A dude named Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has a lot of people big mad this week! Don’t know who he is? Well, until a few days ago neither did 99% of the people complaining about him. He’s known more commonly as Bad Bunny, and 97% of the people his existence angers hadn’t heard that name either. Bad Bunny has been chosen to perform the NFL Super Bowl halftime show for 2026. He’s a Latin rapper/artist and one of the biggest musical artists in the world right now.
I had actually heard of Bad Bunny before, because he has appeared on WWE programs and while no one admits watching wrestling, I do. Well, I do enough to know who Bad Bunny is. I felt cool being in the minority of people my age who knew him, but the kid quickly corrected me on my “cool” assertion.
Bad Bunny performs live during his “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency in in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 20, 2025.
So, what’s the problem? It’s hard to weed through all the hysteria about this choice for the big show to get one answer. I’ve heard complaints about the fact most of his music is in Spanish; that he is a “cross dresser” that he’s “un-American”; that a “real American” like Kid Rock would’ve been better; that he doesn’t like President Trump, etc.
Who cares that most of his music is in Spanish? He’s a global music star and the Super Bowl is a global performance with a global viewership. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, behind Chinese. But, we’re not allowed to be entertained in a foreign language now? Should we be demanding that Netflix and Hulu and other steaming services remove all foreign language films from their platforms? Maybe the Trump administration should get involved in wiping foreign language from our entertainment. He can start real close. The Washington National Opera, which performs at the Kennedy Center, which is run by Donald Trump, is performing “Aida” later this month followed by “The Marriage of Figaro” in November, and they are both performed in Italian. That’s the “National Opera”! Or, do we not have a problem with foreign language in art, just with one particular foreign language? Hmmmm.
How’s Bad Bunny “un-American”? For those who think you should have to be an American to perform the halftime show (I’ll get to the obvious in a minute), did you have a problem when Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, The Who or U2 performed at the Super Bowl? More importantly, Bad Bunny is Puerto Rican. He is quite literally American. He carries an American passport. To the people sharing a demand that when Bad Bunny takes the stage, ICE should immediately take him into custody and deport him … to where? His homeland of America?
I chuckle every complaint I see about the NFL choosing a guy who dresses the way he does. They call him a cross-dresser and mock his flamboyancy. These are costumes, folks. He’s a showman. The outfits and makeup and glitter etc. are part of his show on and off stage. What did you think of Prince or Steven Tyler back in the day? Or, actually, every member of every ’80s hair band?
As for the “doesn’t like Trump” stuff? Ya, that seems true. He was critical of him in his first term for the federal response to a hurricane that hit Puerto Rico and he has been critical of current immigration policy. What does that have to do with him performing at the Super Bowl? Is this the litmus test now? You have to support whatever political party is in office in order to get this gig? When a Democrat has the Oval again, will the sentiment be the same?
Music is an art form of many colors and it should never be treated as just red or blue. Why are we making enjoying music political? Why are we making everything so political?
Mind you, these aren’t just random keyboard warriors jumping on this. We’re talking Glenn Beck, who somehow tied this choice to Charlie Kirk’s memorial and some lady with 1.4 million followers who declared “Bad Bunny” was a “communist” who “supports dismantling our Constitution.” (Huh?) This has become such a big deal Rolling Stone has done a piece on it and network news has covered it.
The image of Kid Rock with Trump has been shared countless times noting he would a better choice. Why? Because he supports Trump? See my statement above. The reality is, I probably would prefer Kid Rock. I like his music, I’d probably sing along to “all summer long.”
But I am not the halftime show’s target audience, politics or no politics. Sorry Gen Xers and above, our time has passed for such things. We had a pretty good run with it. Michael Jackson is my all-time favorite, with Lady Gaga a close second.
If you don’t want to watch the game, don’t. If you don’t want to watch halftime, don’t. But calls for a boycott of advertisers, etc. because he dresses wildly, sings Spanish and speaks out against his government? I urge you to remember, that that last point, makes him as American as apple pie … or limber de coco.
Alicia Preston Xanthopoulos
Alicia Preston Xanthopoulos is a former political consultant and member of the media. She’s a native of Hampton Beach where she lives with her family. Write to her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Anger over Bad Bunny playing Super Bowl halftime wildly misplaced
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