Sen. Tuberville Calls Super Bowl Halftime 'Woke', Criticizes Bad Bunny

The former football coach plans to skip the big game's entertainment, calling it 'unfortunate' and 'crazy'.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 2:31pm

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Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a former college football coach, has criticized the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show featuring Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, calling it 'woke' and saying he plans to watch a different halftime show instead. Tuberville also echoed former President Trump's past comments dismissing Bad Bunny's selection.

Why it matters

Tuberville's comments reflect a growing partisan divide over the entertainment choices for major sporting events, with some conservatives criticizing performers they see as too 'woke' or politically progressive. This debate highlights the increasingly political nature of cultural events like the Super Bowl halftime show.

The details

In a recent Newsmax interview, Tuberville said the Super Bowl has become the 'Woke Bowl' and that he'll be watching the Turning Point USA halftime show instead of Bad Bunny's performance. Tuberville also referenced former President Trump's past criticism of the Bad Bunny selection, with Trump saying he didn't know who the artist was and calling the choice 'crazy'.

  • The Super Bowl is scheduled for February 8, 2026.

The players

Tommy Tuberville

A Republican U.S. Senator from Alabama and former college football coach.

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican singer and rapper who is set to perform at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who has also criticized Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime selection.

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What they’re saying

“Unfortunately, we've got, I call it the Woke Bowl, because we're getting more and more woke. And we've got Bad Bunny, or Bad Rabbit, at halftime. I'll be watching the (Turning Point USA) halftime show. It's just unfortunate we've gotten to this point.”

— Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Senator (Newsmax)

“I don't know who he is. I don't know why they're doing it. It's crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it's absolutely ridiculous.”

— Donald Trump (Newsmax)

What’s next

The Super Bowl halftime show is scheduled to take place on February 8, 2026.

The takeaway

Tuberville's criticism of the Super Bowl halftime show as 'woke' reflects a growing partisan divide over the entertainment choices for major sporting events, with some conservatives viewing performers like Bad Bunny as too politically progressive. This debate highlights the increasingly political nature of cultural events like the Super Bowl halftime show.