In his first comments since the NFL announced Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime performer, commissioner Roger Goodell expressed confidence in the highly-anticipated show and defended the league's decision amid some political blowback.

Bad Bunny, a leading figure in Latin music, has been chosen to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, a decision that has generated controversy, particularly among some conservative commentators and political figures. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell publicly defended the selection, emphasizing Bad Bunny's global popularity and the league's intent to feature top entertainers on its biggest stage.

The criticism includes concerns over Bad Bunny's exclusive use of Spanish in his performances and his previous political statements, such as his decision not to bring a show to the continental U.S. due to fears for his fans' safety. Goodell noted that controversy is common with halftime show selections and expressed confidence that Bad Bunny will deliver an exciting and unifying performance.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defends Bad Bunny

Latin music's biggest star, Bad Bunny, will soon take on America's most-watched stage, headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, a decision he knows hasn't come without controversy. I think everyone is happy about it, even Fox News. For many conservatives, including President Trump. I don't know why they're doing it. It's like crazy. I don't know why they blame it on some promoter that they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it's absolutely ridiculous. Hello again. But on Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league's decision. He's one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world. That's what we try to achieve. It's an important stage for us. It's carefully thought through. I would say that I'm not sure we've ever selected an artist where we didn't have some blowback or criticism. Bad Bunny would join an exclusive list of artists who have courted controversy for their performances in the halftime show, including Jennifer Lopez, who in 2020 featured children inside cages to protest family separation policies on the border. And last year, Kendrick Lamar's performance spoke to mass incarceration. The three-time Grammy winner has also weighed in on American politics. He chose not to bring his recent record-breaking Puerto Rico show to the continental U.S. out of a concern that his fans would be targeted by ICE. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has stated ICE agents will be at the Super Bowl for immigration enforcement. Criticism of the choice also stems from Bad Bunny only performing in Spanish. We're confident it's going to be a great show and that he understands the platform that he's on. And I think it's going to be exciting and a united moment. For CBS Mornings, I'm Michael Jords.

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Los Angeles

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Council of the City of Sydney

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