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Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Show Earns Nine Emmy Nods

7/10/2026

Summary

Bad Bunny Nominated

Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) received nine Emmy nominations for his Super Bowl halftime show, July 8, 2026.
The nominations include choreography, directing, hairstyling, production design, lighting design, music direction and live variety special.
The Patriots-Seahawks halftime show became the most-nominated Emmy program.
U.S. President Donald Trump called the choice ridiculous, said Donald Trump never heard of Bad Bunny, considered skipping the Super Bowl as too far away, and criticized Green Day.

Summary

Bad Bunny Backlash

The Federal Communications Commission logged over 2,000 formal complaints that called Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show vulgar and cited its Spanish lyrics, dancing and lack of English content.
Nielsen said 128.2 million viewers watched the performance, ranking it as the fourth-most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history.
Turning Point USA responded with an “All-American Halftime Show” featuring Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett, labeling the official show anti-American.

Summary

Bad Bunny Responds

Bad Bunny addressed the Super Bowl backlash during his Saturday Night Live monologue on July 10, 2026.
He aired a video splicing Fox News anchors who claimed he was their favorite musician and should be president.
He thanked fans and declared the halftime show a win for all Latinos and Latinas in the United States.
He stressed Latino contributions will never be taken away or erased, framing the performance as cultural affirmation.

Summary

Goodell Defends Bad Bunny

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended Bad Bunny’s halftime slot at a late-October 2025 conference, calling him a top global entertainer and saying the selection was carefully thought through despite expected criticism from hundreds of millions.
He noted the league never chose a performer without blowback, calling the show a united moment to bridge gaps.
The “Bullet Train” actor switched to English, joking those missing his Spanish line had four months.

History

Historical Context

The Feb 1 2004 Super Bowl halftime show in Houston, where Janet Jackson’s brief breast exposure with Justin Timberlake sparked about 540,000 FCC complaints and a $550,000 fine, forced the NFL and broadcasters to tighten indecency rules. Those standards set the precedent that amplified the backlash to Bad Bunny’s 2026 halftime act, which drew over 2,000 complaints and political criticism.

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Bad Bunny Nominated

Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) received nine Emmy nominations for his Super Bowl halftime show, July 8, 2026.
The nominations include choreography, directing, hairstyling, production design, lighting design, music direction and live variety special.
The Patriots-Seahawks halftime show became the most-nominated Emmy program.
U.S. President Donald Trump called the choice ridiculous, said Donald Trump never heard of Bad Bunny, considered skipping the Super Bowl as too far away, and criticized Green Day.

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