Republican Congressman Randy Fine of Florida ripped into Bad Bunny’s “disgusting halftime show” calling it “illegal” and said the National Football League (NFL), Bad Bunny, and NBC need to face “dramatic action.”
Newsweek reached out to NBC via email on Monday for comment.
Why It Matters
Conservative criticism of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance escalated after the game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with prominent Republicans amplifying calls for consequences and even deportation, despite the Puerto Rican artist being a U.S. citizen by birth.
The dispute underscores how the NFL’s showcase event has become a cultural flashpoint, with figures on the right condemning the Spanish-language performance, while the league said it selected the headliner to “unite people” in part, and the artist himself framed the show as a message of self-belief and inclusion.
What To Know
Talking to X on Monday, Fine said, “You can’t say the f-word on live TV. ‘Bad Bunny”s disgusting halftime show was illegal. Had he said these lyrics — and all of the other disgusting and pornographic filth in English on live TV, the broadcast would have been pulled down and the fines would have been enormous. Puerto Ricans are Americans and we all live by the same rules. We are sending @BrendanCarrFCC a letter calling for dramatic action, including fines and broadcast license reviews, against the @NFL, @nbc, and ‘Bad Bunny.’ Lock them up.”
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show and performed with guests including Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
The NFL commissioner publicly backed the selection of Bad Bunny before the show, saying in part: “Bad Bunny is, and I think that was demonstrated last night, one of the great artists in the world, and that’s one of the reasons we chose him,” and added that the league chose an artist who “understood the platform” to unite people.
What People Are Saying
Trump on Truth Social on Sunday night: “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World.”
Trump continued: “This ‘Show’ is just a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day — including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History! There is nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show and watch, it will get great reviews from the Fake News Media, because they haven’t got a clue of what is going on in the REAL WORLD — And, by the way, the NFL should immediately replace its ridiculous new Kickoff Rule. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Ricky Martin on X in a translated post on Sunday: “They need to give me several hours to let me process and understand the tsunami of emotions I’m feeling. Thank you @sanbenito, thank you @ladygaga thank you @NFL, @RocNation and @AppleMusic”.
The NFL in a translated post on X on Sunday: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love. The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate is Love. @sanbenito#AppleMusicHalftime.”
What Happens Next
Supporters and critics will likely continue to spar online over the performance’s cultural meaning. It is not known officially how many viewers tuned into the Halftime show as of Monday evening. However, early unverified reports indicate Bad Bunny set a new record with 135.4 million viewers.
