It feels like quite some time has passed since Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show was the talk of the town. Honestly, for me, it was pretty much like any other halftime performance over the last decade. I wasn’t really into it, and, within a couple of days, I had almost completely forgotten it happened.
However, not everyone shared my indifference. Some viewers felt so strongly that they decided to lodge complaints with the FCC.
Looking through some of those complaints, I can’t help but think maybe they saw something entirely different from what I did. One person mentioned being offended by Bad Bunny’s moves and exclaiming, “He made me look at a man’s penis and balls.” I truly don’t recall that happening, but then again, it’s quite possible I missed it while getting more hot wing dip. This kind of thing has a way of sneaking up on you. I mean, I totally missed the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake incident back in 2004 because my friend and I were too busy playing “Crash Nitro Kart” on the PlayStation 2 during the halftime break.
True story.
Some complaints focused on how Bad Bunny grabbed his crotch, while others pointed to dancers engaging in questionable moves. Lyrics were criticized for being deemed inappropriate or too sexual, with one person going so far as to claim they were speaking in the “language of the devil.” Then, on the flip side, some folks expressed frustration because they couldn’t understand what was happening since the performance was in Spanish.
Stephen A. Smith mentioned it would have been great, perhaps, if he had performed in English. I kind of get that, especially since I took four years of Spanish in high school and just a semester in college. My proficiency is limited to a few phrases like “thank you” and “where is the library?”
To each their own, I suppose. If you’re unhappy, you can always pull out the stationery or, you know, fire off an email ending with “Sent from an iPhone.” It’s one of those freedoms we enjoy in this country, and honestly, it’s something that makes America pretty great.
Still, I can’t wrap my head around what would compel someone to file a complaint like that. Even if I encountered something that off-putting, I would probably just think, “Well, someone’s bound to complain about that.”
