Four days later, the Super Bowl halftime debate appears to be outlasting memories of the game itself. Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show”—staged in response to the NFL’s selection of Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime act—triggered viral reactions, celebrity criticism, and extreme online responses—exposing deep cultural divides.  The Final Numbers  Bad Bunny’s performance drew over 128 million viewers, according to audience measurement firm Nielsen. That’s 5.3 million less than last year’s halftime performer Kendrick Lamar.Turning Point’s show peaked at about six million concurrent views and 21 million views total.  Crucially, Nielsen data indicates overall Super Bowl viewership dropped by approximately 7.7 million viewers during halftime. With 30-second Super Bowl ads costing millions, halftime retention is crucial for advertisers who pay premium rates for both halftime and second-half placements.  The TPUSA alternative option to the Super Bowl halftime show, headlined by Kid Rock, was intended to reflect Turning Point USA’s view of American culture, featuring country music performances and themes centered on faith and patriotism.   Bad Bunny’s performance was an early valentine to Puerto Rico and the Latino countries in North, Central and South America. The Grammy winner made his intentions clear from the moment of his selection.  Bad Bunny announced on “Saturday Night Live” that he would perform his Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish, also arrogantly suggesting Americans learn the language if they had a problem with that.  Riley Gaines, Turning Point USA Contributor, wrote on X, “Bad Bunny told Americans they had 4 months to learn Spanish if we wanted to understand the Super Bowl halftime show. No thanks. We’ll just have our own. Enjoy your low-rated halftime show.”  Bad Bunny told Americans they had 4 months to learn Spanish if we wanted to understand the Super Bowl halftime show. No thanks. We'll just have our own. Enjoy your low-rated halftime show. pic.twitter.com/VjGkNrjS00— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) October 9, 2025 These divisive performances, providing two visions of America, stirred mixed reactions from celebrities, social media, and even colleges.  The Case for Bad Bunny  Katy Perry, who herself has performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, praised Bad Bunny on X, writing: “You got this @sanbenito [Bad Bunny], remind the world what the real American dream looks like.”  you got this @sanbenito remind the world what the real American dream looks like ??? #SuperBowlLX— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) February 8, 2026 Country singer Kacey Musgraves joined Bad Bunny’s team: “Well. That made me feel more proudly American than anything Kid Rock has ever done.”  Well. That made me feel more proudly American than anything Kid Rock has ever done.— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) February 9, 2026 Major news outlets practically fell over themselves to respond, rushing out positive coverage of Bad Bunny’s performance with unmistakable eagerness. The Washington Post, for example, described the performance as “wholesome,” despite rows of derrieres wiggling for the cameras, men grinding on men, and obscene lyrics. The Case for Kid Rock  Influencer Amanda Vance went viral for posting a video of herself watching the “All-American Halftime Show” at the Super Bowl while Bad Bunny was performing. She said she lost 1,000 followers in two minutes on Instagram and even received violent threats.  Watching the American halftime performance at the Super Bowl instead of Bad Bunny pic.twitter.com/OroLSYgz8C— Amanda Vance (@amandacvance) February 9, 2026 Vice President JD Vance promoted Turning Point’s halftime show on X. “Fantastic lineup for the TPUSA halftime show, including the great Bob Ritchie AKA KID ROCK.”   Fantastic lineup for the TPUSA halftime show, including the great Bob Ritchie AKA KID ROCKhttps://t.co/ZXvvlIBtkE— JD Vance (@JDVance) February 3, 2026 While Turning Point supporter @jackunheard posted: “Now THAT! Is how you do a halftime show. This needs to happen EVERY SINGLE YEAR.”  TURNING POINT USA. Now THAT! Is how you do a halftime show. This needs to happen EVERY SINGLE YEAR. ??God bless America. pic.twitter.com/M8VDEoLObw— Jack (@jackunheard) February 9, 2026 Kid Rock’s single—a cover of Cody Johnson’s “’Til You Can’t”—overtook Bad Bunny on the Apple charts after the show, a surprising post-Super Bowl twist.  Turning Point has confirmed they will be hosting another halftime performance in 2027 due to the success they saw this year. The NFL has not officially commented on either show’s performance or advertiser reactions.  During the TPUSA show, Hillsdale College launched its “Learn Like Charlie” campaign, encouraging viewers to take the same free online courses Charlie Kirk completed, including “Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution” and “The Genesis Story: Reading Biblical Narratives.”   A 60-second commercial aired during the show, highlighting moments when Kirk recommended the courses, such as when a caller to The Charlie Kirk Show said, “I listen to your podcast, I’m taking Hillsdale online courses,” to which Kirk replied, “Now that’s what I’m talking about. I love it.”  While the game itself is already fading from memory, both halftime shows will be leaving a lasting cultural footprint.  The post Bad Bunny vs. Turning Point USA Super Bowl Halftime Shows Still Sparking Viral Reactions, Highlighting Cultural Divide  appeared first on The Daily Signal.