Phxt “Elon Musk may own rockets, cars, and headlines — but not the Super Bowl, and definitely not Bad Bunny.”
Elon Musk, misinformation and a late-night takedown: Jimmy Kimmel defends Bad Bunny as NFL stands firm
When Jimmy Kimmel opened his monologue with the line — that Elon Musk “doesn’t own the Super Bowl—and he sure as hell doesn’t own Bad Bunny” — the late-night host turned a viral controversy into prime-time theatre, defending the Puerto Rican superstar and lampooning the billionaire who had been tied to a flurry of online claims. Vanity Fair
The row began after the NFL announced that Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara — a decision celebrated by many and criticized by some conservative figures. The league’s selection of the three-time Grammy winner was framed by executives as a nod to his global reach and cultural impact.
Over the past week, social posts alleged that Elon Musk had threatened to pull a large Super Bowl sponsorship unless the league dropped Bad Bunny. That claim spread rapidly across platforms, prompting confusion and alarm among fans and advertisers. Multiple fact-checks, however, found no evidence that Musk or his companies issued any such ultimatum; the story was amplified online but lacked verifiable sourcing. news.meaww.com
Against that backdrop, Kimmel used his monologue to cast the episode as a clash between celebrity outrage and popular culture, ridiculing the idea that one billionaire could dictate the halftime lineup of America’s biggest TV event. The segment helped refocus public attention on the misinformation swirling around the story while rallying support for the artist at the center of the storm.
Meanwhile, the NFL moved to close the matter publicly. Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated that the league will not reconsider Bad Bunny as the halftime headliner, saying the NFL stands by its choice and expects the show to proceed as planned — a clear signal to advertisers, fans and critics that the decision is final. NFL.com+1
What began as a social media rumor quickly became a broader debate about influence, censorship and celebrity power. For now, the facts are clear: Bad Bunny remains booked for Super Bowl LX, the NFL has publicly backed the decision, and there is no credible evidence that Musk ever threatened to pull a sponsorship to force a change. The stunt — real or imagined — still managed to spark one of the more combustible cultural conversations of the season.
