Pop Culture Happy Hour: Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show

Date: February 9, 2026
Panelists: Brittany Luce (host), Stephen Thompson, Alana Casanova Burgess, Rihanna Cruz
Special Collaboration: NPR & It’s Been a Minute

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, headlined by Bad Bunny, featuring appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The panel reflects on the performance’s joyful spectacle, nuanced storytelling, political undercurrents, and its significance for Puerto Rican and Latin American representation. The conversation explores both the technical mastery and emotional resonance of Bad Bunny’s set, as well as its challenge to the culture wars enveloping the event.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. First Reactions & Emotional Impact

• Joy & Representation:
  • "Joy. Excitement. Wepa. This was for Puerto Ricans. I was so gagged, sitting in my living room watching it all unfold." — Alana Casanova Burgess (00:57)
  • Rihanna Cruz describes still having "goosebumps" an hour after the show (02:45).
  • The performance is hailed as "endlessly rewatchable" for its layers of meaning, spectacle, and community focus (Stephen Thompson, 01:11).
• Cultural Affirmation:
  • Family members, friends, and group chats exploded with excitement and pride, underscoring the pride felt across the diaspora (02:49–03:09).

2. Standout Moments

• The Parade of Flags & 'America':

  • Bad Bunny’s closing parade with flags of all American nations reframed "God Bless America" as an embrace of all of the Americas — North, Central, South, and the Caribbean (Rihanna Cruz, 03:32; Alana Casanova Burgess, 04:26).
  • "He says, together we are all America… he shouted out United States and Puerto Rico… it was like a parade of nations." — Rihanna Cruz (03:47)

• Ricky Martin’s Powerful Performance:

  • Martin’s rendition of "Lo que le pasó a Hawaii" is interpreted as "a condemnation of what colonization is… so pro Puerto Rican independence" (Alana Casanova Burgess, 05:13).
  • Emphasis on Martin’s career straddling cultures and how this moment becomes a statement of identity and resistance (05:13–06:26).

• Lady Gaga's Surprise Appearance:

  • Gaga’s performance of a salsa version of “Die with a Smile” generated collective shock and delight:
    • "I kid you not, I got eight text messages in a row from people I haven’t talked to since college" — Alana Casanova Burgess (06:31)
    • Recognition of Gaga’s ongoing support for Latinx communities and her history of singing in Spanish (07:09).
    • Comparisons to Madonna and playful references to pop culture history (07:46–08:06).

3. World-Building and Visual Storytelling

• Inviting Viewers into Puerto Rico:
  • Opening imagery of jíbaros (rural farmers) cutting sugar cane connects NFL spectacle to Caribbean history, the African diaspora, and legacies of slavery and colonialism (Brittany Luce, 08:08).
  • "There are levels to this concert spirit right here… he’s telling y’all to wake up." — Brittany Luce (08:08)
  • The discussion acknowledges both the Caribbean and broader diasporic symbolism present on stage.

4. Unifying Spectacle Versus Culture War

• A Technical and Emotional Feat:
  • Stephen Thompson marvels at the show as both high art and a unifying spectacle:
    • "This was a piece of unifying theater. This was just a piece of spectacular entertainment… I felt a sense of patriotism, a sense of unity" (09:26–11:42).
  • Emphasis on the show’s radical inclusiveness in a divisive political moment.

5. Radical Joy and Protest

• Centering Joy as Resistance:
  • The halftime show incorporated moments of protest but ultimately “centered joy and joy as resistance” (Alana Casanova Burgess, 14:20).
  • “It feels wrong to celebrate in some ways… but because Benito centered a good time… moments of having fun… it feels so radical” (14:20–15:17).
  • LGBTQ affirmation through on-screen same-sex dance partners:
    • "Everybody screamed with joy." — Brittany Luce (15:14)
    • Reflection on the importance of seeing "the biggest celebrity in the world really, like, speak for your people" (15:34).

6. The Grammy Moment & Political Subtext

• A Gift to the Next Generation:
  • Bad Bunny gives a Grammy to a young Latino boy, sparking discussion about U.S. immigration and the child’s resemblance to Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old facing deportation (Brittany Luce, 16:12–17:35).
  • Although NPR confirms the boy is not Liam, the moment’s resonance with family separation crises is powerful:
    • "That long shot on that kid… not specifically this young boy, Liam, but… the detention and deportation of children is one of the first things that popped into my head" (Brittany Luce, 18:26).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Show’s Place in Halftime History:

  • "I think this is one of the top five Super Bowl halftime shows of all time… up there with Beyoncé, as a piece of stagecraft, as a piece of just joyful performance."
    — Stephen Thompson (01:11)

• On the Complexity and Wholesomeness:

  • "As much as we can unpack, this was political… But as pure spectacle, this was a piece of unifying theater."
    — Stephen Thompson (09:26)

• On Radical Joy:

  • "Reframing joy as a radical act… centering this joy and dance and framing it as an act of resistance."
    — Alana Casanova Burgess (14:20)

• On the Performance’s Universal Message:

  • "The only thing more powerful than hate is love" (Jumbotron message) (21:30)
  • "Together we are America" (written on the football) (21:53)

• On Political Subtext:

  • "It’s not okay, but wouldn’t you so much rather live in the world that Bad Bunny built for us today than the other world we’ve been seeing?"
    — Rihanna Cruz (17:35)

Segment Highlights (Timestamps)

• Opening Reactions: (00:57–02:45)
• Top Five Halftime Shows Ever: (01:11–01:28)
• Parade of Flags & “Together We Are America”: (03:32–04:26)
• Ricky Martin’s Decolonial Song: (05:08–06:26)
• Lady Gaga’s Surprise Salsa and Pop Culture Shouts: (06:31–08:06)
• World-Building, Plantation Symbolism, and Visual Metaphor: (08:08–09:26)
• Show as Unifying Spectacle and Cultural War Target: (09:26–11:42)
• Same-Sex Dance Celebration & Radical Joy: (15:14–15:28)
• The Grammy & Child as Symbol: (16:12–18:26)
• “The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate Is Love” and Fooball Spike: (21:30–22:04)
• NFL, Radical Messaging, and Reconciling Contradictions: (24:07–25:31)

Tone & Takeaway

The discussion is exuberant, personal, and layered. The panelists celebrate Bad Bunny’s theatrical mastery and the emotional catharsis of cultural representation, while also sharply dissecting the show’s political resonance, especially for Puerto Ricans and Latine communities. The tone alternates between joyous pride, pointed commentary, and thoughtful deconstruction — capturing the full sweep of what this historic halftime show meant for American pop culture and its most urgent conversations.

Useful For:
Anyone seeking a full breakdown of Bad Bunny’s landmark Super Bowl performance — its artistry, cultural symbolism, political stakes, and moment-to-moment highlights — as well as why it moved and mattered to so many.