Former professional race car driver Danica Patrick sparked a wave of backlash after blasting the NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl LX halftime show performer
“Oh fun,” Patrick, 42, wrote via X on Sunday, September 29. “No songs in English should not be allowed at one of America’s highest rated television events of the year … not just for sports.”
Her post quickly prompted reaction on social media, especially in the comments of her post.
One fan joked, “What are you gonna do about it? Threaten to drive NASCAR again?”
Bad Bunny is officially headlining the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show in 2026. In an Instagram announcement video shared on Sunday, September 28, the “Moscow Mule” hitmaker, 31, was seen dressed in a tailored suit as he gazed into the DSLR lens. As the video panned out, Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) […]
Another said, “You do know he’s American right?”
Bad Bunny was born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico on March 10, 1994. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, making him a U.S. citizen by birth.
Patrick did have some support in her replies, with one person commenting, “Don’t forget the guy wouldn’t do shows in the States because of ICE yet he’ll perform on SNL and at the SB.”
In September, Bad Bunny told i-D Magazine that he left American cities off his 2025 tour over fears that his fans could be targeted by ICE raids. “I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the U.S,” he said. “But there was the issue of f***ing ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Despite the pushback from Patrick and other critics, Bad Bunny made it clear that the Super Bowl stage was an opportunity to celebrate his community.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said in a statement after the news broke on Sunday, September 28. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture, and our history.”
The Puerto Rican superstar also revealed that Jay-Z personally called him with the news.
“I was literally in the middle of a workout when Jay-Z called me,” Bad Bunny told Apple beat on Monday. “I just did 100 pull-ups. I was like [excited]. I didn’t need more pre-workout s— or whatever, I was like [pumped up]. It was very special.”
Bad Bunny is also slated to host and perform on the Saturday Night Live season premiere on Saturday, October 4th.
When Bad Bunny invited Belinda on stage during his Puerto Rico residency, fans weren’t sure if they were witnessing just a concert — or the beginning of a story that felt destined to happen. It wasn’t a simple improvised duet. It was the meeting of two artists whose connection had started years earlier, when Benito […]
His halftime booking has also drawn criticism from conservative political voices, with media members such as Benny Johnson and Ryan Fournier criticizing the move over his lyrics and activism.
Still, the attention is nothing new for the pop star. Bad Bunny was the most-streamed creator in the world on Spotify for three straight years, has multiple Grammy wins, and continues to dominate charts with crossover collaborations in both Spanish and English. He’s taken the stage at Coachella, the Grammys, and even WWE events.
Patrick is no stranger to controversy, either. The former IndyCar and NASCAR driver, who retired in 2018, has often gone viral for her takes on everything from motorsports safety to politics. Her new remarks add to a long list of polarizing moments.
Regardless of the criticism, Bad Bunny promised to dedicate the performance to “my people, my culture, and our history.”
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