Kid Rock photo.
Audio By Carbonatix
While more than 135 million viewers tuned in Sunday night to Bad Bunny’s celebration of Latino culture at the Super Bowl LX halftime show, some (like Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago) apparently opted for Turning Point USA’s secession concert, according to his Instagram account.
After the announcement that the NFL chose Bad Bunny to host its coveted halftime show, Turning Point USA, the Conservative media outlet founded by Charlie Kirk, decided to give its base a safe space with a whitewashed halftime show of its own. In a social media post Sunday night, Lago posted about his excitement for the alternative halftime show, which many saw as a way to stick it to immigrants (like his Cuban parents). There’s seemingly little mention of his immigrant background online, aside from an appearance on the Set Apart Podcast in 2024.
“Looking forward to this Halftime Show! God Bless America!” Lago wrote in an Instagram story.
Lago didn’t return an emailed request for comment by press time.
According to a news release on Turning Point’s website, “The All American Halftime Show will be a unique, patriotic event proudly celebrating American culture, freedom, and faith. The show will feature musical performances from Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.”
While many conservatives viewed the mere announcement of a Spanish-singing performer headlining the Super Bowl as politically motivated, others argued it was smart business. Bad Bunny has more than 92 million monthly streamers on Spotify, dwarfing Kid Rock’s 5.4 million.
“The All-American Halftime Show is an opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family, and freedom,” Turning Point spokesman Andrew Kolvet said in the news release.
In the weeks leading up to Sunday, conservative circles boasted that Turning Point’s show would attract a larger audience; reports, however, show the concert attracted about 6.1 million live viewers online, according to The Athletic. Bad Bunny’s show attracted more than 135 million viewers, according to CBS News, placing the Puerto Rican-born singer’s performance as the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever.
