Bad Bunny Claps Back at Conservative Criticism of Super Bowl Halftime Gig

Music star Bad Bunny, the newly announced headliner for the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, addressed the news and surrounding controversy during his second time hosting Saturday Night Live.

Appearing on the Season 51 premiere, the artist joked about the conservative backlash he has faced since the announcement. He expressed his excitement and noted the widespread positive reaction, claiming, "Even Fox News!" This line was followed by a clip purporting to show a Fox News host praising him.

Speaking both in English and Spanish, Bad Bunny told the audience he was very happy about the upcoming performance and that fans all over the world who love his music were also excited. He concluded the segment by telling those who didn't understand his Spanish remarks, "You have four months to learn!"

The controversy stems partly from comments made after the Super Bowl Halftime announcement. Reports indicated that former Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem suggested that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would be present at the event.

These claims relate to past concerns expressed by Bad Bunny. Before being named the Super Bowl headliner, his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour notably did not include any U.S. dates. In an interview, he explained that one of the reasons was a concern about ICE presence at his concerts. He clarified that he had performed successfully in the U.S. many times but worried about agents potentially being outside the venues.

The premiere of SNL's 51st season saw Bad Bunny as host and Doja Cat as the musical guest. The new season follows a significant cast shakeup, with the departure of five members: Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim. Additionally, the recurring "Please Don't Destroy" sketches ended. Ben Marshall now joins as a featured player and Martin Herlihy remains on the writing staff, while John Higgins left the show. New cast members added are Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska.

Future episodes of the season include Amy Poehler hosting with Role Model as the musical guest on October 11, and Sabrina Carpenter serving as both host and musical guest on October 18.