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First things first: Exactly one week after his historic Album of the Year win at the Grammys, Bad Bunny somehow managed to exceed expectations for his long-awaited Super Bowl halftime performance Sunday night. Immediately after he wrapped his 13-minute set, social media feeds were inundated by some of the most striking moments from the show: a rumored-but-still-completely-surprising Lady Gaga cameo, a real-life wedding, an appearance from said Grammy trophy, and an Animaniacs-style geographic breakdown of America — all of it.
And then there were the cameos. Gaga’s aforementioned appearance was perhaps the most shocking, especially because it came with an unexpected salsa rendition of her hit collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile.” Ricky Martin also made waves with his stirring cover of “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii.” But other stars just showed up to hang out at Benito’s casita, a replica of the set in which he performed during his historic No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency in Puerto Rico. Cardi B, Karol G, Young Miko, Jessica Alba, and Pedro Pascal could be spotted dancing on the set alongside two Miami locals: David Grutman and Alix Earle. In a performance that’s already being hailed for its racial and queer inclusivity, Earle’s appearance elicited one of the few points of contention on social media.
Reddit users and TikTokers — most of them branding Earle as a supporter of President Donald Trump — questioned why the popular influencer would be invited to a performance by an artist who has spoken out against Trump’s immigration policies.
Is Alix Earle Really MAGA, Though?
Despite the public perception, Earle has largely steered clear of discussing politics. She has been spotted with Ivanka Trump in the past, and in 2022, after users spotted a Trump flag on her Instagram story, she went live on TikTok to discuss her political stance.
“My family is Republican…My whole town, everyone, is Republican — my whole high school. I literally didn’t know anything else…I’ve gone along with my parents’ beliefs,” she said at the time. She also downplayed the image of the Trump flag on her story, saying she casually posted it on a boat day. Still, she admitted, “At the time, I was like, yeah, go Trump. But what did I really know? Nothing, obviously.”
Then, she made her stance clear: “I think that Trump is an idiot.”
That was four years ago, so whether she still supports any part of the President’s agenda is unclear — she’s been largely mum on her political stances since then, even as her profile has risen with a stint on Dancing With the Stars and a forthcoming Netflix reality show. As it turns out, that project may have something to do with her halftime show appearance.
Why Was Alix Earle in the Super Bowl Halftime Show?
Despite the uproar, Earle is connected to Bad Bunny through just a couple of degrees of separation.
Benito is a friend and business partner of the aforementioned Grutman — the two own the popular Brickell restaurant Gekko. Grutman, already a Miami mogul, is expanding his business dealings. Next month, he’ll release his first book, Take It Personal: How to Succeed by Building Relationships and Playing the Long Game, with a foreword by Kim Kardashian. His other forthcoming project? Producing Earle’s reality show through his DGN Studios imprint.
Grutman — last seen breaking bread with Clavicular after the looksmaxxing influencer was spotted partying in Wynwood with a racist bottle service sign — appears to be the linchpin that brought famous Miami faces to the Super Bowl halftime show, including Earle’s.
