Althouse: "Bad Bunny’s critics have zeroed in on his criticism of Trump’s agenda, his exclusively Spanish-language lyrics, his gender-fluid fashion choices and..."

October 1, 2025

"Bad Bunny’s critics have zeroed in on his criticism of Trump’s agenda, his exclusively Spanish-language lyrics, his gender-fluid fashion choices and..."

"... his comments in a recent interview sharing that part of the reason he was not touring his latest album, 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' in the U.S. mainland was out of concern his concerts would become a target for Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids."

From "Why Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl halftime headliner is sparking MAGA fury/The Puerto Rican recording artist opposed Trump in 2024 and is not offering tour dates in the U.S. mainland to avoid exposing his fans to ICE raids" (WaPo).

71 comments:

rehajm said...: “NFL front office isn’t interested in courting Americans anymore”, he says watching a game from Dublin. I think they believe they’re an untouchable agent if leftie change, like it’s still 2012…; 10/1/25, 6:29 AM
rehajm said...: It will be an interesting contrast if Trump gets the usual president airtime: Americans vs Bad Bunny Halftime of Hate…; 10/1/25, 6:33 AM
Dave Begley said...: The NFL is completely clueless.; 10/1/25, 6:34 AM
wendybar said...: I don't care what his politics are...his music sucks. But then, the last couple of years, it has, so at this point WHAT difference does it make??; 10/1/25, 6:35 AM
R C Belaire said...: I thought Bad Bunny had something to do with Peter Rabbit.; 10/1/25, 6:42 AM
Megthered said...: Jay-Z and Obama chose Bad Bunny as another middle finger to Amer. You know they were sitting around the pool and asked each other who is the worst they could pull off at the Super Bowl.; 10/1/25, 6:43 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Another bullshit DNC press release. Keeping woke bullshit out of the NFL is not a "MAGA issue." It is a fan issue. Goodell damn near killed the league by indulging that stupid kneeling and anthem controversy, which should never have been allowed on the field. We hate slogans in the end zone. We hate ANYTHING that detracts from the actual game (including too much commentary during it).

By continually dividing the country and trying to make every issue "us agin MAGA" the corporate media is continuing to marginalize their own reach and influence. People watch sports to ESCAPE politics and the left insists on infecting everything WITH politics. This is why we righties have a saying that "Leftism ruins everything it touches."

Only a complete idiot 100% disconnected from normal America could make such a selection, which is another reason we all objected to Goodell giving the sole selection authority to Jay Z. Z is a talented guy but an out of touch 1%er now and his musical tastes are NOT mainstream America.

The NFL audience, what is left after all the bonehead Goodell moves, is 100% mainstream American. Oh and a few Swifties too.; 10/1/25, 6:44 AM
Mr. D said...: My niece (who is 16) likes Bad Bunny and will tell anyone within earshot about it. She may not be the target audience for the NFL, but Bad Bunny has many, many fans in that demographic. His politics are standard-issue leftism, as far as I can tell. Yawn.

I don't know that there's anyone around who would be popular with more than a subsection of the audience. I am a lifelong Who fan, but their appearance at the Super Bowl years ago was sad.; 10/1/25, 6:44 AM
planetgeo said...: It actually makes sense...as the players get more bizarre and trashy so does the halftime show. The last few have looked like something from the 5th circle of hell.; 10/1/25, 6:47 AM
john mosby said...: The NFL's player population is nearly all black, and so the league is afraid of a labor action if it isn't woke enough, right? I never thought the average NFL owner or manager was particularly woke. The Packers are owned by drunk working-class white fans since they went public.

Women's sports, ironically, point toward an answer. People will watch a sport played by people who are not objectively the best at it, as long as both teams are close enough to make the competition interesting.

The NFL could take a stand against wokeness, let the black players go on strike or whatever, then become the Pretty Good But Not the Best League of White and Hispanic Football Players. Viewership and merch sales might even go up. Look at what baseball has done with a growing Latino fan base.

Heck, within a few years the infrastructure of Black American baseball in the neighborhoods and schools could grow back, as young guys switch their sights from the NFL to MLB. Win-win! CC, JSM; 10/1/25, 6:50 AM
gilbar said...: if you were the NFL.. WHY would you do this?
do you HATE paying taxes? and are Tired of profits?; 10/1/25, 6:51 AM
peacelovewoodstock said...: Could be the least-watched Super Bowl half time show in decades ... look at what is happening with Elon-led boycott of Netflix right now.; 10/1/25, 6:52 AM
Temujin said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/1/25, 6:56 AM
brylun said...: Dylan Mulvaney... What happens to the income of black NFL players if the league becomes significantly less popular?; 10/1/25, 6:57 AM
Temujin said...: He sounds like the perfect leftist entertainer. In fact, if you had to create a laboratory leftist entertainer, this would be the guy. Which is fine. Except that I'm not sure that's the majority of the NFL fanbase.
But then, the Super Bowl is not an actual football game anymore. It's an entertainment event.; 10/1/25, 6:57 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Mosby hating on Packers fans! What did cheeseheads ever do to you man? I own Packers stock. Other family members and friends own stock. None are drunks, most are professionals like me and only some are white, so maybe check your overly broad statement on Packer Nation, owners of the most successful team in the 100+ years of the NFL.; 10/1/25, 7:09 AM
gilbar said...: Mr. D said...
My niece (who is 16) likes Bad Bunny..
She may not be the target audience for the NFL..

serious Questions:
what is the viewer demographic for the NFL?
what is the desired demographic for the NFL?
is it the 18 to 34 age range ?
How do the NFL's actions help them with their desired demo?
Has the NFL given Any thought to these questions?
or,
do they Just ASSUME, that EVERYONE will be watching?; 10/1/25, 7:09 AM
Bob Boyd said...: "Fury"
L,BNOL

I wonder how many acts turned the gig down before they landed on the Bunny? It's probably not public info because it would make the chosen act look less desirable if he was the like 5th guy they called.
I don't care much because I don't really pay attention during halftime anyway. I'd probably watch if it was Jerry Joseph and the Jack Mormons.; 10/1/25, 7:14 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’I'd probably watch if it was Jerry Joseph and the Jack Mormons.

Chainsaw City for the win!; 10/1/25, 7:26 AM
Leland said...: Promote a dumb idea that most people won’t like.
Market it like it is a good idea.
When consumers turn away because they don’t like the product,
Blame the consumers.; 10/1/25, 7:28 AM
William said...: Gonna be fun to watch this train wreck happen.; 10/1/25, 7:32 AM
Mr. D said...: Gilbar says:

serious Questions:
what is the viewer demographic for the NFL?
what is the desired demographic for the NFL?
is it the 18 to 34 age range ?
How do the NFL's actions help them with their desired demo?
Has the NFL given Any thought to these questions?
or,
do they Just ASSUME, that EVERYONE will be watching?

My guess is they want all the demos. Whether this helps them? Who knows, but they pay people a lot of money to figure this stuff out. And they don't have to care what I think and haven't had to for many years. I'll watch the game and ignore the halftime, as I typically do.; 10/1/25, 7:33 AM
Clyde said...: Personally, I'm not furious. The opposite of love is not hate, it's apathy. I truly do not care about the Super Bowl halftime show. That will be a good time for a lengthy bathroom visit, and then maybe getting some snacks before the second half starts. I don't care about someone prancing about singing in a foreign language. I. Do. Not. Care.; 10/1/25, 7:35 AM
amr said...: Bad Bunny is probably the second-biggest musician in the USA, second only to Taylor Swift. He's been on a fantastic run for the past 6-7 years. (Though I've found his two albums after Un Verano Sin Ti to be a bit weaker.) I'm actually pretty excited to see his halftime show. Not as much as I was with Kendrick's show last year... TBH that was the music event of the year and live

I'm a former NFL/Vikings fan who last cared when Favre had the Vikings one interception from the Superbowl. My politics are strongly right-of-center, but good music and good politics rarely align. I actually started (re-)learning Spanish (forgotten most of what I'd learned in HS in the 1990s) because of how much I've enjoyed Bad Bunny and other Reggaeton artists.

Bad Bunny was also quite funny as an actor in the Happy Gilmore sequel.; 10/1/25, 7:36 AM
Bob Boyd said...: what is the viewer demographic for the NFL?
what is the desired demographic for the NFL?

It occurs to me the target audience for the game and the target audience for the halftime show might be completely different. For example, your niece's demo might be excited to watch Bad Bunny at halftime, but won't have any interest in the game itself. Maybe they know a lot of people like myself aren't paying attention during halftime no matter what they show.
I wonder if the ads are more for young people during halftime?; 10/1/25, 7:36 AM
Clyde said...: I'd rather have an AI performance from Jessica Rabbit, though.; 10/1/25, 7:36 AM
narciso said...: he can't enunciate (think bobcat goldswait) hes ignorant, see the whole dumpster discussion, and hes a thug, so thats what the nfl thinks of latinos; 10/1/25, 7:38 AM
bagoh20 said...: It takes a lot to make Americans hate their football, but someone is trying really hard. Maybe the soccer world is behind this, or maybe bowling.; 10/1/25, 7:40 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: It occurs to me the target audience for the game and the target audience for the halftime show might be completely different.

Yes and the marketplace has responded with the Victoria's Secret halftime show, the Puppy Bowl (may be full-game version now after starting as halftime show), etc.; 10/1/25, 7:41 AM
narciso said...: he was cast in bad boys 3 as a thug, and similarly in bullet train,; 10/1/25, 7:41 AM
Bob B said...: The demographic they are concerned about are the people in the owner boxes. They are extremely wealthy and want to appear woke.; 10/1/25, 7:41 AM
Jake said...: Bad who?; 10/1/25, 7:43 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: I'll never hate the football, Bagoh. I hate EVERYTHING ELSE that isn't football getting IN THE WAY of football with few exceptions (like Chris Collinsworth and Al Michaels). Yes the endzone "words" themselves are offensive: team/city names or nothing at all, thank you.; 10/1/25, 7:44 AM
Howard said...: Althouse is trolling hard triggering snowflakes is shooting fish in a barrel.; 10/1/25, 7:45 AM
narciso said...: they should go rollerball, save the salary cap; 10/1/25, 7:47 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: To call back to an earlier exchange, if we Packer owners got a vote in the executive committee the comish would be replaced with Condi Rice or someone else like her who loves the game (not the extraneous drama) and has executive experience. But like the other owners groups, the Packer corp only gets to send one rep to the league meetings. We do vote on our GM and other hires though.; 10/1/25, 7:47 AM
Lazarus said...: There was a big shift in the Biden/BLM era from mostly white to overwhelmingly black acts. The same people are in charge now, so they aren't going to pick a more mainstream favorite.

Now we're at a crossroads. The BLM era is over, and the wind has changed. There will be more mainstream (which may or may not mean white) performers. On the other hand, Boomers are a shrinking demographic, so familiar acts from the 70s and 80s aren't going to be performing.

Not being a big football (or contemporary pop music) fan, I don't really care who does the half-time show. The daily controversies start to seem contrived and ginned up after a while.; 10/1/25, 7:47 AM
narciso said...: we like music, thats why we don't like a clown like benito on stage,; 10/1/25, 7:48 AM
Bob Boyd said...: I hadn't ever knowingly heard Bad Bunny before today, so just now I went and listened to a couple tunes on Youtube. It wasn't bad at all, though it's hard to appreciate the lyrics since I don't speak Spanish. Maybe the NFL will provide subtitles. Neither video had any cross dressing or anything controversial. They just looked like they were having fun. The music was reminiscent of some the music I heard while drinking Mexican lagers in Cozumel bars so it put me a good mood. Definitely more relatable for me than some of other recent halftime acts. Can't recall who they were, but they didn't draw me to the television.; 10/1/25, 7:48 AM
Marek said...: 1992 was when In Living Color challenged the NFL changing the halftime show to what it is now. With so many amazing content creators on so many platforms that are a few button pushes away on a smart TV, I can't believe someone hasn't announced an alternative. I have zero talent otherwise I'd do it.; 10/1/25, 7:49 AM
narciso said...: Time Magazine's (is that a thing) some 8000 words left out the fact he can't sing; 10/1/25, 7:50 AM
narciso said...: it really is Spinal Taps 'more selective audience' which they will use to pitch films no one wants to sea like Avenger's Doomsday; 10/1/25, 7:52 AM
planetgeo said...: I suspect this happened because as the planning session wore on somebody in the back jumped up and said, "Hey, I have an idea, let's ask the WNBA people what they think!"; 10/1/25, 7:54 AM
Howard said...: What Marek said. Contact Tim Dillon; 10/1/25, 7:55 AM
Bob Boyd said...: @ Mike (MJB Wolf)

Go Pack!; 10/1/25, 7:55 AM
AMDG said...: Marek said...
1992 was when In Living Color challenged the NFL changing the halftime show to what it is now. With so many amazing content creators on so many platforms that are a few button pushes away on a smart TV, I can't believe someone hasn't announced an alternative. I have zero talent otherwise I'd do it.

10/1/25, 7:49 AM
———————-
Still the greatest SB halftime show ever, although the Duke Ellington tribute featuring the Grambling Marching Band was great, as well.

I have never heard of Bad Bunny before but I kinda like Three Dog Night.; 10/1/25, 8:02 AM
narciso said...: I was using this example to illustrate 'the emperor's new clothes'; 10/1/25, 8:02 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Superbowl half time will be vulgar, trashy, and leftwing.

Thank God for Tradition.; 10/1/25, 8:02 AM
Rory said...: We said we're "Furry-ous," not furious.; 10/1/25, 8:03 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Funny how these stories never tell who is making these decisions. They refuse to "Name names". wonder why.; 10/1/25, 8:04 AM
Leland said...: I can't believe someone hasn't announced an alternative.

Puppy bowl

I think the real challenge now for the NFL is a good enough match-up that will get the viewers to turn back to the game after halftime.; 10/1/25, 8:04 AM
AMDG said...: I couldn’t get past the paywall so I am still wondering if the New York Times referred to him as “Mr. Bunny”?; 10/1/25, 8:05 AM
CJinPA said...: "MAGA fury."

We're to believe there are only two groups in the U.S.: MAGA and Everyone Else.

Is everyone who voted for Trump MAGA? Is everyone opposed to progressive messaging MAGA?

The media has long loved slapping warning labels on anyone who dissents from progressive thought, and MAGA takes fewer keystrokes than "conservative."; 10/1/25, 8:06 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: God forbid the superbowl halftime should ever be uplifting, pro-American, or classy in any way. Of course the whole thing is a "Lets make as much $$ as possible" and pander to the lowest common denominator. And push some leftwing politics - if possible.; 10/1/25, 8:07 AM
amr said...: I don't know if Bad Bunny can "sing" as such, but his vocal delivery is very different from other artists in his genre, and has a lot of appeal. There's a reason he's huge... it's not just marketing.

In the summer of 2022, I was doing a bunch of work around the house and wanted some hip-hop/pop music, but my kids were around and the vulgar lyrics made it hard to have that playing. I had heard that Bad Bunny was big and I knew he was all in Spanish, so I didn't have to worry about the vulgarities, so I played Un Verano Sin Ti and I've been pretty much hooked since then.

3 of my favorite songs:
"Titi Me Pregunto" ("Auntie Asked Me") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juRFjpB5Ppg (just linking to the song, the video shows too many scantily-clad women)
"Yo Visto Asi" ("I Dress Like This") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pynaH-PPCA (the video shows some of the "cross-dressing"? The skater shorts appear to be a skirt... I think it's just fashion.)
"Ojitos Lindos" ("Pretty (Little) Eyes") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAjHQXrIj9o; 10/1/25, 8:07 AM
G. Poulin said...: I like football, but I'm so sick of the NFL I could scream. Think I'll stick to watching college football and the UFL this year.; 10/1/25, 8:08 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Leftwing reaction to something bad on TV - "Im boycotting. I'm writing the sponsers. I'm gonna organize some other leftists".

Rightwing reaction to something bad on TV - "I'll watch something else. Or turn it off".; 10/1/25, 8:09 AM
narciso said...: maybe they can have the forvan brothers sing his tune; 10/1/25, 8:09 AM
tim maguire said...: HIs critics have zeroed in on his entire public record?

Seems like a misuse of the term "zeroed in"?; 10/1/25, 8:11 AM
baghdadbob said...: I for one am thankful that the NFL reminds me to "End Racism" while I watch violent Black men make millions playing a violent sport. Those endzone messages remind me not to think that ALL Black men should be pre-judged as potentially violent.; 10/1/25, 8:11 AM
CJinPA said...: I can't believe someone hasn't announced an alternative.

Great idea. This could be fun. (In a slightly sad way, demonstrating we truly have become a nation with no common culture. So, something a bit less than a nation.); 10/1/25, 8:12 AM
Iman said...: This conejo’s act appears to be more appropriate for Fire Island or teh Castro District than the Super Bowl. LCD Entertainment for an LCD culture.; 10/1/25, 8:16 AM
Disparity of Cult said...: Sanctimonious industry plant selected for Super Bowl halftime show. Oh no, anyway...; 10/1/25, 8:17 AM
Aggie said...: So, an opportunity to miss both the NFL and Bad Bunny at the same time. Awesome.; 10/1/25, 8:17 AM
Iman said...: One of the teams will try to sneak teh Bunny in as a wide receiver. That team will lose.; 10/1/25, 8:21 AM
Peachy said...: NFL - don't like NFL ? Stop watching.
I don't like the end-zone lectures. NFL - you are not my mommy.
NFL - you are not my doctor.; 10/1/25, 8:21 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: They just looked like they were having fun. The music was reminiscent of some the music I heard while drinking Mexican lagers in Cozumel bars so it put me a good mood.

Yes and the proper place to enjoy Bad Bunny is in a hoppin' hot Mexican bar and grill where the videos with hot Latinas (they all have a hot chicks in them) play on an endless loop. Kalaveras is a cool SoCal bar like this with excellent food.

Hmm. Maybe I'll go out for burritos at halftime.; 10/1/25, 8:22 AM
Laurel said...: “Bad Bunny’s critics have zeroed in on…”
Lists 4 things.

Ignorant, narrative-pushing that is journalism.; 10/1/25, 8:28 AM
Freder Frederson said...: Summary of this comment thread:

GET OFF MY LAWN! DAMN KIDS THESE DAYS.; 10/1/25, 8:31 AM
Deep State Reformer said...: The MAGA estupidos should shake off the false consciousness of their sports ball fixation, wake up, and look around. BB is a nasty, creepy, trans, racist who hates their guts and so it begs the question, "[Who] picked him for the Super toilet Bowl?" And why? Same goes for the [sic] Big 10, SEC, and the rest of the Blue Left's fog machine. DJT & MAGA has carried you retards about as far as he's capable of and now it's time to think for yourself.; 10/1/25, 8:32 AM
narciso said...: I don't care what your lyrics say, but you should be able to sing them, thats not a crazy request,; 10/1/25, 8:33 AM