The Federal Communications Commission investigated transcripts of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime present performance after a Republican politician voiced concerns about potential violations of federal decency regulations.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez stated she reviewed the Spanish-language transcripts provided by Comcast’s NBC after learning the commission had requested them.
“I reviewed them carefully, and I found no violation of our rules and no justification for harassing broadcasters over a standard live performance,” Gomez said.
Comcast, NBC, and the FCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Several Republican politicians publicly criticized Bad Bunny’s performance, which was entirely in Spanish.
Florida Rep. Randy Fine took to X following the show, calling his performance “illegal” and demanding an FCC investigation.
His post included screenshots of what he claimed were translated lyrics from one of Bad Bunny’s songs.
“Bad Bunny’s disgusting halftime show was illegal. Had he said these lyrics — and all of the other disgusting and pornographic filth in English on live TV, the broadcast would have been pulled down and the fines would have been enormous,” Fine wrote.
Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles echoed Fine’s concerns, alleging that the “performance’s lyrics openly glorified sodomy and countless other unspeakable depravities.”
The New York Post reported that the performance omitted some lyrics containing explicit sexual content.
Sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that the FCC does not plan further review unless additional evidence emerges.
The Puerto Rican superstar, 31, broke ground as the first artist to perform a Super Bowl halftime show entirely in Spanish, and the first Latin solo act to headline the globally-watched event. The performance underscored the growing influence of Latin music on the American mainstream.
Toward the conclude of his set, Bad Bunny received a ball inscribed with the words, “Together, we are America.”
A message displayed on the stadium’s big screen read: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
However, the message of unity did not resonate with former President Trump.
“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World,” Trump said following the halftime show.
In response to the performance, conservative groups launched an alternative halftime show.
Hosted by Turning Point USA, the group founded by the late Charlie Kirk, the All-American Halftime Show featured Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett.
