[SPEAKER_03]: Hi everyone, and welcome back to Room for Us.
[SPEAKER_03]: A space-square-queer voice is thrive.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm your host P and every single week.
[SPEAKER_03]: I like to sit down, get vulnerable, and talk about all things queer with all of you.
[SPEAKER_03]: And like many of you, I simply cannot stop thinking about bad bunnies, half-time performance, at the Super Bowl.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I wanted to release an episode all about the symbolism and the importance behind his performance.
[SPEAKER_03]: I actually had to watch it multiple times and do a bunch of research.
[SPEAKER_03]: Just to really see the message he was trying to convey, and when I watched the first time I could I knew how powerful it was, but once you really understand the symbolism, it's truly mind-blowing, like his mind is brilliant.
[SPEAKER_03]: So as we all know, last Sunday, Bad Bunny took the Super Bowl stage, and what he delivered wasn't just your classic half-time entertainment show.
[SPEAKER_03]: It truly was representation, it was a protest, and it was pride, and for a lot of people, it felt very personal.
[SPEAKER_03]: So let's unpack why.
[SPEAKER_03]: But before we get into this, I do want to give a huge shout out to the article from out titled Bad Bunny Super Bowl Hidden Messages,
[SPEAKER_03]: I did use this as a reference when looking into the symbolism and messages when preparing for this episode.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I will be sure to link it in the show notes so you can take a read and do a little bit of a deeper dive.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's a really, really well written article.
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's set the context or this historic moment.
[SPEAKER_03]: The Super Bowl halftime show is definitely one of the most watched stages I think in the world.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's very, very American historically, very English, and usually very mainstream pop.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then we have Benito Antonio Martinez, Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, who is a Puerto Rican artist who built his career largely in Spanish.
[SPEAKER_03]: And he steps into that space and performs his songs entirely in Spanish as he is a Spanish language artist.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think that alone is groundbreaking for the Super Bowl as this was not translated.
[SPEAKER_03]: It was Puerto Rico on one of America's biggest stages and that is so powerful.
[SPEAKER_03]: So let's start at the beginning when we opened with a young man and a guitar.
[SPEAKER_03]: We hear a voice shout out in Spanish, which translates to, it feels so good to be Latino today, we drink.
[SPEAKER_03]: Immediately, this tone is pure joy because the Super Bowl stage has historically centered Americanness in a very, very narrow way, just totally English-speaking mainstream, and that's all you see.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then here we have Bad Bunny saying, this is all gonna be in Spanish and it's colorful and just genuinely just pure joy and happiness, I love it.
[SPEAKER_03]: And this sets the tone for everything that follows.
[SPEAKER_03]: So then we see the next scene, which is aerial shots of sugarcane fields and on-screen appears, Benito Antonio Martinez, Ocasio presents the Super Bowl Half-Time Show.
[SPEAKER_03]: And this is real name.
[SPEAKER_03]: And that choice grounds the performance in something deeper than just like the celebrity Bad Bunny.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's very personal.
[SPEAKER_03]: And as you look into the meaning behind the sugar cane, this actually represents labor, colonial history, exploitation, agriculture, and survival.
[SPEAKER_03]: I pulled this quote from the article from out.
[SPEAKER_03]: It says, 400 years after it was colonized by Spain, Puerto Rico's economy relied entirely on the production and sale of sugar cane.
[SPEAKER_03]: Cutting sugarcane is by any measure, brutal work performed by hand in the scorching sun.
[SPEAKER_03]: A landing page for the PBS series finding your roots explains.
[SPEAKER_03]: For centuries enslaved Africans supplied the labor, but after slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873, it became the domain of the island's working class.
[SPEAKER_03]: A report from the United States Department of Agriculture website notes that Puerto Rico grew 12.5 million tons of sugarcane on more than 40,000 acres at its peak in 1952, nearly 80 years after slavery was abolished.
[SPEAKER_03]: So then after this scene, we see the infamous jersey that Bad Bunny is wearing.
[SPEAKER_03]: So this is when we first see him appear on the screen after the sugarcane field sequence.
[SPEAKER_01]: We see him wearing a cream jersey that says Ocasio with the number 64.
[SPEAKER_03]: I believe there are few different meanings to this number, and when the halftime show aired, a lot of news outlets and especially Puerto Rican influencers, posting reaction videos, immediately assumed that the number on his jersey had a political meaning.
[SPEAKER_03]: It felt very intentional, symbolic.
[SPEAKER_03]: and very loaded, and many people were ready to connect it to a broader political narrative.
[SPEAKER_03]: But later, Bad Bunny actually explained the meaning.
[SPEAKER_03]: So, in a statement of the cut, he clarified that the number 64 wasn't really meant to be political.
[SPEAKER_03]: It was just deeply personal.
[SPEAKER_03]: The number referenced 1964.
[SPEAKER_03]: The year his late uncle was born.
[SPEAKER_03]: His uncle left Puerto Rico at just 17 to work on the U.S. mainland and played a big role in Benito's life, even teaching him much of what he knows about football.
[SPEAKER_03]: Bad Bunny explained that he had always dreamed of taking his uncle to the Super Bowl, but never got the chance.
[SPEAKER_03]: His uncle passed away unexpectedly.
[SPEAKER_03]: So instead, he chose to bring him onto the field in the only way he could, by wearing his birthday or on his jersey during the halftime show.
[SPEAKER_03]: He shared that he dedicated the performance to him before it began, saying he believes his uncle was there in spirit, watching, present, and proud.
[SPEAKER_03]: So this was just another interpretation.
[SPEAKER_03]: I did find interesting now we did get Bad Bunny's actual explanation, but it was interesting to see the other connector that some influencers had, or some news outlets.
[SPEAKER_03]: had hit Puerto Rico in September 2017.
[SPEAKER_03]: It was a category for hurricane that devastated the island.
[SPEAKER_03]: Many homes were destroyed.
[SPEAKER_03]: Power grids had collapsed.
[SPEAKER_03]: Communities completely upended.
[SPEAKER_03]: And for many residents, the trauma didn't end when the wind stopped.
[SPEAKER_03]: And actually, at this time,
[SPEAKER_03]: Donald Trump had visited Puerto Rico and tossed paper towels into a crowd, which was obviously a moment that was so dismissive and deeply out of touch with what people were actually going through.
[SPEAKER_03]: But then came the numbers.
[SPEAKER_03]: The Puerto Rican government initially reported that only 64 people had died as a result of the hurricane.
[SPEAKER_03]: 64, this number completely thought on real, inconsistent with what families were witnessing.
[SPEAKER_03]: It didn't reflect the scale of loss people were experiencing across the island.
[SPEAKER_03]: Residents were essentially being asked to accept a version of reality that didn't match what they knew to be true.
[SPEAKER_03]: That number sparked protests.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then, once there was a public pressure investigations followed, eventually the government acknowledged that more than 1,400 people had died, a figure later revised again.
[SPEAKER_03]: So, a nearly a year after the hurricane, the official death toll was updated to 2,975.
[SPEAKER_03]: Lives lost due to the devastation caused by Maria, not 64, so that distinction really matters.
[SPEAKER_03]: And now, as we move through the set,
[SPEAKER_03]: Bad Bunny is guiding viewers through Puerto Rican culture in real time.
[SPEAKER_03]: He stops at a stand serving fresh coconut water.
[SPEAKER_03]: He passes a group of older men deeply focused on a game of Domino's, two girls nearby doing their nails.
[SPEAKER_03]: There's even a stand selling Iraguya.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's a vicious Puerto Rican-shaped ice that instantly takes you back to childhood.
[SPEAKER_03]: These details are a snapshot of everyday life on the island.
[SPEAKER_03]: Familiar, intimate, and most importantly, like very real.
[SPEAKER_03]: and they're also deeply personal to him.
[SPEAKER_03]: Actually, even with manicures, this is a part of his self-expression.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's been very open about loving detailed artistic nails, even calling out a salon in Spain back in 2018 for refusing him service because he's a man.
[SPEAKER_03]: That experience later inspired commentary in his music, including the visuals in caro.
[SPEAKER_03]: So what we're watching is also a reflection of who Benito really is culturally and personally.
[SPEAKER_03]: There are also a few speculations on the taco stand, featured in this segment, Willis Tacos.
[SPEAKER_03]: A user on Twitter had written this in Spanish, I believe, but this is the translated to English version.
[SPEAKER_03]: Did you notice the name of the tacos, the list tacos?
[SPEAKER_03]: Pancho Villa has been the only person who has ever invaded the United States with his division del Norte.
[SPEAKER_03]: Bad Bunny's halftime show was loaded with symbolism.
[SPEAKER_03]: Big respect, Benito.
[SPEAKER_03]: But on the other hand, some other reports noted that this was an existing restaurant in Los Angeles called Villas Tacos.
[SPEAKER_03]: Then we get to the next scene, La Casita.
[SPEAKER_03]: As Bad Bunny finds his way out of the sugar cane fields maze, moving through boxers and the jeweler, viewers are introduced to La Casita, which was a famous setting-first concerts within the Puerto Rican residency.
[SPEAKER_03]: And in English, this means the little house.
[SPEAKER_03]: There were many celebrities dancing and partying at La Cacita, which include Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Yangmico, Carol G, and Jessica Alba.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then we get bad bunny on the rooftop of La Casita and the crowd goes so wild for this part.
[SPEAKER_03]: There is so much dancing and then at one point, the roof of La Casita absolutely collapses and bad bunny falls through it into the house below, brushes the dust off his clothes, smiles, and just keeps you performing.
[SPEAKER_03]: And this, of course, was a very intentional choice.
[SPEAKER_03]: On one level, it's definitely a metaphor for resilience.
[SPEAKER_03]: The way Latino communities, especially in Puerto Rico, keep moving forward even after collapse, even after devastation, even when the foundation literally gives up and eat them.
[SPEAKER_03]: But it's also commentary, because this isn't just a symbolic collapse.
[SPEAKER_03]: Puerto Rico's infrastructure has been crumbling for many years.
[SPEAKER_03]: whether from Hurricane Maria's destruction or long-term neglect and under investment, the reality is that many systems on the island are fragile.
[SPEAKER_03]: So the falling roof becomes more than just the dramatic effect for the performance.
[SPEAKER_03]: I believe it could be like a visual reminder that things are breaking but the people still rise.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then as this happens, a medley of ragotone anthems play as an intro to EO by Bad Bunny.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then we see our real wedding take place.
[SPEAKER_03]: So as reported by PopGrave, this was a very real wedding that truly takes place in the middle of the Super Bowl.
[SPEAKER_03]: So this is what was set on Twitter.
[SPEAKER_03]: The wedding during Bad Bunny's Super Bowl LX halftime show was real, his rep confirms.
[SPEAKER_03]: The couple had invited Bad Bunny to their wedding and in turn he allowed them to get married during his show, which is just the coolest they ever.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then we see our first guest appearance, which is Lady Gaga herself.
[SPEAKER_03]: And Bad Bunny has been known for supporting Lady Gaga for many many years and he's been spotted sporting Lady Gaga merch.
[SPEAKER_03]: And has always been a little monster, according to Vulture.
[SPEAKER_03]: So it was no surprise to see her as a guest.
[SPEAKER_03]: Back in 2020, Bad Bunny had told Rolling Stone that a gay cousin of his who performs in drag introduced him to the magic of Lady Gaga.
[SPEAKER_03]: Bad Bunny said, I may not be gay, but I'm a human who cares.
[SPEAKER_03]: He said that the cousin ultimately inspired him to fall in love with Gaga's catalog.
[SPEAKER_03]: He would come to my house so I could make his mixes.
[SPEAKER_03]: He explained the choreography to me.
[SPEAKER_03]: They were all Lady Gaga songs.
[SPEAKER_03]: Throughout his career, it's actually really important to note that that bunny has really embraced drag as a bold and very creative art form.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's always challenged traditional masculinity by wearing drag and gender non-conforming clothing in his music videos.
[SPEAKER_03]: For example, the music video, yo, pereo, sola, and his life performances.
[SPEAKER_03]: And if you haven't seen the movie Cassandra, which came out in 2023, it stars Gale Garcia Bernal as a gay wrestler, and it's definitely worth the watch, especially if you're a bad bunny fan.
[SPEAKER_03]: Next is the standout cameo from Tonya, the owner of Brooklyn's Caribbean Social Club, one of the last surviving Puerto Rican social clubs in New York City, so according to the cut,
[SPEAKER_03]: while singing Nueva Yol, Bad Bunny gave a nod to the Puerto Rican diaspora in New York, referencing their barbershops, bodegas, and of course, Tonita or herself.
[SPEAKER_03]: And at the Super Bowl, Tonita serves Bad Bunny a drink.
[SPEAKER_03]: Then we get to the next scene, which is showing the family in the living room, watching Bad Bunny's acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards.
[SPEAKER_03]: Bad Bunny approaches, and sees this little boy who they nicknamed Young Benito, and he walks towards him, handing him
[SPEAKER_03]: which symbolizes a connection between bad bunny and his younger self.
[SPEAKER_03]: This moment is so heartwarming and adorable.
[SPEAKER_03]: The young actor is named Lincoln Fox.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then we get to Ricky Martin, who is the second guest for the halftime show.
[SPEAKER_03]: And having Ricky Martin appear for the Super Bowl halftime is iconic, especially as he's an openly gay Puerto Rican artist.
[SPEAKER_03]: Ricky Martin is first appearing seated on the same chair, featured on the debut Tierra Maphoto album cover, and he's singing a rendition of L'O'K'L'Passeau Hawaii.
[SPEAKER_03]: Now, this part of the Super Bowl halftime was definitely had a deeper meaning it's the black out scene.
[SPEAKER_03]: In 2017, the Washington Post had reported that Puerto Rico was in the dark for 181 days, six hours and 45 minutes.
[SPEAKER_03]: Following the devastation of the island by Hurricane Maria and the lack of significant support from Trump's first administration to help the U.S. territory facing a humanitarian crisis.
[SPEAKER_03]: The Puerto Rican government awarded a new contract to Luma Energy, a private operator-based
[SPEAKER_03]: which only brought new issues to Bora Coos and led to a lawsuit.
[SPEAKER_03]: And these were per-reports from the Associated Press, despite 2.4 billion investments.
[SPEAKER_03]: Electricity continues to be a struggle for Puerto Rico, and power outages have unfortunately become a new normal.
[SPEAKER_03]: So in this segment of the halftime show, performers are seen working on the utility poles behind Bad Bunny while he wraps to Elle Apagon,
[SPEAKER_03]: Those performers symbolize the various attempts from Puerto Ricans to fix the utility pulls themselves and bring electricity back to Puerto Rico.
[SPEAKER_03]: Within this framing, the performers are kind of seen getting like electrically and they're kind of falling only to get up and keep trying.
[SPEAKER_03]: So the article and out notes that just like Bad Bunny's nonchalant reaction to falling into La Casita after the roof collapses, the idea of giving up is just a foreign concept to the resilient and self-determined Latin community.
[SPEAKER_03]: And now we're getting to
[SPEAKER_03]: this final chapter, which I just think, by this point, you are so emotionally involved, probably crying.
[SPEAKER_03]: This is the final chapter where it definitely resurfaces this age-old discussion about how the United States refers to itself as America.
[SPEAKER_03]: Even though it is the United States of...
[SPEAKER_03]: a greater continent named America, which is obviously home to several other countries.
[SPEAKER_03]: God bless America, Bad Bunny says while holding a football, and the audience cheers for that statement as soon as it leaves his mouth, however, what he says next was so moving and definitely got me so emotional because I didn't expect it.
[SPEAKER_02]: God bless America.
[SPEAKER_02]: See Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guillana, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, República, Dominican, Jamaica, Argentina, Chile,
[SPEAKER_03]: And there we have it.
[SPEAKER_03]: That was the most powerful halftime show in my opinion.
[SPEAKER_03]: I have watched it so many times.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm probably going to watch it again tonight.
[SPEAKER_03]: I really think this was such a defining moment.
[SPEAKER_03]: And it's just so beautiful to see how this representation has been shown and how it's really, really touched people.
[SPEAKER_03]: And Bad Bunny has been
[SPEAKER_03]: truly gotten his message across in the most incredible way.
[SPEAKER_03]: And honestly, if you listen to this episode and you haven't watched the half-time show yet, it is available on YouTube and you can watch it on the NFL's official channel.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I know Spotify had also released the track, like where you can listen to the life performance.
[SPEAKER_03]: So that's also pretty handy if you just want to listen.
[SPEAKER_03]: I hope you did enjoy this breakdown and you learned something about the deeper meaning behind Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance and why it just means so much to so many of us.
[SPEAKER_03]: And like I said, big shout out to this article out for helping me do the research.
[SPEAKER_03]: I also learned so much and I'm so grateful I did.
[SPEAKER_03]: While it already had such a deep and powerful meaning to me, it like took it to the next level.
[SPEAKER_03]: Thank you so much for tuning into this episode and I will see you all next week.