Overview of Ep. 2364 - A Very BAD Bunny Super Bowl
Ben Shapiro critiques the Super Bowl halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny, argues the performance mixed strong production with a political message that downplayed American exceptionalism, and uses that launchpad to cover related culture-war flashpoints, political fallout, and policy issues. The episode includes a conversation with Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis about the “Healthy Florida First” food-testing initiative and a discussion with Winston Marshall about UK political fallout tied to Jeffrey Epstein documents. Sponsors and member-only follow-ups are also noted.
Main takeaways
- Production vs. politics: Ben praises the halftime show's production value (staging, choreography, wedding vignette) but criticizes its political framing—primarily performed in Spanish, culminating in Bad Bunny declaring “together, we are America” while parading flags of many non‑U.S. countries.
- Core critique: Shapiro objects to the show’s apparent attempt to present the Super Bowl (an American cultural event) as a pan‑American/“we’re all Americans” statement, arguing it diminishes U.S. exceptionalism and lacked visible gratitude to the U.S.
- Media and gaslighting: He argues mainstream coverage celebrates left-leaning cultural statements and then labels critics as overreacting; he calls this “gaslighting.”
- Alternative conservative programming: Turning Point USA’s All‑American halftime show (Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett) drew large viewership (up to ~5 million concurrent viewers on YouTube), showing demand for apolitical/patriotic alternatives.
- Food safety push: Interview with Casey DeSantis highlights state testing revealing contaminants (arsenic, heavy metals, glyphosate) in candies, baby formula, bread—argues for more testing and consumer transparency.
- Other culture/politics items: criticism of Olympic athletes expressing “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S.; condemnation of a racist meme posted on Truth Social by President Trump (Ben calls it a dumb mistake); coverage of immigration policy fights and sanctuary-city tensions; economic uncertainty tied to AI and hiring slowdown.
- UK politics: Winston Marshall outlines how Epstein-linked revelations about Peter Mandelson have created instability around UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and may reshape party fortunes.
Topics discussed (by segment)
- Halftime show review
- Pros: high production quality, creative wedding vignette, Puerto Rican cultural elements.
- Cons: almost entirely in Spanish (no English translation/context), explicit political gestures (previous anti‑ICE comments by Bad Bunny), and the finale’s “we are all Americans” flag parade that included many non‑U.S. flags.
- Cultural argument: Shapiro says the show should have celebrated American unity alongside cultural heritage rather than suggesting geographic conflation of “the Americas” with U.S. identity.
- Reactions and politics
- President Trump criticized the show on Truth Social; Shapiro agrees with some criticism but urges better articulation from Republicans.
- TPUSA’s counterprogram had high viewership—evidence of cultural/political polarization in entertainment.
- Ad/MAHA mention
- Mike Tyson appeared in a “Make America Healthy Again” ad promoting eating real food; Shapiro finds the messenger odd but supports healthy‑eating messaging.
- Interview: Casey DeSantis — Healthy Florida First Initiative
- Purpose: “trust but verify” testing of consumer foods for contaminants beyond standard FDA reactive testing.
- Findings highlighted: arsenic detected in popular candies in amounts that become concerning in aggregate (e.g., >86 Nerds/year or >6 Jolly Ranchers/year exceed a child’s acceptable arsenic threshold in their analysis); glyphosate found in bread; heavy metals in some baby formulas—calls for more transparency and possible statutory testing requirements.
- Recommendations: state/federal follow-up testing, consumer education, and pressure on manufacturers to improve sourcing/production.
- Olympics commentary
- Ben criticizes U.S. skiers expressing ambivalence about representing America; argues athletes should show baseline patriotism.
- Trump Truth Social controversy
- Trump shared a video containing a racist image of the Obamas; Shapiro calls it racist/stupid, accepts Trump’s claim he didn’t see the whole clip but criticizes the administration for the mistake.
- Immigration & law enforcement
- Tom Homan criticized political doublespeak on sanctuary-city policy; NYC’s executive order limiting ICE cooperation is cited as evidence of local-federal friction.
- Protests and culture
- Coverage of bizarre protests (Minnesota anti‑ICE protesters throwing sex toys at ICE vehicles) and Don Lemon comparing himself to civil‑rights leaders (Shapiro mocks this).
- Economy
- Markets: Dow index surge noted; labor market cooling—hiring slowdown attributed to tariff uncertainty, high short‑term rates, and AI fears; implications for political environment.
- Interview: Winston Marshall on UK Epstein/Starmer scandal
- Summary: New tranches of Epstein documents implicated Peter Mandelson (longtime Labour figure) in ongoing, post‑conviction ties and alleged corruption (insider info, jet travel). Mandelson’s appointment in Starmer’s circle and related resignations threaten the UK government and could boost the Reform Party/other opposition.
Notable quotes / sharp lines
- “That was not geared toward me… it felt like perhaps I’d been in a car crash and there was a person walking at me telling me I needed to get out my insurance card in a language I did not understand.” — on watching Bad Bunny’s Spanish performance
- “Where is Bad Bunny’s gratitude?” — criticizing lack of overt U.S. patriotism at a U.S. cultural event
- “You can celebrate culture and still be an American who loves football.” — core argument for blending cultural identity and national pride
- “Not noticing the politics and then saying critics are crazy is gaslighting.” — on media reactions
Data points & specifics to remember
- TPUSA All‑American halftime stream peaked around 5 million concurrent YouTube viewers.
- Candy testing (Florida Dept. of Health/Healthy Florida First): thresholds cited — >86 Nerds/year or >6 Jolly Ranchers/year may exceed a child’s acceptable arsenic intake in their analysis.
- Cited contaminants: arsenic, cadmium, mercury, glyphosate found in some tested products (candy, baby formula, bread).
Action items / recommendations (as presented)
- For consumers/parents:
- Pay attention to food-testing reports (especially baby formula and candies) and consider purchasing products with better testing or organic/healthier options where available.
- Vote with your wallet—support manufacturers that demonstrate safer manufacturing.
- For policymakers:
- Consider expanding routine testing requirements (e.g., require testing for heavy metals in baby formula before shipping).
- Use state-level testing data to pressure federal agencies (FDA) for more proactive standards.
- For media/political communicators:
- If critiquing cultural productions, be clear and persuasive; avoid narrowing coalition by solely rhetorical attacks—focus on policy/clear arguments.
Guests and sponsors
- Guests: Casey DeSantis (First Lady of Florida) — Healthy Florida First initiative; Winston Marshall — on UK Epstein/Starmer developments.
- Sponsors mentioned: PolicyGenius (life insurance), Balance of Nature (nutrition supplements), LifeLock (identity theft protection).
- Member-only content: continuation on military buildup in Middle East and Nancy Guthrie kidnapping; Daily Wire Plus membership promotion.
Bottom line
Ben acknowledges the halftime show’s strong production and some charming moments but frames the finale as an explicitly political statement that conflated pan‑American identity with U.S. patriotism—an approach he finds inappropriate for a uniquely American event. The episode pivots from culture to concrete policy: state-driven food safety testing that revealed concerning contaminants, and geopolitical/political developments both domestically and in the U.K. The recurring theme is a call for clear patriotism paired with practical policy actions (food safety, immigration enforcement, sober political messaging).