Bad Bunny delivers ‘perfect’ clapback to Super Bowl criticism in SNL sketch

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) has responded to backlash from the MAGA movement and right-wing Americans over the news he’ll be fronting next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, addressing the situation in a sketch on Saturday Night Live (SNL).

Bad Bunny has been vocal in his criticism of the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency or ICE in recent months, branding officers “motherf*****s” and “sons of b****”s" in June following a raid in Puerto Rico, and telling ID magazine last month his decision to not perform in America is in part down to fears ICE would target his fans.

Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem responded to Bad Bunny’s comments on ICE in an interview with conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson this week, when she said federal officers will be “all over that place” when it comes to ICE enforcement at the sporting event.

Noem added: “I think people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country.”

Other Republicans have also criticised the decision by NFL to have Bad Bunny perform at the prestigious sporting event, including conservative commentator Tomi Lahren who, rather embarrassingly, had to be reminded that Puerto Rico is a US territory.

And Bad Bunny addressed his upcoming performance at the Super Bowl during his opening monologue on SNL, telling the audience and viewers at home: “I’m very happy, and I think everyone is very happy about it, even Fox News.”

It then cut to a supercut of different Fox News presenters saying the sentence: “Bad Bunny is my favourite musician and he should be the next president.”

Bad Bunny continued: “I’m very excited to be doing the Super Bowl, and I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy.”

He then said in Spanish: “Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world and here in the United States who have worked to open doors. It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us.

“Our footprints and our contribution in this country… no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.”

The artist then switched back to English and concluded: “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”

And the move has since seen him gain new fans:

“Bad Bunny getting a head start at p*****g off MAGA, and I’m here for it,” tweeted commentator Brooklyn Dad Defiant:

Another Twitter/X user wrote: “And that’s exactly how you assert dominance in an industry that wants to anglicize everything. Speak truth in your language, make them learn”:

While a third joked that Duolingo downloads “will catapult by Monday”:

Next year’s Super Bowl is set to take place on 8 February in Santa Clara, California.

Why not read…

• Bad Bunny teases Super Bowl halftime show: 'It’s for my people'
• 'Bigger than the music': Bad Bunny to lead Super Bowl halftime show

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