The choice of Puerto Rican pop star Unhealthy Bunny to carry out at this season’s Tremendous Bowl is angering conservatives and probably throwing the NFL right into a tradition battle battle with President Trump’s supporters forward of TV’s greatest night time of the 12 months.
A Spanish-language artist who is usually outspoken on politics and present occasions, Unhealthy Bunny has mentioned he won’t tour within the mainland U.S. over issues his followers might be focused by federal immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration has threatened to ship Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to February’s NFL season finale in San Francisco, and several other main MAGA figures have complained about Unhealthy Bunny’s political positions.
The dialog surrounding Tremendous Bowl LX’s halftime might be louder than any in current historical past, thanks partly to what some see because the NFL selecting a battle with the president and MAGA Republicans.
“Until conservatives actually boycott the NFL or the Super Bowl — which realistically what are the chances of that — it’s hard to see the downside of this for the NFL,” one Republican political strategist advised The Hill this week. “The league has made it clear its ultimate goal is to make as much money as possible, and having Bad Bunny on their biggest stage is a pretty clear path to doing that.”
Unhealthy Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is at present probably the most standard and achieved musicians on the earth. The singer songwriter is among the many business’s most-streamed artists, rating alongside Taylor Swift and nation music standout Morgan Wallen by way of international attain and model recognition.
His music is especially standard in Spanish-speaking international locations and in the USA amongst Hispanic Individuals and immigrants.
He additionally has a historical past of talking out towards Trump and his insurance policies.
Earlier than Trump was elected, the singer blasted a comic who, at a Madison Sq. Backyard rally for the president, known as the Unhealthy Bunny’s house territory of Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”
Unhealthy Bunny in a subsequent interview known as the comic’s joke “bothersome” and mentioned he thought-about confronting him.
With Trump again the White Home, Unhealthy Bunny mentioned he wouldn’t tour in contiguous U.S. for concern his live shows can be focused by federal immigration authorities.
“But there was the issue of — like, f‑‑‑ing ICE could be outside,” he advised i-D journal final month. “And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Prime MAGA figures have expressed outrage that NFL, and its companions at RocNation who select the Tremendous Bowl performer every year, would invite somebody as politically outspoken as Unhealthy Bunny to what has primarily turn out to be the leisure world’s preeminent one-night gig.
“No songs in English should not be allowed at one of America’s highest rated television events of the year… not just for sports,” the previous race automotive driver Danica Patrick, a vocal conservative, wrote in a social media publish.
Pundit Megyn Kelly known as Unhealthy Bunny’s choice a “middle finger” to supporters of Trump, whereas others have advised extra MAGA pleasant acts reminiscent of Child Rock to interchange the celebrity.
The conservative activist Benny Johnson in a social media publish of his personal known as Unhealthy Bunny a “massive Trump hater” and claimed his being tapped by the NFL is proof that the league is “self-destructing year after year.”
Corey Lewandowski, a key adviser on the Division of Homeland Safety, advised this week ICE officers might be despatched to the Tremendous Bowl to conduct immigration enforcement.
“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else,” Lewandowski mentioned on an episode of Johnson’s podcast.
Lewandowski criticized the NFL instantly over its resolution to host Unhealthy Bunny, calling it “so shameful that they’ve decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime game.”
However talking on the White Home Friday, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned there was not at the moment a plan in place for immigration enforcement on the massive recreation.
“As far as ICE being at the Super Bowl, as far as I’m aware there’s no tangible plan for that in store right now,” Leavitt mentioned. “However, of course this administration is always going to arrest and deport illegal immigrants when we find them if they are criminals. We’re going to do the right thing by our country.”
And a few political observers argue Lewandowski’s menace is probably going an empty one.
“The reality is, who can afford a ticket to the Super Bowl?” one Democratic aide advised The Hill. “They [DHS] love that show of force. If you had the Mexican soccer final in the U.S., then maybe you’d have a problem, but the Super Bowl seems like another chance for them to take a picture.”
Proper-wing backlash to the Tremendous Bowl halftime present has been considerably of a development in recent times.
Conservatives decried final 12 months’s performer, rapper Kendrick Lamar, arguing he was arduous to know and the present was too targeted on race.
Those that have praised current halftime efficiency say performances by high names in R&B reminiscent of Usher and Rihanna have telegraphed the NFL’s perception that range is a promoting level with giant audiences.
“The Super Bowl has in recent years really become a real cultural moment for the country to come together, and [it] provokes a lot of conversation, whether you’re a football fan or not,” mentioned Imani Cheers, an affiliate professor of digital storytelling at George Washington College. “There’s always going to be critics. Anyone who is upset about Bad Bunny on the MAGA right is upset because they want to be.”
Unhealthy Bunny is a performer who has transcended demographics throughout his profession, different observers have identified.
An achieved skilled wrestler, he took the 2021 title in WWE’s 24/7 championship and has competed in quite a lot of the wrestling league’s high occasions.
Many on the earth of leisure regard him as one of many world’s greatest stars due to his abilities as a promoter and his success at utilizing his music and international model to draw as many viewers as potential.
This makes him a primary candidate for an NFL Tremendous Bowl halftime present, these folks say.
“Do I expect Bad Bunny to rock the boat much between now and the Super Bowl with a bunch of anti-Trump stuff? Probably not,” mentioned one nationwide music analyst and producer. “But when it comes to the actual show, I can’t imagine it would be a political show. For Bad Bunny, this is about the music, and a lot of people seem to love it.”
