beautiful place, a place of natural beauty," Gibson says. "On that site we are telling the stories of all the different types of people who come and go from the place over time. And really focusing on human stories that are about people facing life's big changes. Whether that be love, death, all sorts of things." The actors will be spread across the venue, and the audience will be provided cordless headphones so they can lock into the dialogue and soundtrack as they watch the passing parade of visitors (the baths will remain open during the show). "It's definitely a feel-good, heartwarming spectrum of stories, like a tapestry of human stories," Gibson says. "We don't shy away from stories of grief and loss, as well as love stories, comedy, family and hijinks." Loudon has sat in on the early development sessions of the show. "Ang has pulled out some stories that are very, very Newcastle. People who live here will recognise them," she says. During the run, the baths will also feature The Bathers, a series of portraits of individuals and groups who frequent the baths, shot by Edwina Richards and Lee Illfield. It includes a homage to the photographers who have been shooting at the baths and surrounding beach for years, Richards says. Richards was excited to be involved in the project, and sees her images as an extension of the "magical realism" of the Meet me at the Baths play. Like Gibson and Collins, Richards is a Newcastle local. To her, the baths are special: "I've always found them, particularly at night, as that magical, secret, personal place. I've skinny-dipped all through my life there - I mean, who hasn't. I've always loved it, particularly as a teenager." Tim Levinson, founder of Elefant Traks record label and best known as hip-hop artist Urthboy, has called Newcastle home for the past four years. "Every time I talk to somebody from outside Newcastle about moving here, there's not a person who doesn't say, 'Ooh, wow, Newcastle's really happening, isn't it?' It's an interesting outsider's perspective," he says. "It does mirror a preconception I had [of the city], a real DIY, not waiting around for somebody to give you permission to do your art; you just go and do it. And I love that attitude. It's awesome." Levinson was given the task of curating the line-up for five nights of music at the Newcastle Ocean Baths for New Annual. "When you get an opportunity to be creative, imaginative, about the role music can play in a public setting, that's an honour," Levinson says. "I feel honoured to dream up ideas that might capture imagination. "We are at a point in time, where the value of people coming together in public spaces, and sharing space, and connecting with each other, has never been more important." The SOAK program of free concerts at sunset includes: Newcastle rockers Dust (September 27); beatbox artist Thom Thum, hip-hop artist Dobby and jazz pianist Freyja Garbett (September 28); TikTok sensation and Sydney-based pop violinist Joel Sunny, accompanied by dancers and singers (October 2); soul and R&B artists Mason Dane, A Girl, Dean Brady, Boy Soda and Finbar Stuart (October 3); and Newcastle DJs Jayteehazard and GNGR host the ultimate pool party (October 4). A few favourite events return, including the opening night arts party on Friday, September 26, which will see Laman Street in front of Newcastle Art Gallery turned into a funky free function featuring singers Kira Piru, Davaura and Haiki Hands. Artworks from First Nations artists will be projected onto the exterior walls of the newly-expanded art gallery during the night. The Global Gathering is also back, but at a new location, taking over Beaumont Street on Saturday, October 4, with entertaining MCs Benjamin Law and Jenny Wong running two stages with food demonstrations, music, dance and performances. Of course, the ever-popular Spiegeltent will be an anchor of the festival. The Strut & Fret company's new production, La Ronde, will run from September 5 to October 5 in Civic Park. The show comes fresh from a first run at Adelaide Fringe, and promises the extraordinary array of fun and risque circus acts that Newcastle has come to love. Public Art Trail A self-guided art trail featuring original, immersive art themes will be in place in shipping containers near Nobbys Beach and Camp Shotland. Works include: Argo Escargot, by Jen Denzin. A cargo full of tall tales, lost histories and a healthy dose of the absurd. Listen to a Starfish, by Diana Chester and Damien Ricketson. Lie down, close your eyes and listen to field recordings in a sensory sound installation. Anchor, by Heidi Axelsen and Hugo Moline. Enter the camera obscura near Nobbys Beach and see the world differently. Bio Assembly An immersive exhibition that brings together found sounds and everyday materials to reflect on our relationship with the environment. Watt Space Gallery. Mini Putt Putt Golf, by Rosie Deacon and Jen Denzin. Tee-off on a colourful and whimsical 6-hole mini putt-putt course, built especially for New Annual. Locked On Leading Indigenous Australian artist Karla Dickens presents a solo show at The Lock-Up addressing climate crises and ecofeminism, honouring the legacy of non-violent protest. Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer and Night Night, created by The Last Great Hunt, at Newcastle Museum. POV, by re:group, at Newcastle Museum. A kid with a camera, two adults, no rehearsals. Just real reactions. An uplifting and unpredictable family portrait. Seance and Flight, by Darkfield. Seance transforms a shipping container into a Victorian seance room, using darkness and sound to provide a 20-minute experience challenging what is real and imagined. Flight transforms a shipping container into the interior of an Airbus 320 aeroplane to reimagine what happens when an aircraft loses cabin pressure. Wheeler Place, every day. First Rhythms First Nations composer and musician Adam Manning joins forces with contemporary ensemble, Australian Art Orchestra, for a performance that reimagines clapsticks, First Nations rhythms and visual art to explore the living pulse of Country. Newcastle Conservatorium, October 2. Surge, curated by Tantrum Youth Arts. A punk explosion of new performance, music, and interactive visual and installation art. Newcastle Museum, October 2. Ghosts Between Streams, by jazz musician Tom Avgenicos and an eight-piece ensemble. A groundbreaking collaboration featuring jazz, strings and visual art, showcasing the story of the Coquun/Hunter River. September 30, Ravella. Dancefloor Conversion Therapy Jonny Hawkins was once on the straight and narrow, now they're on the queer and wide. A show for clubbers, ravers, party people and all who've been born again on the dancefloor. Join the built-in after party in the laneway at Bernie's Bar. Devonshire Street, September 27. In the world of festivals, New Annual is still a baby. With only four years under its belt, it's still establishing an identity among the public, both locally and from further afield. For festival director Loudon, the fact the festival is still a relative newcomer on the scene is an advantage. "I see that as an opportunity, because it means you can play a little bit, take a few more risks," she says. "Many people don't have as many preconceptions as to what they think the festival should be. "I love the fact we've introduced a free public art trail this year. And there's a freedom that comes when something is still evolving. And again, it's important to make sure you keep offering things up in response to the environment around you. There is a cost of living crisis going on - I know how much it costs to buy tickets to go to shows, like, 70 per cent of the program is free or low cost ($25). That was really important. "We want people to come, and be able to enjoy it, discover new artists, see their city differently. That can only work if people come, so you try to think about how to remove some of the barriers. "You don't have to go into a gallery. You will stumble across art, in shipping containers, or at the Newcastle Baths, hopefully as you're out and about doing your daily work. "We are taking the art out to people and meeting them where they already go and congregate." Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge is eagerly looking forward to this year's program. "There was a need for a more mainstream focus and particularly an increase in local content [in New Annual], and that's been listened to," he says. "And, with local content, they've commissioned works around local themes, and particularly around Newcastle Baths, and I think that's great." The mayor is confident the program is a step in the direction for his personal mantra: "I'm happy for international superstars to come to Newcastle, but what I really want is for international superstars to come from Newcastle." The fifth year of the New Annual festival looks like a banger. Newcastle's premier arts and culture fest kicks off on Friday, September 26, and runs through to Sunday, October 5. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will come alive during the festival, with a live, original theatre production, Meet me at the Baths, running twice daily over seven days and set amongst the pools. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will also serve as a spectacular backdrop for a series of music concerts, under the title SOAK, commencing at sunset over five days of the festival. While 70 per cent of the New Annual program will feature local talent, there are some prized performers from elsewhere on the program. On Saturday, September 27, Spooky Men's Chorale plays a headlining show at Newcastle City Hall. Formed more than 20 years ago, the eclectic choir tours the globe with their humorous but gifted take on songs of all genres. They will lead a workshop on the afternoon of the show, which should fuel more crowd involvement in their evening concert. And where would New Annual stand if it did not have an outrageously zany theatrical show. Chicken, starring Irish actor Eva O'Connor, is a solo show about an Irish actor in Hollywood lamenting a career spent acting as a chicken. The show scooped up awards at Adelaide Fringe, Dublin Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. It will be performed October 1 through to October 4 in an intimate theatrette at University House in downtown Newcastle. Funded by the City of Newcastle, with financial assistance from NSW Government, the New Annual concept shines a bright light on Newcastle's creative arts scene as well as featuring world-class artists performing in iconic venues. Tory Loudon took the reins as New Annual festival director early in 2025 on a three-year contract. She has extensive experience in the arts world, including with the Sydney Opera House, Vivid festival and Sydney Theatre Company. She is a long-time fan of Newcastle's arts community. "There were a few things I wanted to do when I got here," she says. "One of them was to commission local stories, really focusing on who were the right people to tell those stories, the right places. So a lot of the program is site specific. "I think for me the balance is how to take art out into parks and streets and beaches where people can hopefully stumble across it and discover something new. It also means we have to deal with the elements. If it means less capacity, then so be it." The iconic Newcastle Ocean Baths was the first location Loudon wanted to lock in for the 2025 program. "Not only are the Newcastle Ocean Baths loved, and such a gathering ground for everyone, where there are those communal spaces you get those intergenerational moments happening ... those really egalitarian spaces where people come together, where they maybe wouldn't come together otherwise," Loudon says. Newcastle-based Whale Chorus Theatre Company was commissioned to create Meet me at the Baths, with Janie Gibson as director and Ang Collins as playwright. The one-hour production will run at 11am and 2pm daily through the festival, with the audience invited to bring a picnic and a cushion to enjoy the show from the comfort of the concrete steps near the lap pool. "We are using this beautiful place, a place of natural beauty," Gibson says. "On that site we are telling the stories of all the different types of people who come and go from the place over time. And really focusing on human stories that are about people facing life's big changes. Whether that be love, death, all sorts of things." The actors will be spread across the venue, and the audience will be provided cordless headphones so they can lock into the dialogue and soundtrack as they watch the passing parade of visitors (the baths will remain open during the show). "It's definitely a feel-good, heartwarming spectrum of stories, like a tapestry of human stories," Gibson says. "We don't shy away from stories of grief and loss, as well as love stories, comedy, family and hijinks." Loudon has sat in on the early development sessions of the show. "Ang has pulled out some stories that are very, very Newcastle. People who live here will recognise them," she says. During the run, the baths will also feature The Bathers, a series of portraits of individuals and groups who frequent the baths, shot by Edwina Richards and Lee Illfield. It includes a homage to the photographers who have been shooting at the baths and surrounding beach for years, Richards says. Richards was excited to be involved in the project, and sees her images as an extension of the "magical realism" of the Meet me at the Baths play. Like Gibson and Collins, Richards is a Newcastle local. To her, the baths are special: "I've always found them, particularly at night, as that magical, secret, personal place. I've skinny-dipped all through my life there - I mean, who hasn't. I've always loved it, particularly as a teenager." Tim Levinson, founder of Elefant Traks record label and best known as hip-hop artist Urthboy, has called Newcastle home for the past four years. "Every time I talk to somebody from outside Newcastle about moving here, there's not a person who doesn't say, 'Ooh, wow, Newcastle's really happening, isn't it?' It's an interesting outsider's perspective," he says. "It does mirror a preconception I had [of the city], a real DIY, not waiting around for somebody to give you permission to do your art; you just go and do it. And I love that attitude. It's awesome." Levinson was given the task of curating the line-up for five nights of music at the Newcastle Ocean Baths for New Annual. "When you get an opportunity to be creative, imaginative, about the role music can play in a public setting, that's an honour," Levinson says. "I feel honoured to dream up ideas that might capture imagination. "We are at a point in time, where the value of people coming together in public spaces, and sharing space, and connecting with each other, has never been more important." The SOAK program of free concerts at sunset includes: Newcastle rockers Dust (September 27); beatbox artist Thom Thum, hip-hop artist Dobby and jazz pianist Freyja Garbett (September 28); TikTok sensation and Sydney-based pop violinist Joel Sunny, accompanied by dancers and singers (October 2); soul and R&B artists Mason Dane, A Girl, Dean Brady, Boy Soda and Finbar Stuart (October 3); and Newcastle DJs Jayteehazard and GNGR host the ultimate pool party (October 4). A few favourite events return, including the opening night arts party on Friday, September 26, which will see Laman Street in front of Newcastle Art Gallery turned into a funky free function featuring singers Kira Piru, Davaura and Haiki Hands. Artworks from First Nations artists will be projected onto the exterior walls of the newly-expanded art gallery during the night. The Global Gathering is also back, but at a new location, taking over Beaumont Street on Saturday, October 4, with entertaining MCs Benjamin Law and Jenny Wong running two stages with food demonstrations, music, dance and performances. Of course, the ever-popular Spiegeltent will be an anchor of the festival. The Strut & Fret company's new production, La Ronde, will run from September 5 to October 5 in Civic Park. The show comes fresh from a first run at Adelaide Fringe, and promises the extraordinary array of fun and risque circus acts that Newcastle has come to love. Public Art Trail A self-guided art trail featuring original, immersive art themes will be in place in shipping containers near Nobbys Beach and Camp Shotland. Works include: Argo Escargot, by Jen Denzin. A cargo full of tall tales, lost histories and a healthy dose of the absurd. Listen to a Starfish, by Diana Chester and Damien Ricketson. Lie down, close your eyes and listen to field recordings in a sensory sound installation. Anchor, by Heidi Axelsen and Hugo Moline. Enter the camera obscura near Nobbys Beach and see the world differently. Bio Assembly An immersive exhibition that brings together found sounds and everyday materials to reflect on our relationship with the environment. Watt Space Gallery. Mini Putt Putt Golf, by Rosie Deacon and Jen Denzin. Tee-off on a colourful and whimsical 6-hole mini putt-putt course, built especially for New Annual. Locked On Leading Indigenous Australian artist Karla Dickens presents a solo show at The Lock-Up addressing climate crises and ecofeminism, honouring the legacy of non-violent protest. Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer and Night Night, created by The Last Great Hunt, at Newcastle Museum. POV, by re:group, at Newcastle Museum. A kid with a camera, two adults, no rehearsals. Just real reactions. An uplifting and unpredictable family portrait. Seance and Flight, by Darkfield. Seance transforms a shipping container into a Victorian seance room, using darkness and sound to provide a 20-minute experience challenging what is real and imagined. Flight transforms a shipping container into the interior of an Airbus 320 aeroplane to reimagine what happens when an aircraft loses cabin pressure. Wheeler Place, every day. First Rhythms First Nations composer and musician Adam Manning joins forces with contemporary ensemble, Australian Art Orchestra, for a performance that reimagines clapsticks, First Nations rhythms and visual art to explore the living pulse of Country. Newcastle Conservatorium, October 2. Surge, curated by Tantrum Youth Arts. A punk explosion of new performance, music, and interactive visual and installation art. Newcastle Museum, October 2. Ghosts Between Streams, by jazz musician Tom Avgenicos and an eight-piece ensemble. A groundbreaking collaboration featuring jazz, strings and visual art, showcasing the story of the Coquun/Hunter River. September 30, Ravella. Dancefloor Conversion Therapy Jonny Hawkins was once on the straight and narrow, now they're on the queer and wide. A show for clubbers, ravers, party people and all who've been born again on the dancefloor. Join the built-in after party in the laneway at Bernie's Bar. Devonshire Street, September 27. In the world of festivals, New Annual is still a baby. With only four years under its belt, it's still establishing an identity among the public, both locally and from further afield. For festival director Loudon, the fact the festival is still a relative newcomer on the scene is an advantage. "I see that as an opportunity, because it means you can play a little bit, take a few more risks," she says. "Many people don't have as many preconceptions as to what they think the festival should be. "I love the fact we've introduced a free public art trail this year. And there's a freedom that comes when something is still evolving. And again, it's important to make sure you keep offering things up in response to the environment around you. There is a cost of living crisis going on - I know how much it costs to buy tickets to go to shows, like, 70 per cent of the program is free or low cost ($25). That was really important. "We want people to come, and be able to enjoy it, discover new artists, see their city differently. That can only work if people come, so you try to think about how to remove some of the barriers. "You don't have to go into a gallery. You will stumble across art, in shipping containers, or at the Newcastle Baths, hopefully as you're out and about doing your daily work. "We are taking the art out to people and meeting them where they already go and congregate." Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge is eagerly looking forward to this year's program. "There was a need for a more mainstream focus and particularly an increase in local content [in New Annual], and that's been listened to," he says. "And, with local content, they've commissioned works around local themes, and particularly around Newcastle Baths, and I think that's great." The mayor is confident the program is a step in the direction for his personal mantra: "I'm happy for international superstars to come to Newcastle, but what I really want is for international superstars to come from Newcastle." The fifth year of the New Annual festival looks like a banger. Newcastle's premier arts and culture fest kicks off on Friday, September 26, and runs through to Sunday, October 5. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will come alive during the festival, with a live, original theatre production, Meet me at the Baths, running twice daily over seven days and set amongst the pools. The Newcastle Ocean Baths will also serve as a spectacular backdrop for a series of music concerts, under the title SOAK, commencing at sunset over five days of the festival. While 70 per cent of the New Annual program will feature local talent, there are some prized performers from elsewhere on the program. On Saturday, September 27, Spooky Men's Chorale plays a headlining show at Newcastle City Hall. Formed more than 20 years ago, the eclectic choir tours the globe with their humorous but gifted take on songs of all genres. They will lead a workshop on the afternoon of the show, which should fuel more crowd involvement in their evening concert. And where would New Annual stand if it did not have an outrageously zany theatrical show. Chicken, starring Irish actor Eva O'Connor, is a solo show about an Irish actor in Hollywood lamenting a career spent acting as a chicken. The show scooped up awards at Adelaide Fringe, Dublin Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. It will be performed October 1 through to October 4 in an intimate theatrette at University House in downtown Newcastle. Funded by the City of Newcastle, with financial assistance from NSW Government, the New Annual concept shines a bright light on Newcastle's creative arts scene as well as featuring world-class artists performing in iconic venues. Tory Loudon took the reins as New Annual festival director early in 2025 on a three-year contract. She has extensive experience in the arts world, including with the Sydney Opera House, Vivid festival and Sydney Theatre Company. She is a long-time fan of Newcastle's arts community. "There were a few things I wanted to do when I got here," she says. "One of them was to commission local stories, really focusing on who were the right people to tell those stories, the right places. So a lot of the program is site specific. "I think for me the balance is how to take art out into parks and streets and beaches where people can hopefully stumble across it and discover something new. It also means we have to deal with the elements. If it means less capacity, then so be it." The iconic Newcastle Ocean Baths was the first location Loudon wanted to lock in for the 2025 program. "Not only are the Newcastle Ocean Baths loved, and such a gathering ground for everyone, where there are those communal spaces you get those intergenerational moments happening ... those really egalitarian spaces where people come together, where they maybe wouldn't come together otherwise," Loudon says. Newcastle-based Whale Chorus Theatre Company was commissioned to create Meet me at the Baths, with Janie Gibson as director and Ang Collins as playwright. The one-hour production will run at 11am and 2pm daily through the festival, with the audience invited to bring a picnic and a cushion to enjoy the show from the comfort of the concrete steps near the lap pool. "We are using this beautiful place, a place of natural beauty," Gibson says. "On that site we are telling the stories of all the different types of people who come and go from the place over time. And really focusing on human stories that are about people facing life's big changes. Whether that be love, death, all sorts of things." The actors will be spread across the venue, and the audience will be provided cordless headphones so they can lock into the dialogue and soundtrack as they watch the passing parade of visitors (the baths will remain open during the show). "It's definitely a feel-good, heartwarming spectrum of stories, like a tapestry of human stories," Gibson says. "We don't shy away from stories of grief and loss, as well as love stories, comedy, family and hijinks." Loudon has sat in on the early development sessions of the show. "Ang has pulled out some stories that are very, very Newcastle. People who live here will recognise them," she says. During the run, the baths will also feature The Bathers, a series of portraits of individuals and groups who frequent the baths, shot by Edwina Richards and Lee Illfield. It includes a homage to the photographers who have been shooting at the baths and surrounding beach for years, Richards says. Richards was excited to be involved in the project, and sees her images as an extension of the "magical realism" of the Meet me at the Baths play. Like Gibson and Collins, Richards is a Newcastle local. To her, the baths are special: "I've always found them, particularly at night, as that magical, secret, personal place. I've skinny-dipped all through my life there - I mean, who hasn't. I've always loved it, particularly as a teenager." Tim Levinson, founder of Elefant Traks record label and best known as hip-hop artist Urthboy, has called Newcastle home for the past four years. "Every time I talk to somebody from outside Newcastle about moving here, there's not a person who doesn't say, 'Ooh, wow, Newcastle's really happening, isn't it?' It's an interesting outsider's perspective," he says. "It does mirror a preconception I had [of the city], a real DIY, not waiting around for somebody to give you permission to do your art; you just go and do it. And I love that attitude. It's awesome." Levinson was given the task of curating the line-up for five nights of music at the Newcastle Ocean Baths for New Annual. "When you get an opportunity to be creative, imaginative, about the role music can play in a public setting, that's an honour," Levinson says. "I feel honoured to dream up ideas that might capture imagination. "We are at a point in time, where the value of people coming together in public spaces, and sharing space, and connecting with each other, has never been more important." The SOAK program of free concerts at sunset includes: Newcastle rockers Dust (September 27); beatbox artist Thom Thum, hip-hop artist Dobby and jazz pianist Freyja Garbett (September 28); TikTok sensation and Sydney-based pop violinist Joel Sunny, accompanied by dancers and singers (October 2); soul and R&B artists Mason Dane, A Girl, Dean Brady, Boy Soda and Finbar Stuart (October 3); and Newcastle DJs Jayteehazard and GNGR host the ultimate pool party (October 4). A few favourite events return, including the opening night arts party on Friday, September 26, which will see Laman Street in front of Newcastle Art Gallery turned into a funky free function featuring singers Kira Piru, Davaura and Haiki Hands. Artworks from First Nations artists will be projected onto the exterior walls of the newly-expanded art gallery during the night. The Global Gathering is also back, but at a new location, taking over Beaumont Street on Saturday, October 4, with entertaining MCs Benjamin Law and Jenny Wong running two stages with food demonstrations, music, dance and performances. Of course, the ever-popular Spiegeltent will be an anchor of the festival. The Strut & Fret company's new production, La Ronde, will run from September 5 to October 5 in Civic Park. The show comes fresh from a first run at Adelaide Fringe, and promises the extraordinary array of fun and risque circus acts that Newcastle has come to love. Public Art Trail A self-guided art trail featuring original, immersive art themes will be in place in shipping containers near Nobbys Beach and Camp Shotland. Works include: Argo Escargot, by Jen Denzin. A cargo full of tall tales, lost histories and a healthy dose of the absurd. Listen to a Starfish, by Diana Chester and Damien Ricketson. Lie down, close your eyes and listen to field recordings in a sensory sound installation. Anchor, by Heidi Axelsen and Hugo Moline. Enter the camera obscura near Nobbys Beach and see the world differently. Bio Assembly An immersive exhibition that brings together found sounds and everyday materials to reflect on our relationship with the environment. Watt Space Gallery. Mini Putt Putt Golf, by Rosie Deacon and Jen Denzin. Tee-off on a colourful and whimsical 6-hole mini putt-putt course, built especially for New Annual. Locked On Leading Indigenous Australian artist Karla Dickens presents a solo show at The Lock-Up addressing climate crises and ecofeminism, honouring the legacy of non-violent protest. Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer and Night Night, created by The Last Great Hunt, at Newcastle Museum. POV, by re:group, at Newcastle Museum. A kid with a camera, two adults, no rehearsals. Just real reactions. An uplifting and unpredictable family portrait. Seance and Flight, by Darkfield. Seance transforms a shipping container into a Victorian seance room, using darkness and sound to provide a 20-minute experience challenging what is real and imagined. Flight transforms a shipping container into the interior of an Airbus 320 aeroplane to reimagine what happens when an aircraft loses cabin pressure. Wheeler Place, every day. First Rhythms First Nations composer and musician Adam Manning joins forces with contemporary ensemble, Australian Art Orchestra, for a performance that reimagines clapsticks, First Nations rhythms and visual art to explore the living pulse of Country. Newcastle Conservatorium, October 2. Surge, curated by Tantrum Youth Arts. A punk explosion of new performance, music, and interactive visual and installation art. Newcastle Museum, October 2. Ghosts Between Streams, by jazz musician Tom Avgenicos and an eight-piece ensemble. A groundbreaking collaboration featuring jazz, strings and visual art, showcasing the story of the Coquun/Hunter River. September 30, Ravella. Dancefloor Conversion Therapy Jonny Hawkins was once on the straight and narrow, now they're on the queer and wide. A show for clubbers, ravers, party people and all who've been born again on the dancefloor. Join the built-in after party in the laneway at Bernie's Bar. Devonshire Street, September 27. In the world of festivals, New Annual is still a baby. With only four years under its belt, it's still establishing an identity among the public, both locally and from further afield. For festival director Loudon, the fact the festival is still a relative newcomer on the scene is an advantage. "I see that as an opportunity, because it means you can play a little bit, take a few more risks," she says. "Many people don't have as many preconceptions as to what they think the festival should be. "I love the fact we've introduced a free public art trail this year. And there's a freedom that comes when something is still evolving. And again, it's important to make sure you keep offering things up in response to the environment around you. There is a cost of living crisis going on - I know how much it costs to buy tickets to go to shows, like, 70 per cent of the program is free or low cost ($25). That was really important. "We want people to come, and be able to enjoy it, discover new artists, see their city differently. That can only work if people come, so you try to think about how to remove some of the barriers. "You don't have to go into a gallery. You will stumble across art, in shipping containers, or at the Newcastle Baths, hopefully as you're out and about doing your daily work. "We are taking the art out to people and meeting them where they already go and congregate." Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge is eagerly looking forward to this year's program. "There was a need for a more mainstream focus and particularly an increase in local content [in New Annual], and that's been listened to," he says. "And, with local content, they've commissioned works around local themes, and particularly around Newcastle Baths, and I think that's great." The mayor is confident the program is a step in the direction for his personal mantra: "I'm happy for international superstars to come to Newcastle, but what I really want is for international superstars to come from Newcastle."
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Legacy Motor Club sues broker for alleged interference in NASCAR charter deal with Rick Ware Racing
A Rick Ware Racing patch is displayed on the fire suit of driver Cody Ware prior to the NASCAR Cup Series 300 auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Legacy Motor Club on Wednesday sued the broker who helped negotiate its purchase of a charter from Rick Ware Racing, accusing him of tortious interference for now trying to buy Ware's NASCAR team. Legacy alleged in its filing in North Carolina Superior Court that T.J. Puchyr, acting as a consultant for the Cup Series team owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, violated the state Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act by using 'insider knowledge and position of trust to interfere with Legacy's Agreement with RWR.' Legacy also accused Puchyr of making public personal attacks against Johnson when he announced last month his plans to purchase Ware's tiny race team. The dispute began not long after Legacy entered into agreement for Johnson and his partners at Knighthead Capital Management to purchase one of Ware's two charters. Legacy says the deal is for next season, when it plans to expand to three full-time Cup cars. RWR maintains the deal was for 2027 because it already is under contract with RFK Racing to lease that organization a charter next season. Ware says he didn't read the contract closely when he signed it to note that it read 2026, and that honoring the RFK contract and selling a second charter to Legacy next year would put the NASCAR team out of business. Legacy in April sued Ware, but as that fight is playing out, it claims Puchyr struck a deal to buy RWR. Puchyr is a co-founder of Spire Motorsports and now acts as a motorsports consultant. 'Mr. Puchyr was well aware of the parties' dispute. He knew of the charter purchase agreement between Legacy and RWR that he helped broker,' the suit contends. 'Despite Mr. Puchyr's insider knowledge of the contract, his obligations under his consulting agreement with Legacy, Legacy's contractual right to a charter ... Mr. Puchyr recently announced that he intends to purchase both of RWR's charters for himself.' The latest filing is part of two active lawsuits surrounding charters, which are at the heart of NASCAR's business model. Having one is vital to a team's survival. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked into a prolonged suit with NASCAR over antitrust allegations against the most popular motorsports series in the United States. 23XI, co-owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September refused to sign the charter agreements offered by NASCAR after more than two years of contentious negotiations on extensions. The two were the only holdouts out of 15 organizations to refuse the extensions. They instead sued and are awaiting a federal judge's decision on if they will be stripped of their six combined charters as the case heads toward a Dec. 1 trial date. NASCAR has said it has asked multiple times for settlement proposals but heard nothing. NASCAR also has no intention of renegotiating the charter agreements held by 30 other teams. Johnson, despite his own legal fight, said last weekend that he supported a settlement in the antitrust case. 'I would love to see a settlement of some kind,' Johnson said. 'I really don't think that getting into a knock-down, drag-out lawsuit is good for anybody.' ___ Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
Miami Herald
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Influencers urged to steer clear of hot topics during US immigration crackdown
Avoid politics. That's the advice lawyers are increasingly giving U.S.-based content creators who aren't citizens as an immigration crackdown spreads across the country. "Every chance I get to tell them to scrub their socials even for likes and reposts of innocuous content - like JD Vance or anti-war memes - I do," said Genie Doi, an immigration lawyer who works with influencers. In the combative, anything-goes world of digital media, internet personalities tend to gravitate toward hot-button, controversial subjects, not shy away from them. But in the current political climate, lawyers are telling their clients that weighing in on topics like Palestine or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles, can come with serious risks, including unwanted scrutiny from authorities or unfriendly competitors. Last month, Khaby Lame, a Senegalese-Italian influencer with millions of followers on TikTok, was detained by immigration agents in Las Vegas after overstaying the terms of his visa, according to a Department of Homeland Security senior official. Lame, who has partnered with many mainstream brands, including Pepsi and Hugo Boss, has since voluntarily left the country. Afterward, Bo Loudon, a conservative influencer who is friends with President Donald Trump's son Barron, took credit for tipping off DHS. Even though Lame typically doesn't speak in his TikTok videos, which come across as entirely apolitical, Loudon has since described him as a "far-left influencer." Lame didn't respond to a request for comment. "No one is above the law!" Loudon wrote on X. For many social-media personalities around the world, the U.S. is a desirable place to work due to the big marketing budgets of U.S. brands, as well as the proximity to dealmakers and casting directors in Hollywood. But for anyone with a large following on social media, coming into the U.S. these days isn't without potential hazards. In May, Hasan Piker, a popular, far-left political commentator and U.S. citizen, was stopped and questioned by U.S. border agents at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport about his views on Palestine, which he regularly shares on Inc.'s livestreaming site Twitch. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Piker said he believes DHS interrogated him to send a message to others in his position. "The goal was to threaten people who might also want to speak out and go to protests regardless of their citizenship status," he said. "It's a threatening environment they want to cultivate to stop people from exercising their First Amendment rights." "Our officers are following the law, not agendas," DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin responded via email. "Upon entering the country, this individual (Hasan Piker) was referred for further inspection - a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler. Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released." Earlier this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection revoked Piker's Global Entry privileges - a program in which approved individuals get expedited clearance on their return to the U.S. Doi, the immigration lawyer, is now advising clients who aren't U.S. citizens to avoid international travel altogether. At ports of entry, CBP has broad authority to search and seize electronic devices of incoming travelers though the agency says that fewer than .01% of all international travelers were subject to such searches last year. "Every entry at the border is an opportunity for CBP to inspect your electronics without a warrant," Doi said. One in five Americans get their news from influencers, according to a 2024 Pew Research survey, with 27% of news influencers identifying as conservative or pro-Trump, versus 21% as left-leaning. So far in his second term, Trump has directed most of his attacks on the media at mainstream outlets, ranging from CNN and CBS News to the New York Times - all of which have full-time legal departments poised to respond to such threats. By contrast, even the most popular online creators tend to have much slimmer operations, potentially leaving them more vulnerable to aggressive legal tactics. David Rugendorf, an immigration attorney, said he now advises content creators, regardless of their citizenship status, that anything they have ever posted online could be used against them. As a result, he said, some are opting to delete old posts. "This government," Rugendorf said, "is particularly attuned to the power of social media" and "wants to counter" certain positions. In early June, Derek Guy, a fashion critic whose popularity has soared on social media for mocking the sartorial choices of conservative politicians, revealed his own status as a longtime, undocumented resident of the U.S. "The lack of legal immigration has totally shaped my life," he wrote on X, where he has more than 1 million followers. "It has taken an emotional toll, as this legal issue hangs over your head like a black cloud." Afterward, some conservatives suggested online that the Trump administration should kick Guy out of the country. Before long, Vice President Vance weighed in on X, posting a meme of the actor Jack Nicholson nodding his head up and down menacingly. Guy didn't respond to requests for comment for this story. In mid-June, Mario Guevara, an independent, Spanish-speaking journalist with a sizable online following, was arrested while livestreaming anti-Trump protests outside of Atlanta. He was subsequently handed over to ICE. Guevara, who moved to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2004 according to the New Yorker, is currently facing deportation hearings. The Committee to Protect Journalists has said that Guevara "has authorization to work" in the U.S. DHS said that he entered the country illegally. Guevara's lawyer didn't respond to a request for comment. "Following his arrest by local authorities, ICE placed a detainer on him," DHS's McLaughlin said. "Following his release, he was turned over to ICE custody and has been placed in removal proceedings." Scrutiny from immigration authorities isn't the only potential risk for politically outspoken influencers. In recent years, a growing number of large advertisers have been shying away from politically active creators, said Crystal Duncan, an executive vice president of brand engagement at Tinuiti, a marketing firm. In recent months, many brand managers have grown even more wary. "In general, brands have been less vocal about political and social issues since the change in administration, given shifts in the political climate and heightened polarization," said Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at eMarketer. David Melik Telfer, a lawyer in Los Angeles, said that most international influencers come to the U.S. on O1-B visas, under the same category as traditional entertainers. Lately, he said, the U.S. State Department has been scrutinizing applications more closely and challenging them more often. "They are examining everybody's social media," he said. "If your number one priority is not being detained and remaining in the U.S., I would certainly not attend any protest." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
The Star
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Influencers urged to steer clear of hot topics during US immigration crackdown
Avoid politics. That's the advice lawyers are increasingly giving US-based content creators who aren't citizens as an immigration crackdown spreads across the country. "Every chance I get to tell them to scrub their socials even for likes and reposts of innocuous content – like JD Vance or anti-war memes – I do,' said Genie Doi, an immigration lawyer who works with influencers. In the combative, anything-goes world of digital media, Internet personalities tend to gravitate toward hot-button, controversial subjects, not shy away from them. But in the current political climate, lawyers are telling their clients that weighing in on topics like Palestine or the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles, can come with serious risks, including unwanted scrutiny from authorities or unfriendly competitors. Last month, Khaby Lame, a Senegalese-Italian influencer with millions of followers on TikTok, was detained by immigration agents in Las Vegas after overstaying the terms of his visa, according to a Department of Homeland Security senior official. Lame, who has partnered with many mainstream brands, including Pepsi and Hugo Boss, has since voluntarily left the country. Afterward, Bo Loudon, a conservative influencer who is friends with US President Donald Trump's son Barron, took credit for tipping off DHS. Even though Lame typically doesn't speak in his TikTok videos, which come across as entirely apolitical, Loudon has since described him as a "far-left influencer'. Lame didn't respond to a request for comment. "No one is above the law!' Loudon wrote on X. For many social-media personalities around the world, the US is a desirable place to work due to the big marketing budgets of US brands, as well as the proximity to dealmakers and casting directors in Hollywood. But for anyone with a large following on social media, coming into the US these days isn't without potential hazards. In May, Hasan Piker, a popular, far-left political commentator and US citizen, was stopped and questioned by US border agents at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport about his views on Palestine, which he regularly shares on Inc's livestreaming site Twitch. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Piker said he believes DHS interrogated him to send a message to others in his position. "The goal was to threaten people who might also want to speak out and go to protests regardless of their citizenship status,' he said. "It's a threatening environment they want to cultivate to stop people from exercising their First Amendment rights.' "Our officers are following the law, not agendas,' DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin responded via email. "Upon entering the country, this individual (Hasan Piker) was referred for further inspection – a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler. Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.' Earlier this year, US Customs and Border Protection revoked Piker's Global Entry privileges – a programme in which approved individuals get expedited clearance on their return to the US. Doi, the immigration lawyer, is now advising clients who aren't US citizens to avoid international travel altogether. At ports of entry, CBP has broad authority to search and seize electronic devices of incoming travelers though the agency says that fewer than .01% of all international travelers were subject to such searches last year. "Every entry at the border is an opportunity for CBP to inspect your electronics without a warrant,' Doi said. One in five Americans get their news from influencers, according to a 2024 Pew Research survey, with 27% of news influencers identifying as conservative or pro-Trump, versus 21% as left-leaning. So far in his second term, Trump has directed most of his attacks on the media at mainstream outlets, ranging from CNN and CBS News to the New York Times – all of which have full-time legal departments poised to respond to such threats. By contrast, even the most popular online creators tend to have much slimmer operations, potentially leaving them more vulnerable to aggressive legal tactics. David Rugendorf, an immigration attorney, said he now advises content creators, regardless of their citizenship status, that anything they have ever posted online could be used against them. As a result, he said, some are opting to delete old posts. "This government,' Rugendorf said, "is particularly attuned to the power of social media' and "wants to counter' certain positions. In early June, Derek Guy, a fashion critic whose popularity has soared on social media for mocking the sartorial choices of conservative politicians, revealed his own status as a longtime, undocumented resident of the US. "The lack of legal immigration has totally shaped my life,' he wrote on X, where he has more than 1 million followers. "It has taken an emotional toll, as this legal issue hangs over your head like a black cloud.' Afterward, some conservatives suggested online that the Trump administration should kick Guy out of the country. Before long, Vice President Vance weighed in on X, posting a meme of the actor Jack Nicholson nodding his head up and down menacingly. Guy didn't respond to requests for comment for this story. In mid-June, Mario Guevara, an independent, Spanish-speaking journalist with a sizable online following, was arrested while livestreaming anti-Trump protests outside of Atlanta. He was subsequently handed over to ICE. Guevara, who moved to the US from El Salvador in 2004 according to the New Yorker, is currently facing deportation hearings. The Committee to Protect Journalists has said that Guevara "has authorization to work' in the US. DHS said that he entered the country illegally. Guevara's lawyer didn't respond to a request for comment. "Following his arrest by local authorities, ICE placed a detainer on him,' DHS's McLaughlin said. "Following his release, he was turned over to ICE custody and has been placed in removal proceedings.' Scrutiny from immigration authorities isn't the only potential risk for politically outspoken influencers. In recent years, a growing number of large advertisers have been shying away from politically active creators, said Crystal Duncan, an executive vice president of brand engagement at Tinuiti, a marketing firm. In recent months, many brand managers have grown even more wary. "In general, brands have been less vocal about political and social issues since the change in administration, given shifts in the political climate and heightened polarization,' said Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at eMarketer. David Melik Telfer, a lawyer in Los Angeles, said that most international influencers come to the US on O1-B visas, under the same category as traditional entertainers. Lately, he said, the US State Department has been scrutinizing applications more closely and challenging them more often. "They are examining everybody's social media,' he said. "If your number one priority is not being detained and remaining in the US, I would certainly not attend any protest.' – Bloomberg
