British series Gophers!. Unauthorized costume characters In recent years, amateur performers wearing unauthorized, counterfeit costumes of various pop-culture characters have appeared in popular tourist destinations such as Hollywood Boulevard and Times Square. They usually pose for photos and collect (or, often, extort) tips from tourists. The 2007 documentary film Confessions of a Superhero focuses on costumed "superheroes" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Because they are not regulated or authorized, there have been many controversies and arrests involving costumed performers in Times Square. Industry The mascot industry is estimated at $5-million a year. Toronto, Canada, is one of the hubs in the industry, with six major firms headquartered out of the city. Knock-off costumes are commonly fabricated in Peru, where they're called botargas, as well as other South American countries and certain East Asian countries. See also Cosplay Creature suit Fursuit Mascot References costume Children's entertainment Cosplay Puppetry