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Last weekend, the right-wing political organisation Turning Point hosted its own, alternative NFL Super Bowl LX halftime show in protest of Bad Bunny’s official stadium performance. The reviews were less than stellar.
Turning Point USA, a right-wing political organisation founded by the late Charlie Kirk, has faced criticism and ridicule for its ‘All-American Halftime Show’ during the NFL Super Bowl LX this past weekend.
Positioned as an ‘alternative’ to the official Super Bowl halftime show, Turning Point USA promised a 30-minute spectacle focused on ‘faith, family, and freedom,’ with Kid Rock headlining alongside Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett. The event was pre-recorded in Atlanta and streamed on YouTube, Rumble, and several other conservative media platforms during the Super Bowl.
Rock himself played ‘Bawitdaba’ and covered Cody Johnson’s ‘Til You Can’t,’ while Gilbert sang ‘Real American and ‘Dirt Road Anthem.’ Spencer Waasdorp also offered up a reworked version of the US national anthem to open proceedings.
Between the country ballads and odes to religious redemption, a brief tribute to Charlie Kirk was delivered on stage, complete with personal family photos and patriotic graphics to set the tone. If you’re curious, you can watch the full show here.
According to data published this week, the ‘All-American Halftime Show’ racked up over 20 million views on YouTube, with 6 million or so tuning in live. Other numbers from different sources have yet to be tallied, but they’re unlikely to be much higher when all are accounted for.
What was the online response to the ‘All-American Halftime Show?’
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most mainstream publications have ridiculed the show.
Vanity Fair noted that the event was a ‘spiteful’ reaction to Bad Bunny’s political leanings and Puerto Rican heritage. Yahoo News likened the performance to a vintage cable television network special, WIRED described the spectacle as ‘simply dull,’ and country singer Zach Bryan said the entire ordeal was ‘embarrassing as hell.’
Technical difficulties were rife, as Kid Rock appeared to lip-sync out of time at various points. Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at the vocal mishaps, describing Kid Rock as being in a ‘lip-sync battle with himself’ before calling out the Trump administration for ‘complaining about everything [before] doing it worse.’
Turning Point USA had promised to make a stream available on X, too, though this was apparently pulled last minute due to licensing issues.
Prior to his performance, Kid Rock defended his appearance and said that nobody involved was approaching the show with ‘hate in our hearts.’ Speaking to Fox News, he explained that he was ‘singing’ for ‘people who love America, love football, love Jesus…it’s pretty much that simple.’
Donald Trump, meanwhile, described the official Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny as ‘absolutely terrible’ and ‘one of the worst ever,’ complaining that ‘nobody understands a word this guy is saying.’ Interestingly, he failed to promote Turning Point USA’s alternative offering, and Erika Kirk did not make an appearance at any point throughout the 30-minute show.
The NFL Super Bowl LX halftime show is expected to have drawn in over 128 million viewers, making it the fourth-most watched half-time show ever. Kendrick Lamar still retains first place for his 2025 show, with Michael Jackson a close second for his performance in 1993.
What does it say about the US political climate?
The biggest takeaway from this year’s Super Bowl controversies is that everything in the US has become an opportunity for political posturing.
What we consume and enjoy is no longer just a passive exercise in entertainment, but rather a personal endorsement that reflects our own position on everything from gender rights to immigration.
The 2026 Grammys are another recent example, where Billie Eilish caused a storm online for her comments on ICE, saying that ‘no one is illegal on stolen land.’
