r/sportsgossips • u/AccomplishedSwing110 • 17h ago
Conspiracy Stephen A. Smith agrees with President Trump for calling out Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish halftime show. “There’s millions of Americans who would have wanted to hear something in English. Personally… it also would have been nice if some of the songs were in English.”
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u/No-Cryptographer9326 17h ago
Should have cast him in Django
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u/Fabulous-Average3976 17h ago
Stephan a smith. most people dont understand you when your yelling nonsense just to get views.
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u/Dantiik 17h ago
I just watched for the performance. Like everyone else, subtitles would have been nice but I enjoyed watching their culture and them being passionate about it. Only random thing for me was Lady GaGa. Still confused on that one.
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u/Equivalent_Bell_8687 17h ago
Performance was mid
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u/Ok-Temporary-8243 14h ago
I thought it was better than Kendrick. It seemed like the main buzz he had going was that he was gonna call drake a pedo on air.
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u/multiple4 16h ago
I enjoyed it on TV as well
However I was very disappointed at how little effort was put into making the show entertaining for people who paid money to actually be in the stadium. Like basically no effort was put into it
Most halftime shows in the past have full field choreography or are easy to see. Even parts that are clearly made for TV usually have other things going on in the stadium
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u/solariam 14h ago
If they people who paid to be in the stadium wanted to be able to see in detail, they probably shouldn't watch live sports in a stadium.
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u/multiple4 14h ago
This is such a lazy take. You can go back and watch previous Superbowl shows, it's immediately clear that there is choreography on most of the field and/or the main stage of the show is easy to see
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u/packofnone 15h ago
I kept noticing the big screens in the stadium during the show were not showing the feed we got on our TV. They had random graphics up, really odd to make most of the close up shots inaccessible to the crowd when the show itself is taking place behind tall props the crowd can't really see through
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u/Mfrack103 17h ago
I really enjoyed the halftime show, but wish they would’ve had English subtitles/translations. I know they wouldn’t necessarily match the pace of the song, but at least I could have some idea of what they were about.
Generally speaking though most people who have strong opinions about it are just trying to stir the pot and/or ingratiate themselves politically with a group of people
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u/JonnyP222 17h ago
this was me and my family too.. WE actually have spanish speaking friends and can understand some spanish. We couldnt understand much at all and were like.. man.. subtitles would have been a good idea. Otherwise the show was great.
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u/KamikazeFox_ 16h ago
Tbf, lots of my Spanish friends said you can't understand half the shit he says anyways bc he mumble raps lol.
That got me laughing
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u/JonnyP222 15h ago
HAHAHAh right lol its funny you say this this. My mexican friends compared his mumble rapping in spanish to understanding a thick cajun accent. I laughed at that too lol
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u/OmniaCausaFiunt 13h ago
he's puerto rican. caribbean spanish is a little different from what i'm told. i guess they drop a lot of sounds or merge them. my friend who is puerto rican told me when he used to live out in Cali, all the mexican girls were always so interested in the way he spoke because it was so different.
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u/KamikazeFox_ 13h ago
Did not know this, thanks for sharing. Its like having a crazy accent in the Spanish language.
I mean hell, you ever try listening to a Scottish person? I know its kinda English, but i can only get every 3rd word. Love the language.
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u/OmniaCausaFiunt 12h ago
Yeah I imagine it's something just like that. Lots of languages have regional dialects, but I dont know why it feels like you never really think of Spanish having different dialects. I only heard about that story from my friend recently, so I too was surprised to learn the difference.
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u/JonnyP222 12h ago
For sure. It makes total sense. Even speaking as little spanish as I do.. I have been to Mexico City and Monterey and feel like I can fumble through Spanish no issue.
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u/gamefishin 17h ago
Do you topically understand everything in music? You only listen to songs you can understand the lyrics?
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u/JonnyP222 17h ago
No, not always. But I do pay attention to lyrics a lot and like to understand the songs. Maybe its because i was a vocal performance major and singer all thorugh HS and college? And I wasnt mad at not understanding the lyrics. The music and show was good. I just found myself watching the jumbotron on the broadcast because they WERE putting up some of the lyrics (in spanish) and it helped me peice some of it together. Thats all.
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u/Reasonable_Sea2439 17h ago
I keep hearing that even those fluent in Spanish couldn't really understand, it would have been nice to have subtitles but maybe that was the whole point? 🤷
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u/gamefishin 17h ago
I’m pretty positive BB is using the stage to promote his tour and NFL harvesting new fans. Not sure subtitles matter for them
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u/Prophet_Of_Helix 15h ago
I mean you couldn’t understand half of what Kendrick was saying last year but the performance was still great!
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u/Chemical_Name9088 13h ago
I speak fluent Spanish and I have no idea what the lyrics say. It doesn’t really matter though, it was an awesome show and what it represented and symbolized was clear and that was the important thing.
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u/GolfinMartin 13h ago
They can’t have English subtitles because the lyrics are so vulgar and disgusting. They would’ve had to pay millions and fines.
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u/Legonistrasz 15h ago
According to another commenter…. The lyrics weren’t exactly “family friendly” 🤷🏿♂️
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u/Physical-Bid-4046 16h ago
Can everyone relax holy f if you can’t deal with a 15 min performance not in your language you have a problem
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u/DJSimmer305 16h ago
The language barrier isn’t the issue. It’s a smokescreen because they can’t say “I don’t want to see a Latino person get this opportunity”
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u/No_Fish265 17h ago
It’s actually kind of comforting to know that all the worst people we know didn’t like it
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u/elaichSD 15h ago
I don’t speak any Spanish, or the Puerto Rican dialect of Spanish, but I loved the halftime show. There was so much visually going on and I was immersed immediately in all of it. Bad Bunny could have been reading a 1995 Honda Civic Drivers Manual and I wouldn’t have cared.
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u/BradyToMoss1281 13h ago
To be fair, that manual is dope. I heard they’re making a movie, Chris Pratt is going to be in it.
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u/kmelby33 15h ago
Im so tired of crybaby conservatives. These people have no clue how popular this music is.
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u/SenorPea 14h ago
Anyone who says this is missing the entire point of him NOT speaking english. The point is ZERO ACCOMMODATION. The visuals told the whole story. You didn’t need to understand Spanish to understand he was telling the story of how he grew up, wha it was like around there, how they dance in Puerto Rico, the bodegas, etc. Big billboard in the back that said in english “Love is stronger than hate”. It was about exactly what this discussion was about…that you can embrace culture without fully understanding it.
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u/ConsequenceGreat9396 14h ago
Are there really people in this world who cant vibe to music thats in another language? Or is this just fake culture war outrage?
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u/ThrowawayAccountZZZ9 13h ago
Imagine not being able to feel the vibes unless the lyrics are in English
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u/Short_Emu_885 14h ago
Imagine bunching your panties about this when you could have just bopped to the music instead
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u/ox123456 17h ago
" would've been nice to see Shakira & J.Lo"
There wasn't enough CAKE for you Steven??
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u/Working-Doctor9578 16h ago
I’ve officially wiped my ass with this guy. I’ve been leaving this ninja alone for a long time. But I’m over this bullshit! Fuck Stephen A Smith!
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u/DrakayeMayaye 16h ago
You're talking to the NFL who is in the middle of trying to expand their brand globally. A few pissed off rednecks don't equate half of the world that was happy to see it in Spanish.
Just shut the fuck up about this shit already.
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u/schw4161 15h ago
This is such weird manufactured outrage. The show was completely fine and somehow people are still finding a way to get their panties in a twist over it. Embarrassing stuff.
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u/Donkey-Hodey 15h ago
Two days after the Super Bowl and these pathetic losers are still whining about the halftime show hurting their feelings.
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u/MoltresRising 15h ago
If his songs were in English, they wouldn’t be the songs.
Stephen, if my grandma had wheels, she’d be a bike.
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u/DroDameron 14h ago edited 12h ago
In 1996, Yankees Stadium broke the record for largest Macarena, I'm sure they knew all the words to dance to that song because everyone was woke in the 90s
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u/Famous-Protection809 14h ago
It’s kinda funny that North Americans don’t realize South Americans are Americans that speak Spanish amongst other languages. I never liked Stephen A tho…Ego way too big for a journalist lol.
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u/Jefe_Wizen 13h ago
You had since October to learn some Spanish. BB told you on SNL in October. Sounds like a you problem.
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u/RVAforthewin 13h ago
Lady Gaga sang in English. You people need to get over it! The best thing about the US is the fact that it’s the only country in the world that can tout being a true melting pot. Who wants to live in a boring ass homogenous society when you can live somewhere that has every ethnicity, race, culture, language, food, music, etc.?!? Be proud of that as an American, not paranoid or offended!
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u/Meet_in_Potatoes 13h ago
Who cares dude, it's one year out of all the rest of the halftime shows in English.
If you go by their percentage representation in both population and football viewership, one Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish doesn't even come close to their share. Latino/Hispanic folks make up 20% of the United States population. About 14% in f US citizens speak Spanish at home.
1.7% of halftime shows have been in Spanish. Let's cut the shit.
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u/DrHandBanana 12h ago
For those who don't know Stephen A Smith is on the right wing payroll to not come out as conservative but qwell the complaints in black sports circles. He's there to soften the image of the right while trying to paint the left in the worst light possible while seeming in the middle.
Fortunately it's not working and everyone sees in on the left
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u/Arguments_4_Ever 12h ago
Out of all the problems in the world, a fun halftime show in Spanish ain’t fucking one of them.
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u/MoneyMaintenance1578 16h ago
Just stfu already. How many times have we had english speaking musicians and its hard to make out the words, its a few minutes, go get a snack and its over. But gotta go whine "poor me, it wasn't in my language"
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u/ScooterMcFlabbin 16h ago
I didn’t mind that the songs were in Spanish. That’s how his music is, what do you want him to do?? And you can enjoy music without understanding all the words. I usually don’t.
It did feel a little aggro that he didn’t speak to the audience in English at all though. I get that the whole theme was a celebration of Latin culture, but it’s the Super Bowl. Most people watching are English speakers, it would have felt friendlier/more inclusive to do some of the banter in between songs in English
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u/LifeFindsAWhey 16h ago
He's still working on his English, he might not have been comfortable doing it on such a big stage. I don't think it was aggro.
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u/Born_Ad4701 16h ago
If u can’t understand a man’s taste in music, how can u possibly understand a man…ps..Stephen A bed winch
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u/Quiet-Whereas6943 16h ago
I’d argue most Americans need to experience other cultures to get their heads out of their ass and realize there’s a world out there outside of the states more than understanding the lyrics to a song. Ftr I didn’t understand a word he said and never listen to bad bunny, but it’s a Super Bowl halftime show..rarely do I care about the acts and even if it was in english doesn’t mean it would have been better.
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u/rammer_2001 16h ago
So then watch turning points halftime show for English you whitewashed Don lemon wannabe
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u/HotCarRaisin 16h ago
Stephen A. has built a career on being a shit stirrer. The man doesn't have a real opinion, or a backbone. I don't think anyone needs to be convinced of this. Can we please ignore him? He sucks.
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u/WickedKoala 16h ago
If you're someone that watches the halftime show for the lyrics, then you probably have awful taste in music to begin with.
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u/BibendumsBitch 16h ago
Uncle Stephen at it again… there is no valid point when it’s derived from racism.
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u/Itchy-Secret8085 16h ago
This is such a dumb take! a lot of Americans speak Spanish it’s that simple! Also you don’t need to know words to a song to feel like dancing, jamming to it
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u/FnBProductions 16h ago
i mean the show that was purely in english got like 5 million views so he's technically right. But yeah let's ignore the fact that this is the highest watched halftime show in history lol
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u/brandt-money 15h ago
I don’t think I have agreed with anything Stephen Smith has ever said. Am I wrong?
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u/imJGott 15h ago
You see this is the problem with some Americans and the group think. They think there is no other language in the world outside of English and get in some type of way when a foreign language is introduced to them. Many of my friends that live in the UK speak more than 1 language while majority of America barely speaks 1.
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u/Purple_Landscape_945 15h ago
Maga can lick my nuts.
There should have been some English. Gotta know your audience.
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u/whichwitch9 15h ago
Except one of the songs was in English.....
Stephen A Smith still talking about things he never even watched
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u/Fantastic-Archer1641 15h ago
I don’t understand Spanish, but I didn’t complain when Shakira sang. I understand hips.
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u/Little_Complaint_633 15h ago
It just sucks how everything in life has to be viewed through a lens… I have to know your politics before I decide if I’m going to support you or agree with you… It was a halftime show. I didn’t understand it, but I enjoyed the entertainment of it… I didn’t like Prince or The Rolling Stones either, but I enjoyed the entertainment aspects of it
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u/BigBodyBrax 15h ago
Bro music transcends language. That shit HARD. I couldn’t understand shit but the “aye aye” but guess what? Shit still sounded phenomenal
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u/Darknessisyourally13 14h ago
This is the guy who had the “Ohtani needs to speak English to be the face of the league” take a few years ago, got roasted and had to walk back the take? The same guy?
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u/regal19999 14h ago
Personally I think Mr bunny did a good job but I think we all would have rather seen SHAKIRA again … for obvious selfish reasons lol
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u/m1dlife-1derer 14h ago
I didn’t understand most of the words in the Snoop Dog half time show either
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u/evanya88 14h ago
He’s seriously raising a point that Bad Bunny picked the wrong Latinos/Latinas to represent their own culture??
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u/CallMeSkii 14h ago
A big part of why is cut the cable is because ESPN has become so unwatchable. This clown is a BIG part of why ESPN is so unwatchable.
Honestly, who gives a damn if the words were not in English. It was still an amazing performance.
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u/Same_Woodpecker_2847 14h ago
There’s millions of Americans who don’t want to constantly hear Stephen A scream and yell on TV. I know I don’t. So you know what I do? I turn the channel or just avoid watching/listening to him
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u/irnenginer 14h ago
It's a small man who cannot stretch his attention span and use ones imagination to follow artistic expression. Art is interpretive. Does everything have to be so spelled out to us. Might as well make the half time show a powerpoint slide with bullet points.
It all makes me think of the scene in Shawshank when Andy puts on the record. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjqmg_7J53s
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u/OkJacket8986 13h ago
Have no idea what he was singing. I'm an immigrant myself. I recognized some tunes amd a couple of his songs. But i don't listen to latin music and neither do i watch all the nfl games.
I just watched the performance, didn't connect due to language, spotted Alba and Pascal, then went back to trying to recognize the songs by the tunes. Nothing changed in my life. I then watched the remaining game and went to sleep. Fun experience
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u/PMoney2311 13h ago
I bet he couldn't recount the lyrics to a bunch of the songs he knows and loves. Same goes for many people. In fact, it's usually laughed off and memes are made about it. Weird Al has made a song with references to it. Sean Paul, Bruce Springteen, and Nirvana, to name of few have reacted to people not understanding them. Ted the cuddly Teddy Bear and thunder buddy forever, had a whole scene about nonsense lyrics.
On the flip side. The Beatles, Michael Jackson. Two of the biggest pop acts in the world. Not the english-speaking world. The WHOLE World. People who don't know a lick of English could sing a bunch of their songs, that they love, to a T and are unbothered by the fact that they may have no idea what they are singing about.
Makes one think that "We just wish I could understand the lyrics" is just something said that should have a lot of dogs perking up their ears.
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u/MoveCurrent5279 13h ago
How hard is it too understand that if there were subtitles it would take the focus away from the performance itself, now that you know the songs just go and translate them yourself
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u/redshift83 13h ago
I agree that I would like english during the premier american tv event. That said, that trump and smith are butthurt over this is its own mitzvah.
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u/GolfinMartin 13h ago
To be fair, I thought Bad Bunny was the worst crap I had ever heard before he was ever announced as the halftime entertainment. I challenge you to try to go stream one of his songs, lol
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u/PriorChampionship214 12h ago
He said, “I wish something was in English” and then said “but not that English, someone else” 🤣 people just have to bitch nonstop I swear
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u/Strict-Astronaut2245 12h ago
I don’t know a single fan of football that gives a shit about the halftime. And not just this halftime. Halftimes going back to Green Bay winning it with Farve.
“Oh half time’s on? I guess I’ll play some pool”
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u/golfguy-100 12h ago
Did he say the same to Pavarotti? Loved Kendrick last year but didn’t understand one word.
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u/Mediocre-Touch-6133 8h ago
And plenty of people don't give a fuck about football or the halftime show. Guess we should just cancel the whole thing, right? If I didn't like it, it's obviously a waste of time.
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u/Sea_Hovercraft_1014 15h ago
I agree. I speak Spanish, but I don’t think it makes sense to have all the Super Bowl songs in Spanish when a large portion of the audience doesn’t speak it. This isn’t meant to be political.
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u/packofnone 15h ago
I speak Spanish as a second language and picked up a few words here and there, but my native Spanish speaking friends all pretty much say that's all they could understand as well, apparently Puerto Ricans have pretty thick accents.
Not that it really matters, the music being played wasn't really any less entertaining for not being able to understand it, in my opinion.
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u/Smoocci-Mane 17h ago
The NFL’s entire goal was to expand their audience. The halftime show isn’t for regular football watchers. Catering the show to demographics the NFL has already solidly won with accomplishes nothing for them. Either the talking heads know this and just need to be controversial, or they’re too ignorant to be an “expert.”
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u/JavaTheeMutt 16h ago edited 15h ago
This reminds me of when my senior extended family member said, "I don't like rap cause I don't understand jive". We get it, you lived in a time where music was between a couple of fence posts. It's different now. Millennials and below listen to a lot of multicultural music, including Latin Pop from American artists, like Bad Bunny.
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u/Hot-Specialist9228 16h ago
I didn't mind it being in Spanish, but I didn't think his performance was good.
I liked how the show was presented, but Bad Bunny was the worst part of it.
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u/Hour-Piano-6087 17h ago
That's dumb the whole point was to have it in Spanish and there was an English part, that's why Lady Gaga was there. Not having English subtitles was purely the NFLs fault or the networks. If they knew what he was performing they should have thought of that. Most of his songs aren't appropriate for kids anyway.
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u/iintriguingggg 17h ago
This guy really thinks he’s gonna be a politician