Studying Time: 3 minutes
For the primary time in Tremendous Bowl historical past, the halftime present acquired extra press protection than the sport itself.
As you’ve doubtless heard by now, Unhealthy Bunny headlined the precise halftime present, and he crushed it.
However final 12 months, the preliminary announcement of his gig ignited a firestorm of mindless outrage.
In response to the baffling uproar, Erika Kirk and Turning Level USA introduced their very own halftime present, which aired on-line reverse Unhealthy Bunny’s.
Many MAGAsphere social media customers stated they had been planning to tune into the Turning Level present, which was be headlined by Child Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.
“It’s true, Turning Level USA is thrilled to announce The All-American Halftime Present,” the group stated in an October 2025 X assertion, noting the live performance will rejoice “religion, household, and freedom.”
The response was so sturdy that Erika vowed that her present would draw a “bigger viewers” than Unhealthy Bunny’s efficiency.
However was there ever any precise probability of that?
Brief reply: no. Lengthy reply: completely freakin’ not.
For starters, the oldsters at Turning Level didn’t do an incredible job of getting the phrase out, asserting their lineup lower than one week earlier than the massive recreation.
On high of that, the Tremendous Bowl is the largest tv broadcast of the 12 months by a major margin.
Principally nothing can compete with it.
Erika and firm would’ve wanted tens of hundreds of thousands of individuals to interrupt their Tremendous Bowl events to be able to change channels or log in to YouTube.
In brief, the brand new Turning Level CEO over-promised — by quite a bit.
“For us to have the ability to present another that’s pro-America, that’s simply professional all the pieces, that that’s not the alternative of what they’re placing on the market, I don’t need to go into particulars and bash that, as a result of there’s apparently an viewers that wishes that,” Kirk stated throughout a current look on Fox Information’ The Story with Martha MacCallum (through Newsweek), including:
“However there’s a bigger viewers that wishes ours. And so we’re going to make it very wonderful. I’m so excited.”
She’s proper that there was a bizarre diploma of concern surrounding the Unhealthy Bunny announcement — however she’s doubtless drastically overestimated the extent to which individuals are prepared to alter the channel in the midst of the Tremendous Bowl.
“What I’m feeling goes past myself,” Unhealthy Bunny posted on Instagram final 12 months, asserting his efficiency.
“It’s for many who got here earlier than me and ran numerous yards so I may are available in and rating a landing … that is for my individuals, my tradition and our historical past. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
The artist — whose actual identify is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — poked enjoyable on the controversy surrounding his choice when he hosted Saturday Night time Reside again in October.
“I’m very excited to be doing the Tremendous Bowl, and I do know individuals all all over the world who love my music are additionally joyful,” Benito stated in Spanish throughout his monologue.
“In case you didn’t perceive now what I simply stated, you will have 4 months to be taught!”
However in the event you haven’t been taking your Spanish classes, concern not! You don’t should be multilingual to get pleasure from a Unhealthy Bunny efficiency!
