Bad Bunny’s halftime performance during the Super Bowl stirred up a significant backlash, resulting in more than 2,000 complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from viewers who deemed the show “pornographic,” “vulgar,” and unsuitable for children.
Many complaints highlighted the Puerto Rican pop star’s performance as laden with adult themes and explicit language. According to a report, over 100 messages criticized the show for being excessively vulgar. One dissatisfied viewer from Litchfield, Utah, wrote, “The Super Bowl halftime show was disgusting. Pornographic gestures and language. This should not be tolerated on public television. Children were watching.”
Another complaint from Missouri described the display as “the most disgusting, vulgar, and disgusting thing I have ever seen on public television.” Some viewers even claimed they experienced emotional distress, with one individual stating they had to seek therapy post-Super Bowl due to the performance’s content.
Further complaints focused on the suitability of the performance for family settings, with voices stating that warnings should have been given. Additionally, there were those who expressed frustration over not understanding the Spanish lyrics, while some bilingual viewers felt the translations were equally improper for television.
Critics even suggested that there would have been more outrage if the lyrics had been delivered in English. Some viewers branded the show as “anti-American” and accused Bad Bunny of using “the devil’s tongue.”
Reports had already indicated that the halftime show was under the FCC’s microscope for possibly breaking rules against “obscene content” and offensive language. An initial investigation revealed that certain songs performed had been censored to omit sexual references that might infringe FCC standards. If the full, uncensored version had aired, it might have crossed the line into profanity and obscenity, according to knowledgeable sources.
Despite this overwhelming criticism, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance attracted an impressive 128.2 million viewers, ranking it among the most-watched halftime shows ever. Leading up to the event, his selection faced scrutiny from conservative commentators and online critics alike.
In response, Charlie Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, organized an alternative “All American Halftime Show” featuring artists like Kid Rock and Brantley Gilbert.
Interestingly, previous halftime performers, such as Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna, have also faced complaints related to their shows.
