Washington Post Slammed for Calling Bad Bunny's Vulgar Halftime Show 'Wholesome'

The newspaper praised the performance despite explicit lyrics and anti-American protest song.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Washington Post has faced backlash for declaring Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show as 'wholesome' entertainment with 'family values', despite the rapper's performance containing explicit sexual lyrics, drug references, and an anti-American protest song by Ricky Martin.

Why it matters

The Washington Post's positive review of the controversial halftime show has raised questions about the newspaper's editorial standards and its ability to accurately assess the appropriateness of content, especially for a major televised event watched by millions of families.

The details

The Washington Post op-ed praised the 'Technicolor' sets and 'Busby Berkeley-style formations' of the dancers, comparing the performance to 'Sesame Street' and 'Busy Town'. However, the article failed to address the sexually explicit lyrics sung by Bad Bunny, including references to drugs, genitalia, and a same-sex relationship. Additionally, singer Ricky Martin performed an anti-American protest song during his cameo.

  • The Washington Post article was published on February 9, 2026, the day after the Super Bowl.

The players

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican rapper whose Super Bowl Halftime Show performance contained explicit sexual lyrics and drug references.

Ricky Martin

A Puerto Rican singer who performed an anti-American protest song during his cameo in the halftime show.

Shane O'Neill

The Washington Post op-ed writer who praised the 'wholesome' and 'family-friendly' nature of the halftime show, despite admitting he does not understand Spanish.

Washington Post

The newspaper that published the op-ed praising the controversial halftime show performance.

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What they’re saying

“But in general, the show had the kind of wholesome, traditional family values that would have fit right in with some of the more sentimental commercials that appeared during the game.”

— Shane O'Neill, Washington Post op-ed writer (Washington Post)

“This remained a PG-rated affair with about as much dirtiness to the dancing as there was in the 1987 movie 'Dirty Dancing.'”

— Shane O'Neill, Washington Post op-ed writer (Washington Post)

What’s next

The Washington Post has faced significant backlash for its positive review of the halftime show, with many criticizing the newspaper's editorial judgment and ability to accurately assess the appropriateness of the content. It remains to be seen if the Post will issue a correction or re-evaluate its stance on the performance.

The takeaway

The Washington Post's glowing review of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show, despite the presence of explicit lyrics and an anti-American protest song, has raised serious questions about the newspaper's editorial standards and its ability to objectively evaluate the suitability of content for a major televised event watched by millions of families.