Congressmen Call for Investigation into Bad Bunny Performance

Photo Credit: NFL

Several Republican congressmen have called for an investigation into Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show for what they call an indecent performance.

A group of GOP congressmen have called for Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show to be investigated over what one called an “explicit and indecent” performance. The move echoes similar criticism that Latina stars Shakira and Jennifer Lopez faced during their halftime show in 2020.

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) sent a letter to the House of Energy and Commerce Committee on Monday, demanding a formal congressional inquiry into the NFL and NBC Universal for their approval and review process for the halftime show performance on Sunday. On social media, the congressman called Bad Bunny’s performance “pure smut.”

Ogles’ letter accuses the NFL and NBC Universal of not holding the Spanish-language halftime show to the same content standards as English performances, claiming that the lyrics’ “sexual content remained readily apparent across any language barrier.”

“The performance’s lyrics openly glorified sodomy and countless other unspeakable depravities,” the congressman alleged. “These flagrant, indecent acts are illegal to be displayed on public airways.”

Meanwhile, Reps. Randy Fine (R-FL) and Mark Alford (R-MO) suggested that the FCC should get involved; Fine called the performance “disgusting” and “illegal” for its “pornographic filth.”

The backlash to Bad Bunny’s performance was pouring in from far-right politicians well before it actually took place, with calls for several country singers to perform instead. Kid Rock even headlined an alternative halftime show via the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA on YouTube in protest of the Puerto Rican’s selection as headliner.

But it isn’t even the first instance of a Latino performer’s Super Bowl performance being heavily scrutinized. In 2020, Super Bowl LIV’s halftime show featured Colombian star Shakira alongside Jennifer Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican descent. The FCC received 1,312 complaints from people in 49 states about the performance, with approximately 140 of those originating from Texas.

The complaints over the 2020 halftime show weren’t dissimilar to those lodged by the aforementioned congressmen, with some complaining the show was inappropriate, and one in particular claiming it was “100 percent about sex and not even remotely family-friendly.” People points out that when Maroon 5’s Adam Levine took his shirt off on stage during his halftime performance in 2019, only 50 complaints were issued.

Bad Bunny’s halftime show—in which he remained fully clothed—averaged 128.2 million viewers, making it the fourth-most-watched halftime show in history, behind Kendrick Lamar’s performance last year, Michael Jackson’s in 1993, and Usher’s in 2024. Conversely, Kid Rock and Turning Point USA’s “All American Halftime Show” alternative event drew in 6.1 million views.