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The 2026 Super Bowl was a snooze fest (Congrats to the SeaHawks and my new son in-law).  Two half time shows however  created quite a bit of buz.  Christians in particular have eagerly offered praise for both for being beautiful expressions of creativity with a deep underlying message and criticism of the other show for how anyone could watch such a horrible display of Christian Nationalism/Debuachery.  The old saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder could not be more clear. 

To be fair I did not watch either Kid Rock or Bad Bunny during the Superbowl.  Janet Jacksons display years ago and having young children in the room has left me unwilling to watch a halftime show live.  However, I have watched both and wanted to offer some positive observations and negative critique about what I saw and heard. 

1.  Bad Bunny - Lyrics and content are very important to me, both when it comes to music we sing at church and that I listen to in the car.  I watched the show with Sub-titles so that I could understand what he was saying in spanish.  I do not know if all the close captioning was accurate but I am assuming it is.  In the first three minutes what stood out out to me was Bad Bunny is fully clothed (a nice chnage from other halftime shows) but most of the women in the opening song are dressed provocatively, dancing sexually, twerking - it is strange in 2026 to still see women objectified on world wide television.  It was hard to understand the content of the song but it seemed that it was about all the girls he takes to the VIP,  an exclusive club or party where he takes his multiple girlfriends to have romantic flings wihtout committment.   The song explicitly talks about male genitalia and a new girl as a piece of a**.  The second song (I think) provided more of the same dancing as before.  Then Lady Gaga came to the stage next & apparently was an actual wedding performed during the show, several mentions of love - you taught me how to love, love without fear - which both seem like good sentiments, thought it begs the question, for Bad Bunny - what is love?  Is all love equal?  Is  all love good?   The first half comes to a close.  I noticed in the next song the captioning edited out words in lyrics talking about Drug Use followed up by Bunny giving his Grammy to what appears to be a flashback to his younger self - no one can take the championship away from me.  That scene was rather touching.  the next song (sung by Ricky Martin?) seems to be a critique about someone taking away land, with a comparision to Hawaii, I suppose critquing the United States treatment of Puerto Rico...followed by a song about Puerto Rico - more womanizing, more vulgarity, more euphamisms - to be fair, the whole song was not sung but what was ommited was horrible - f word, f word - you get the idea.  The last song - featured brief lyics, then several flags from various countires in south, central & north America as Bad Bunny says God bless America - then listing all the nations that are part of the continent including the United States.  This was an intersting segment  - with a sign in the background that says love is more powerful than hate.   Overall - the music itself is very catchy - it is easy to see why the sounds of the Puerto Rican culture resonate with people - the music is fun, lively and brings a smile to your face.  The symbolic themes running through out were splendily choreographed though there is some debate about the interpretation of all those things.  The over sexualized dancing continues to be a problem at the Super Bowl - the vulgarity, whether sung live or as part of the songs that were ommitted, is an issue - it is confusing how Christians can simply ignore the unrighteous content in their celebration of the show itself.  Attempts to justify the content by saying, "well someone else sings the same or worse" is irrelevant - we are to evaluate what we are listening - we are to be discerning about what we expose to our ears - we are to celebarte things that are beautiful, true, righteous & holy - and not defend or justify the sexaul inuendo, euphamisms or lyrics - I am disspaointed that so many Christians are seeking to find beauty in the sewer.   Bad Bunny is certainly not appropraite for a family show, though one could argue he is not appropriate for the entertainment of anyone...

2.  Kid Rock - The TPUSA sponsored alternative clocks in at a wopping 45 minutes from start to finsih (much longer than the 13 minutes alloted during the Super Bowl).  I am not sure that longer is better, though if you were bored from the game you might find a nice break in the music.  I did not listen to all of the "preshow" music today, though I watched about 5 minutes of it at half time before I put the kids to bed - I did not recognzie the artists and was not drawn to watch more.  So I watched the Kid Rock portion today.  It was intersting when Kid Rock entered the stage he started off with a short version of a song that includes lyrics that list people - "midnight glancers and topless dancers", along with drug adicts & alcoholics & how "for my hoods of the world misunderstood I said, 'It's all good. And it's all in fun. Now get into the pit and try to love someone."  The lyrics are just as vulgar as anything that Bad Bunny sang - no doubt.  What was strange & has been the topic of both criticism and scorn, is Kid Rock clearly was Lip-syncing.  Mockery has abounded online.  But it begged the question - why?  Why when you have been planning this for months would you not sing live and worse why would you give one of the worst performances of fake singing?  Bad Bunny fans are right to criticize the hypocrisy among many who are lambasting one artist for vulgar lyrics while excusing the other artist.  But, just as there has been ample praise for the artistry and symbolism of Bad Bunny's performance, a separate hypocrisy has arisen by not asking the question: was there symbolism in what Kid Rock did?  The song in question is originally from 1998.  Why sing a song that is nearly 30 years old at a time when TPUSA's plan was to provide an alternative to what was expected to be (and turned out to be true) was a vulgar performance by Bad Bunny?  Why sing a song that speaks of women in vulgar ways?  Then the whole mood shifts - Rock disappears, a violin & cello are played on stage...stage goes black again - then another introduction "please welcome our brother, Robert Richie" (Kid Rock if you didn't know), playing a guitar, singing another song - this time clearly not lip-syncing - about the time you think you have, wasting it away...not putting a diamond on a girls finger - "Take a chance while you can take it...if you have a dream chase it...if you are going to love someone, hold them as close as you can...you can always fix the old pontiac, until you can't...I awoke one Sunday morning...something, someone spoke to me...there was a verse still to be written for this song...there's a book sitting around your house somewhere, that could use some dusting off, there was a man who died for all our sins, hanging on the cross, you can give your life to Jesus, to give you a second chance, till you can't, till you can't..."  

I am not an apologist for Robert Richie, but is it possible, his lip-syncing was his way of expressing - I can't, I shoud not  sing those songs any more...as the second song says, he believes in Jesus, his life is changing...I don't know...but Robert Richie, for all his faults, seems to be claiming personal faith in Jesus Christ...I don't recall Bad Bunny articulating anything like that.  Robert Richie is singing about changing from his old womanizing ways to a new life...I don't see Bad Bunny articularing anything like that but rather glorifying in his womanizing ways.  Could it be that the message Richie was making was I am a changed man.  Could he have made the same point without rehashing his old, vulgar song - YES...

I don't know the heart of Kid Rock...only God knows.  If Richie is making a declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, is it not on fellow Christians to give him the benefit of the doubt, to pray for him rather than criticize him for his past, to allow room for growth, change and transformation - only time will tell if his faith is real...but should we at least give him time.  

I also don't know the heart of Bad Bunny...only God knows.  If Bad Bunny makes a declaration of faith in Jesus, it is on fellow Christians to give him the benefit of the doubt too, to pray for him rather than criticize him for his past, to allow room for growth, change and transfomartion - but that has not taken place yet...it can...pray for him...pray God will change his heart - convict him of sin - transform his life.  

No doubt Bad Bunny sang his songs on purpose to reveal what he loves, treasures & values in this world and it is foolish for Christ followers to celebrae that.  But As Alisa Childers obseerved, maybe Rock sang his song on purpose too, to show that no one is beyond redemption, no one is outside God's invitation for salvation...not Richie...not Bunny...not you.  

Generic love does not conquer hate...only the love of Jesus Christ - who gave his life for sinners on the cross, conquers hate...death...sin...and hell...not all love is the same...let's pray that Richie truly has come to know the love of Christ...let's pray that Bad Bunny comes to know the love of Christ...let's pray that fellow Christians will see that yes, God does bring Beauty from ashes, when Jesus death becomes our death...when Jesus life becomes our life - don't look for beauty in the sewer....look for beauty in the cross that brings life from death!