Stephen A. Smith Reviews Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

When it comes to honest takes on the Super Bowl halftime show, Stephen A. Smith might just be one of the most straightforward voices out there. The well-known ESPN personality, who has voiced criticism of President Trump, began with a notable disclaimer—he’s not evaluating Bad Bunny just to counteract conservative sentiments that are often, um, anti-Trump.

“I’m not that guy, honestly. I try to be fair,” Smith mentioned during his show.

He labeled Bad Bunny’s performance as “a very good show” with an energetic atmosphere, but he also resonated with Trump and some conservatives about the predominance of Spanish in the performance. “That’s my only hesitation: This is the United States, and it was almost all in Spanish,” he noted, stating that Trump raised a “valid concern” regarding the language barrier. “If you don’t understand Spanish, it could be confusing.”

Smith added, “I do appreciate that people celebrated their Hispanic heritage, for sure,” referencing performers like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. “Still, having a few songs in English might have been nice. It was a good show regardless.”

In a lighter moment, Smith poked fun at the backlash to Bad Bunny by posting a screenshot of Trump’s response on Truth Social. Trump labeled the halftime show “one of the worst ever,” arguing it was an affront to American values and standards. His critique suggested that the performance was difficult to comprehend and deemed the choreography inappropriate for younger viewers.

Trump didn’t hold back, stating, “There’s nothing inspiring about this mess with the halftime show,” while adding his belief that the NFL should replace it with a more traditional approach.

In a somewhat contrasting development, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt mentioned that the president plans to tune into Turning Point USA’s “All-American” halftime show.

Interestingly, Bad Bunny’s performance is anticipated to be the most-watched halftime show ever, boasting around 135 million viewers, though formal numbers haven’t been released yet.

As the show wrapped up, the Levi’s Stadium videoboard flashed a poignant message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Following the performance, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Bad Bunny shared a warm hug backstage.