Actor Ben Stiller turned the tables on a Republican congressman who demanded a federal investigation into Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, wielding humor like a scalpel against what he characterized as manufactured outrage over the Puerto Rican artist’s history-making performance.
The 60-year-old actor and filmmaker responded directly to Florida Representative Randy Fine on X after the congressman called for the Federal Communications Commission to launch “a full and immediate investigation” into the February 8 halftime show.
Fine, 51, who represents Florida’s 6th congressional district covering Daytona Beach, described the performance as “disgusting and pornographic filth” in a letter sent to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. The show, delivered almost entirely in Spanish by the 31-year-old Grammy winner, featured guest appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin and celebrated themes of love, unity, and Puerto Rican heritage.
Stiller’s response was vintage comedy. “Focus of investigation: how did Bad Bunny manage to kick **** at such a high level and deliver the most watched and well produced half time show about inclusion and love ever made?” the actor wrote, mocking Fine’s demand. “Investigators plan to explore source of Bunny’s huge talent, off the charts charisma and even bigger heart.”
The exchange quickly escalated. When Fine’s supporters swarmed the comments to challenge Stiller, the comedian refused to take the bait. One user accused him of living in a Hollywood bubble, prompting a characteristically gracious reply: “Thanks. I live and am from New York City, and am grateful for my family and wish you all the best.”
Another commenter attempted to diminish Bad Bunny’s achievement by noting Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime show drew more viewers. Stiller simply agreed: “Kendrick was amazing, too.” When trolls lobbed increasingly bizarre accusations about his personal life, the actor maintained his composure, replying with well-wishes for his critics’ families.
Bad Bunny’s performance became a lightning rod for conservative criticism almost immediately after he took the stage. Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles demanded an inquiry from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, while Missouri Representative Mark Alford joined calls for an FCC investigation. President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, calling the performance “absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER” and describing it as “a slap in the face to our country.”
In his letter to the FCC, Fine argued the performance violated broadcasting standards. “It doesn’t matter if you say it in Spanish. Encouraging children to use cocaine in a live television broadcast is a crime. It doesn’t matter who is singing,” Fine wrote. “Broadcasting the F-word during the Super Bowl is illegal. Both of these things happened during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast.”
However, a reality check from Axios noted that Bad Bunny did not actually say the “f-word” during the performance, contrary to Fine’s claims. Suggestive lyrics from the song “Safaera” were bleeped during the broadcast.
Fine, who was held in contempt of court in 2024 for making an obscene gesture during a virtual hearing and previously found by the Florida Commission on Ethics to have violated ethics rules, also posted on X: “In America, our laws are not suggestions, and no matter what foreign language you speak, you must comply.”
The backlash to Fine’s criticism extended well beyond Hollywood. Andy Cohen, host of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live,” spent much of the day after the Super Bowl trolling Bad Bunny critics on Threads. Even conservative commentator Candace Owens mocked the Republican response, suggesting that conservatives “lost the Super Bowl narrative.”
Jon Stewart addressed the controversy during his Monday night monologue on “The Daily Show,” questioning why a halftime performer should bear responsibility for national unity. “Why the f— is it the Super Bowl halftime entertainer’s job to unify the country?” Stewart asked. “Isn’t there another person whose job description is much more along those lines?”
The halftime show, which featured an array of North and South American flags, concluded with Bad Bunny referencing both the United States and “my motherland, Puerto Rico” in English and Spanish. A sign above the stadium displayed the message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” The performance ended with the artist holding a football bearing the words: “Together, we are America.”
By the numbers, Bad Bunny’s show was a massive success. Nielsen reported the halftime performance averaged 128.2 million viewers, making it the fourth most-watched in Super Bowl history behind Kendrick Lamar (133.5 million in 2025), Michael Jackson (133.4 million in 1993), and Usher (129.3 million in 2024). On YouTube, the performance surpassed 61 million views within days.
Meanwhile, Turning Point USA’s alternative “All-American Halftime Show” featuring Kid Rock peaked at approximately 6 million concurrent YouTube viewers—a fraction of Bad Bunny’s audience. Stewart gleefully mocked the counter-programming, describing it as featuring “an old man in acid-washed shorts badly lip-syncing his way through a pre-taped” performance.
Throughout the social media skirmish, Stiller remained unflappable. His final word to critics who had spent hours hurling insults: “Wishing you all the best. I love my friends and family (none criminals) and wish you yours only good things.”