Winds blow, snow falls, and every winter in February wings become the most popular food item in America. This is because of the Super Bowl, and each year the NFL chooses one person to hold a show during this iconic event. That person to take on the challenge this year is Bad Bunny.
When the league started doing halftime shows in 1967, the NFL had a college marching band perform their Super Bowl halftime show. That went all the way up to the mid 1990s where Carol Channing switching it to big pop stars and rock bands to perform the shows we are familiar with today. Since this switch, nearly 100 million people tune in to watch the halftime show every year. It has evolved into an important part of American culture and media, and this has caused many celebrities and athletes to express their opinion regarding the show.
The overwhelming majority of celebrities say that the Super Bowl halftime show is a great and amazing opportunity. When they get the opportunity to perform, many singers show their gratitude and say it’s an honor to participate in it on social media and in interviews. Popular celebrities such as “Lady Gaga, LeBron James and more Celebs Rave About the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show.” For example, Lady Gaga enjoyed performing so much after her 2017 halftime appearance that she tweeted “THAT WAS A BOMB OF RADICAL LOVE THANK YOU #SuperBowl HALFTIME SHOW!! Incredible!! That’s what it’s all about!!”
On the other hand, artists like Cardi B stated that they turned down the 2019 halftime show to stand with Colin Kaepernick and his fight against police brutality and racial injustices. Other singers have declined it because they believed that their popularity and influence “aren’t big enough.”
When it comes to the players opinions vary on an extreme note. Some love the music and the extra time they get between halves. For those who don’t play, the show is a very anticipated event and fun for a break between the heavy showing of the game they all love. Evan McPherson, the Bengals kicker for their 2022 Super Bowl appearance, was seen on the sideline watching the halftime show instead of being in the locker room for a meeting.
While very few athletes express negative opinions about the show, other people involved with the league have been more vocal about it. Most of the comments made have been about a growing issue for the NFL in the past few years: politics. Politics has made its way onto the field and secretary of defence Pete Hegseth spoke out on Bad Bunny’s planned performance in February. Hegseth stated that, the NFL being a bowing to Democratic propaganda and Turning Point USA called the decision a “cultural clash”.
Bad Bunny canceled all his upcoming concerts in America because of the said “cultural clash” in the government. The music artist has “fears of ICE raids targeting his Latino fans.” Interviews with Bad Bunny highlight his conflict with America because President Trump won the election. Bad Bunny received even more hate for accepting to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime show because he reneged on his word to not perform in the United States. Other people are hating on the NFL and criticizing the Spanish lyrics in a predominantly English speaking country. However, in the middle of this hatred, 7 time pro bowler Former NFL center Jason Kelce stood up and mentioned, “if Bad Bunny is a bad fit for the Super Bowl, then the critics are a bad fit for America’s future.”
The NFL commissioner Roger goodell backs Bad Bunny for Super Bowl halftime show: ‘It’s going to be a great show’. While talking about how a lot of people aren’t mad at this choice but the hate is always louder.
Bad Bunny is taking this hate with a grain of salt. He even starred on Saturday Night Live recently and sarcastically stated that “everybody’s happy about the announcement, even Fox News!” Even with all his challenges, he is ready to take it on and overcome all these comments. So the real question is, will you still watch the Halftime show?
