President Trump shall be tuning in. So will Vice President JD Vance, Franklin Graham and a number of different conservatives who’re protesting Unhealthy Bunny’s efficiency on the Tremendous Bowl halftime present.
Turning Level USA, outraged by a flippant comment from the Puerto Rican rapper about folks having to be taught Spanish to observe his efficiency, determined to launch its personal present, starring Child Rock.
It’s the conservative motion’s “shot throughout the bow” within the tradition wars but it surely’s additionally a tribute to Turning Level founder Charlie Kirk, his shut buddy Andrew Kolvet informed The Put up.
Kirk, who was assassinated in 2025, frequently took to social media to touch upon the Tremendous Bowl halftime present, going again over a decade to 2014, the place he would weigh in on what he noticed as inappropriate programming throughout a serious American tv occasion.
“Charlie was so fixated and obsessive about the halftime present, he understood that it was floor zero … the frontline struggle [in changing culture],” Kolvet informed The Put up.
“This was similar to a bizarre fixation for Charlie,” he mentioned, including Kirk’s objective was to “win the tradition.”
“So we had been like let’s go. Let’s do it. Let’s placed on a present that the entire household can take pleasure in, that’ll be superior, well-produced, wonderful, large title songs, large title artists,” he mentioned.
Trump is supportive. He’ll be watching at his Tremendous Bowl celebration in Palm Seaside on Sunday and there’s chatter he might have a shock for Turning Level viewers.
“The president would a lot desire a Child Rock efficiency over Unhealthy Bunny,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned on Thursday. The White Home provided no additional particulars.
Their halftime present of selection will headline Child Rock. Nation singers Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett will even carry out on the occasion, which might be considered on YouTube, X, Rumble and conservative networks like TBN and Actual America’s Voice.
Child Rock praised Turning Level for recognizing there was a big portion of the nation underserved by many Hollywood choices.
“We’re simply going to go play for our base,” he informed Fox Information. “Individuals who love America, love soccer, love Jesus, and it’s just about that easy.”
The NFL’s choice to herald Unhealthy Bunny to carry out at one in every of music’s largest occasions turned a flashpoint in America’s tradition warfare.
The Puerto Rican rapper has used his platform to criticize the Trump administration and its insurance policies, together with along with his acceptance speech on the Grammys the place he declared: “ICE out” – a derogatory phrase towards Immigration and Customized Enforcement brokers.
The announcement of his Tremendous Bowl efficiency sparked outrage and he stoked the flames, joking on “Saturday Night time Dwell” in October that if followers don’t perceive him talking in Spanish, “You may have 4 months to be taught!”
Bunny, who has an enormous Spanish language following, later tried to stroll again the remarks, saying “folks solely have to fret about dance.”
Within the meantime, the NFL employed one other band to carry out with him: Inexperienced Day.
However that added extra gasoline to the cultural hearth. Inexperienced Day is understood for its assist of the Trump resistance motion.
President Trump informed the New York Put up, in an unique interview within the Oval Workplace, he wouldn’t watch the Tremendous Bowl halftime occasion, citing the performances of Unhealthy Bunny and Inexperienced Day.
“I’m anti-them. I feel it’s a horrible selection. All it does is sow hatred. Horrible,” Trump mentioned.
He later mentioned he’d tune into the Turning Level present. Vance additionally provided his assist, writing on X:
“Incredible lineup for the TPUSA halftime present, together with the nice Bob Ritchie AKA KID ROCK.”
And Franklin Graham additionally criticized the NFL, writing on social media “the halftime exhibits started pushing ethical boundaries and have develop into increasingly sexualized.” He mentioned he’d be watching TPUSA’s occasion with the “agenda of celebrating household, religion, and freedom!”
Performing within the Superbowl halftime present is an unparalleled alternative for a musician. Though unpaid, it places the artist in entrance of tens of millions of viewers and is usually a career-defining second.
But it surely’s additionally been a fertile floor for controversy. In 2019, the Federal Communications Fee threatened to get entangled when Justin Timberlake infamously uncovered Janet Jackson’s breast on the finish of their efficiency. Jennifer Lopez, in 2020, featured caged youngsters on stage to criticize U.S. immigration insurance policies.
Kolvet mentioned he understood People’ frustration with the official present.
“Purple blooded People love the NFL. They love sports activities. And but this, this factor that ought to be ours, prefer it more and more wasn’t ours,” he famous.
And Child Rock identified their various program wasn’t born out of hate.
“None of us are approaching this with any hate in our hearts in any respect. It’s only a love for our base and love for music, our nation and all the pieces else.”
