In response to the controversy surrounding Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl 60 halftime performer, conservative group Turning Point USA has announced it will launch a competing event: The All-American Halftime Show — complete with a “music genre” option titled “Anything in English.”
The announcement came Thursday afternoon via Turning Point’s official social media channels, where the group said it was “thrilled to present a halftime experience that celebrates American values, language, and music.”
The organization, now led by Erika Kirk, widow of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has not yet revealed its lineup, but emphasized that viewers would be able to vote on preferred musical styles for the broadcast. Among the options listed on the sign-up page:
Country
Worship
Rock
“Anything in English”
The timing of the announcement is no coincidence. Bad Bunny — the Puerto Rican megastar born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — has been at the center of controversy since news broke that he would headline Super Bowl 60’s halftime show, scheduled for February 8, 2026.
Critics, including some conservative commentators and political figures, have taken issue with his history of political commentary, particularly his past criticism of ICE and his performances almost entirely in Spanish. For them, the Super Bowl — often seen as a celebration of American culture — should reflect more traditional or “homegrown” values.
Supporters of Bad Bunny, however, see his performance as a celebration of diversity and modern American identity, pointing out that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, and that the U.S. is home to a vast and growing Spanish-speaking population.
The Grammy-winning artist doesn’t seem fazed by the backlash.
During his October 5 monologue on Saturday Night Live, Bad Bunny poked fun at the situation with his usual mix of charm and satire.
“You might not know this,” he told the crowd, “but I’m doing the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and I’m very happy. And I think everybody’s happy about it … even Fox News!”
The segment then cut to a comically edited montage of Fox News clips, stitched together to make anchors appear to say: “Bad Bunny is my favorite musician and he should be the next president.” The audience erupted in laughter.
Turning Point’s counter-programming strategy follows a broader conservative trend of building parallel institutions in response to perceived liberal dominance in media, entertainment, and tech.
The group has yet to confirm whether their halftime event will air live or stream online, but insiders suggest the show will be distributed via social platforms, conservative streaming services, and select partner venues — such as churches and university campuses affiliated with TPUSA’s network.
Still, the core message is clear: Bad Bunny might have the Super Bowl stage, but Turning Point plans to offer “an alternative for viewers who want something different.”
One TPUSA staffer put it bluntly in a statement:
“If you can’t understand the words, how can it represent America?”
While the NFL has not publicly commented on the parallel halftime event, it’s unlikely to impact the league’s programming directly. However, the emergence of a “dueling halftime show” reflects a growing reality: in a polarized media environment, even halftime performances have become battlegrounds for identity, values, and language.
And with the Super Bowl just four months away, both shows are now gearing up for more than just music — they’re setting the stage for a cultural showdown.
So we gotta ask: Will fans tune into the halftime show for the beats — or the beliefs?
