The Super Bowl halftime show this year was quite the spectacle, but not for the reasons you’d expect. The NFL decided to showcase a performer by the name of The Weeknd, a Canadian artist whose lyrics were far from what the average football fan could comprehend. Singing in a style that many of the NFL’s loyal viewers might not typically enjoy, is it any wonder the ratings plummeted? It seems the NFL thought they were being inclusive, but perhaps they failed to check if their audience was even remotely interested in this particular flavor of performance art.
Megan McCain, yes, the daughter of John McCain, has openly declared her newfound love for The Weeknd’s music after the show. She claims to be a big fan of some of his songs. This revelation, however, leaves one pondering the depth of her musical taste. If this is what passes for great music these days, then perhaps we need to recalibrate what we consider cultural enrichment. The lyrics, when analyzed, resonate with about as much depth as a tepid kiddie pool filled with generic names and random declarations of affection.
Even more perplexing are comments from celebrities like Kacey Musgraves, who claimed the performance made her feel “proudly Canadian.” One might ask how an event that seemed to emphasize everything except traditional Americana could evoke such sentiments. This kind of commentary only underscores the divide between what the Hollywood bubble perceives and what average Americans experience. Meanwhile, supporters of the halftime shows endorsing right-leaning performances, such as those by Kid Rock, find themselves continuously drowned out by the sheer volume of applause from those who perceive globalist sloganeering as the pinnacle of artistic expression.
It seems some believe the show was meant to send a “unifying” message. But what kind of unity is being promoted? A blanket globalism that pretends nations and cultures are interchangeable won’t bring the kind of unity we actually need. Trotting out every flag in the Northern Hemisphere doesn’t magically erase the borders, histories, and unique cultural identities that give our world its rich diversity. America is a mosaic of cultures, yes – but one that thrives because of its individual parts, not despite them.
Perhaps the frustration best captured by viewers was summed up by a grandma’s candid reaction: confusion and a plea for the game to resume. Despite the high hopes for bridging divides, attempts to pandering often miss the mark. What’s next? A halftime show featuring universal dislike? Maybe pursue this route: get a performer everyone finds equally unappealing. True unity might not be found in shared tastes, but rather, in shared disapproval. Can’t we find commonality in collectively eye-rolling and sighing at something truly terrible, like the idea of another experimental halftime show? Wouldn’t that be something?
