"The fact that the left had the massive party with the celebrity cameos helps the MAGA fiction that they are not, in fact, the regime in power, but instead a stalwart group of rebels under siege by a hostile liberal world." This is such a great point. I'm so sick of their victim mentality.
FWIW my 80+-year-old (white, non-Spanish-speaking) parents loved Bad Bunny and watched the halftime show twice! They were even looking up explanations of some of the visual symbolism. I wonder if the fact that the game itself was so boring helped make BB stand out even more.
All of this. More joy, more gatherings, more learning about each other and our culture and history and lived experiences. I will admit that I was avidly watching the game as a former Seattleite and a HUGE fangirl of Jody Allen, who is the only woman owner of an NFL team and who is unapologetically someone who supports diversity and equity (and who, sadly is being forced to sell the team because of NFL rules), but the halftime show was so gorgeous and nuanced and layered and I just know that something rooted in joy and love is always going to be more fun than something rooted in fear and anger.
Nuance is hard, isn't it? Corporate sponsorship, the NFL, football in general (CTE and tribalism, anyone?) I appreciate your take on BB's halftime show, its hopeful message and imagery. And dancing, don't forget dancing!
"We actually gain very little when we call them losers with microscopic crowds and D-list celebrities."
I don't pay much attention to Kid Rock, but I do pay a lot of attention to Brantley Gilbert, who has horrible, horrible politics, but a tremendous musical talent (and is easy on the eyes). I sighed when I saw him on the lineup for that counter-half time show. Of course he'd do that. But when I reach for country music, he's still one of my standard go-tos.
Garrett when you name dropped noname were you thinking about her song about the Super Bowl?
100%
"The fact that the left had the massive party with the celebrity cameos helps the MAGA fiction that they are not, in fact, the regime in power, but instead a stalwart group of rebels under siege by a hostile liberal world." This is such a great point. I'm so sick of their victim mentality.
FWIW my 80+-year-old (white, non-Spanish-speaking) parents loved Bad Bunny and watched the halftime show twice! They were even looking up explanations of some of the visual symbolism. I wonder if the fact that the game itself was so boring helped make BB stand out even more.
Wow this is so beautiful, thank you so much for this.
All of this. More joy, more gatherings, more learning about each other and our culture and history and lived experiences. I will admit that I was avidly watching the game as a former Seattleite and a HUGE fangirl of Jody Allen, who is the only woman owner of an NFL team and who is unapologetically someone who supports diversity and equity (and who, sadly is being forced to sell the team because of NFL rules), but the halftime show was so gorgeous and nuanced and layered and I just know that something rooted in joy and love is always going to be more fun than something rooted in fear and anger.
Nuance is hard, isn't it? Corporate sponsorship, the NFL, football in general (CTE and tribalism, anyone?) I appreciate your take on BB's halftime show, its hopeful message and imagery. And dancing, don't forget dancing!
"We actually gain very little when we call them losers with microscopic crowds and D-list celebrities."
I don't pay much attention to Kid Rock, but I do pay a lot of attention to Brantley Gilbert, who has horrible, horrible politics, but a tremendous musical talent (and is easy on the eyes). I sighed when I saw him on the lineup for that counter-half time show. Of course he'd do that. But when I reach for country music, he's still one of my standard go-tos.