The NFL's choice of Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show has sparked a culture war, prompting conservative group Turning Point USA to launch a counter-programming event. This echoes a legendary 1992 broadcast by 'In Living Color' that famously diverted millions of viewers from the Super Bowl, forever changing its halftime show format.
The NFL's announcement of Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime headliner has ignited a culture war, drawing strong criticism from right-wing figures like Donald Trump over his gender-nonconforming style, Spanish-language music, and anti-MAGA politics. In response, Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA are organizing the 'All-American Halftime Show,' featuring artists like Kid Rock, as a direct counter-programming event. This strategy, however, is not new. In 1992, Keenen Ivory Wayans' groundbreaking sketch comedy show, 'In Living Color,' aired a special episode opposite Super Bowl XXVI's 'Winter Magic' halftime. At a time when Super Bowl halftimes were considered dull and unengaging, 'In Living Color' successfully drew 22 million viewers away from CBS, a historic 'audience heist' that forced the NFL to drastically rethink its approach. This led to iconic, star-studded performances, starting with Michael Jackson the following year, transforming the halftime show into appointment television. 'In Living Color,' known for its diverse cast (including Jim Carrey and Jennifer Lopez) and edgy humor, proved that alternative programming could challenge the biggest event in American television. While other attempts, like the Puppy Bowl, have tried to capture this alternative audience, none have replicated 'In Living Color's' success. The NFL, meanwhile, stands by its choice of Bad Bunny, with Commissioner Roger Goodell emphasizing his ability to 'unite people.' Turning Point USA now faces the formidable challenge of attempting to replicate 'In Living Color's' legendary feat against a modern Super Bowl halftime that has become a major cultural spectacle.
