Former Aurora official claims backlash over Kid Rock halftime show, but details don't add up

Danielle Jurinsky, a pro-Trump ex-city councilwoman, says her sports bar was targeted for playing Turning Point USA's alternative Super Bowl halftime show, but online reviews tell a different story.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Danielle Jurinsky, a former pro-Trump city councilwoman in Aurora, Colorado, claimed her sports bar was targeted and harassed for playing Turning Point USA's alternative 'All American' Super Bowl halftime show featuring MAGA rapper Kid Rock. However, an oil industry expert pointed out that Jurinsky's story has some holes - her bar didn't receive any Google reviews on the day in question, and the single Yelp review she did get didn't mention the halftime show controversy.

Why it matters

Jurinsky is a controversial figure who has made unsubstantiated claims in the past, and her latest story about being targeted for her political views raises questions about the accuracy of her statements. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between conservative and liberal factions in the US, particularly around major media events like the Super Bowl.

The details

Jurinsky, who previously served on the Aurora city council, claimed that 80% of her bar's patrons wanted to watch the Turning Point USA alternative halftime show featuring Kid Rock, while the remaining 20% wanted to see the official Bad Bunny performance. She said the 20% who wanted Bad Bunny started 'canceling the orders, taking to social media calling me a racist, being disrespectful to my staff, and leaving 1-star reviews on Google and Yelp.' However, oil industry expert Patrick de Haan pointed out that Jurinsky's bar didn't receive any Google reviews on the day in question, and the single Yelp review she did get didn't mention the halftime show controversy.

  • The Turning Point USA alternative Super Bowl halftime show featuring Kid Rock was in planning for months due to fury from the MAGA base over Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny's selection for the real halftime show.
  • Jurinsky's re-election bid for the Aurora city council was defeated in a surprise November 2025 upset.

The players

Danielle Jurinsky

A pro-Trump former city councilwoman in Aurora, Colorado, who now runs a sports bar called JJ's Place.

Patrick de Haan

A Chicago-based oil industry expert who pointed out the holes in Jurinsky's story about her bar being targeted.

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What they’re saying

“I run a business. A sports bar, JJ's Place. Yesterday 80% of the bar wanted the Turning point halftime show. The rest wanted Bad Bunny. To accommodate I put the TV's on half and half. The 20% started canceling the orders, taking to social media calling me a racist, being disrespectful to my staff, and leaving 1-star reviews on Google and Yelp.”

— Danielle Jurinsky, Owner, JJ's Place (X (formerly Twitter)

“Couple things: 1) your bar didn't get a single review yesterday on Google 2) you got one single review via Yelp, which didn't mention the half time show”

— Patrick de Haan, Oil Industry Expert (X (formerly Twitter)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing political tensions in the US, as well as the challenges small business owners can face when trying to cater to diverse customer bases. The discrepancies in Jurinsky's story raise questions about the accuracy of her claims and her motivations for making them.