Somewhere along the line, many Americans got the idea that significant public performances have to be bland and pitched to the lowest common denominator. These people feel entitled to not be offended, and the list of things that offend them is long indeed.
So when Puerto Rico’s genre-defining artist Bad Bunny was announced Monday as the headliner of Super Bowl LX’s halftime show, those folks got big, big mad. Maybe even madder than they were last year, when rapper Kendrick Lamar grabbed the spot.
After all, to the uninitiated, Lamar’s main pop-culture calling card was his feud with Canadian rapper Drake — and most of those watching were awaiting the now-famous verses of “Not Like Us,” that started “Hey Drake, I hear you like ‘em young…” Lamar delivered, with a justifiably viral tease that featured Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam.
Amid all that chatter, few among the pearl-clutching set seemed to notice that Lamar delivered one of the most slyly subversive performances in recent Super Bowl history — with Jackson’s narration a thematic urging to the singer to tone down his message, an admonition Lamar joyfully ignored.
Bad Bunny, whose off-stage name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, won’t get away with that weave-and-dodge. In fact, the complaints are already pouring in. First came the lament that nobody has heard of him — well, except the people who have listened to his music more than 100 billion times from sites like Spotify, making him second only to Taylor Swift as the most-streamed artist of all time. Or the people who snapped up more than 400,000 tickets in less than four hours to his 31-concert “residency” in San Juan. Or the people who made his sixth album Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos) one of the best-selling of 2025.
That’s not to mention the people who have seen Ocasio in acting roles, including most recently the Happy Gilmore sequel, or his turns hosting SNL — which he’ll do for a third time for the Oct. 4 season opener. (Do yourself a favor and pull up the Shrek sketch on YouTube. You’re welcome.)
Then, of course, came the shrieks of protest at the realization that Ocasio will almost certainly perform his halftime show in Spanish. Those who viewed this as un-American seem to forget that there are upwards of 40 million American citizens who speak, and think, Spanish as their primary language. That’s about 13% of the population.
And of course, there are the — quite valid — fears that Ocasio will use the worldwide stage to speak up about the injustices many of those Americans and legal U.S. residents are facing right now. After all, he designed his world tour (which restarts in November) without any dates in the continental U.S. And the artist has been blunt about the reason: He’s afraid Immigrations and Customs Enforcement will target his shows to round up Latinos — with little regard for whether they are in the country legally or even native-born citizens, as all Puerto Ricans are.
Given the scope of the injustice ICE is visiting on millions of innocent people — not just those detained, but those who are living their lives in increasing fear — a little criticism in a Super Bowl halftime show is not too much to bear.
Finally, let’s address those who say the NFL is selling out its core audience with a non-traditional performance. But what counts as “traditional?” New Kids on the Block’s notably torpid 1991 set, which included for some reason a rendition of “It’s a Small World (After All)”? Justin Timberlake’s apparently calculated decision to rip off Janet Jackson’s top in 2004? Maroon 5’s decision to play in 2019, despite brewing controversy over the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick?
Those who say the NFL should “know its audience” are deeply out of touch. The NFL knows very well what it’s doing: For most Americans, football is the most-followed sport — but there are still audiences to capture, and the league knows that its biggest challenge is to reach viewers who haven’t considered American football worth watching before now. They’re confident, with good reason, that people who actually watch a game will likely find it an entertaining experience, worth repeating.
The reality is this: In terms of musical influence, talent and popularity, Bad Bunny is a great pick for Super Bowl LX. He’s a worthy advocate for Puerto Ricans, both at home and those who have spread through the continental United States — to the great benefit of Central Florida, where hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans have made their homes. And he’s a massive talent, well-placed in the pantheon of halftime show greats, including Prince, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Beyonce and the Rolling Stones.
It’s going to be a hell of a show — because that’s what Bad Bunny delivers, every time.
Some Americans will be too closed-off to see that. Well, there are snacks in the kitchen. And when your friends and family tell you what a great show you missed, take comfort: There’s always YouTube.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com.
