When Bad Bunny—a U.S. citizen and the world’s most-streamed artist for four of the last six years—was announced as the Super Bowl LX halftime performer, Turning Point USA responded by organizing an “alternate” show. Headlined by Kid Rock (Robert Ritchie), the counter-event also featured Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.

The magic of the official Super Bowl halftime show lies in the sheer scale of the performance. It is a high-risk act performed live before 70,000 in-person fans and over 100 million television viewers. Massive sets are assembled and disassembled in less than 10 minutes, a logistical marvel that happens without damaging the field beneath. 

Not only this, but the creative quality displayed on such a large stage is what makes this break in the ‘action’ (there wasn’t much of it this Super Bowl, but that’s besides the point) so special. In Bad Bunny’s performance, he didn’t just stand on a basic stage and sing while pyrotechnics went off in the background; he brought over 600 people to make the grass field stage alive. By using so many performers and vibrant colors, he turned a massive sports stadium into a 13-minute spectacle celebrating Puerto Rican and American culture. 

The Turning Point “All-American” show lacked that tension and magic. While the broadcast was framed as a live counter-event, Kid Rock admitted it had been pre-recorded in Atlanta. While the stream reportedly reached 5-6 million concurrent viewers on YouTube, the “live” energy was manufactured in a studio with an audience of no more than 200 people—a far cry from the roar of Levi’s Stadium.

Even the target audience seemed unable to look away from the real thing. Donald Trump inadvertently admitted to watching Bad Bunny’s performance rather than the alternative he ostensibly supported.

“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible… It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that “nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting.” While he clearly didn’t enjoy it, his detailed review and lack of public comment on the Turning Point show point toward one thing: he didn’t turn it off to watch Kid Rock. Not only this, but there was footage from his Super Bowl watch party which proved that he didn’t watch the patriotic Turning Point alternative. 

Perhaps most ironic was Turning Point’s mission to promote an agenda of “faith, family, and freedom.” To champion these values, they selected Kid Rock—an artist whose catalog doesn’t exactly scream “Sunday School.”

In his 2001 hit “Picture”, Rock sings: “Different girl every night at the hotel / I ain’t seen the sunshine in three damn days / Been fueling up on cocaine and whisky.”

While hotel benders might have been my favorite part of the New Testament, they are a strange choice for a family-values showcase. The disconnect continued with his 2007 anthem “All Summer Long”, where he reminisces about “smoking funny things” and “making love out by the lake.”

Ultimately, the alternate halftime show failed in both its missions. It could not compete with the spectacle of the real halftime show, and thanks to its headliner, the “family-friendly” vibes it promised to replace the “un-American” Bad Bunny were very hollow.