FCC Confirms No Violations in LX Super Bowl Halftime show
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, Bad Bunny took the national stage of the 60th Super Bowl. Many thought the production would lead to a political statement, as the artist has been outspoken on the state of immigration and U.S. sovereignty over Puerto Rico before. The decision to have his as the halftime show performer proved polarizing. Online citizens expressed outrage over the possibility of turning a family friendly game and evening for escapism for sports fans, into a political discussion. Concern was also expressed over the fact that the performance would be done completely in Spanish. Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit organization, even created an alternative "All American Halftime Show" for those who felt like Bad Bunny's Spanish performance was not representative enough for the country. While the appearance was filled with cultural symbolism and appreciation for his home, the only explicit statement he decided to promote was the universal importance in love and unity rather than giving into hatred and division.
That being said, Republican Representatives Andy Ogles and Randy Fine found something else wrong with the production. They demanded for an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), claiming the performance was too lewd for the American public. Ogles criticized the show, calling it "pure smut," due to the sexually suggestive choreography and "depraved" lyrics. Fine went on to characterize the broadcast as illegal, arguing that it was ground for fines and licensing reviews. While Bad Bunny's lyrics do traditionally contain suggestive and at times explicit elements, songs were chosen carefully for the live show in order to not broadcast anything inappropriate. With this pressure, the FCC did take steps toward a formal investigation, requesting the official Spanish transcripts.
Commissioner Anna Gomez has since come out, ultimately clearing the NFL, NBC, and Bad Bunny of any illegal actions. Gomez said she carefully reviewed it all, that zero violations were found, and went as far to say there was "no justification for harassing broadcasters over a standard live performance." The investigation proved that many of the sexual lyrics from songs like "Safaera" had indeed been censored for the act. Considering this backlash and the alternative halftime show, it seems to me that those who initially judged Bad Bunny and the NFL for bringing politics into sports were the actual ones to do so.
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I personally enjoyed the Super Bowl show, although that could be a biased take since I do understand Spanish, and Bad Bunny is also an artist I listen to daily. The other side, which opposed the halftime show being completely in Spanish, is understandable, since the majority of Americans don’t speak or understand Spanish. Although I’m not one of those people, I still like to look at the situation from both sides, and since the Super Bowl is an American thing, I can understand the frustration when learning that the halftime show won’t be in their language. I didn’t see the big deal in it because people are not being held at gunpoint to watch the halftime show and can simply choose to not watch it or turn off the TV. That being said, I was unaware that the FCC did an investigation into the show. It feels like the country is growing more and more divided, with opposite sides having disdainful feelings towards their counterparts.
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