Republican lawmakers have demanded investigations into Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance, labeling it as indecent content. Representatives from Tennessee, Florida, and Missouri have criticized the show for its lyrics and visuals, drawing comparisons to past controversies. The backlash includes calls for FCC action and highlights ongoing cultural debates over halftime entertainment.
Bad Bunny's Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show has sparked outrage among Republican lawmakers, leading to calls for formal investigations. On Monday, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, urging an inquiry into the NFL and NBCUniversal for approving what he described as “indecent content.” In the letter, Ogles stated, “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show was pure smut, brazenly aired on national television for every American family to witness. Children were forced to endure explicit displays of gay sexual acts, women gyrating provocatively, and Bad Bunny shamelessly grabbing his crotch while dry-humping the air.” He added that the lyrics “openly glorified sodomy and countless other unspeakable depravities.” Ogles posted on X that the show “depicted gay pornography” and claimed it was “conclusive proof that Puerto Rico should never be a state.”
Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) called for the Federal Communications Commission to investigate, asserting on X that the “disgusting halftime show was illegal” and that it would have faced severe fines if performed in English. Fine wrote, “Puerto Ricans are Americans and we all live by the same rules,” and planned to send a letter demanding fines and broadcast license reviews against the NFL, NBC, and Bad Bunny.
Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.) commented on Real America’s Voice, saying the lyrics were “very disturbing” despite not speaking fluent Spanish. He noted, “We have a lot of questions for the entities that broadcast this and we’ll be talking with Brendan Carr from the FCC,” adding that it could be “much worse than the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction.”
This reaction echoes past complaints about Super Bowl shows, including 125 for Kendrick Lamar's 2024 performance, over 1,300 for Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in 2020, and others involving Rihanna and Beyoncé. Critics have also targeted the Spanish-language performance. In response, Turning Point USA hosted an “All-American Halftime Show” featuring Kid Rock, Lee Brice, and Brantley Gilbert, with Gilbert stating he was “not playing this show to be divisive.” Despite the controversy, the show achieved high ratings, ranking as the fourth most-watched halftime in history.
