The United States is currently a tumultuous country, in almost every sense, but especially in the world of politics. Politics has always been a subject you don’t want to bring up at Thanksgiving dinner, but now more than ever, mention of any political stance is enough to spark a rivalry.
The same is also true for celebrities. Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny received backlash for being chosen to play this year’s halftime show at the Super Bowl. Despite Puerto Rico’s status as an American territory–and therefore Bad Bunny’s status as an American citizen–many viewers were outraged, claiming the halftime performer should be an American. Bad Bunny took these comments in stride, dealing with hate and even death threats, and delivered a message of hope and love during his performance. He performed almost entirely in Spanish, celebrating the rich history of Puerto Rico through his music. For his final song, he brought out flags representing Puerto Rico and various countries across Latin America and the Caribbean under a billboard that read “The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate Is Love.”
His message, though not inherently political, still earned him backlash from viewers, including President Trump. Trump posted on Truth Social following Bad Bunny’s performance, saying it “makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence… there is nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show.” He went on to question the NFL for their choice of performer and criticize the choreography of the show. Even though Bad Bunny’s performance was simply a celebration of Puerto Rican culture with the punctuation of uniting in love against the mounting hatred within our country, his statement was deemed political and therefore unfit for the Super Bowl halftime show.
More recently, athletes competing at the Olympics in Milan have been speaking up about what representing America means to them. There is a fine line for these athletes to walk as the International Olympic Committee’s mission is to “maintain and promote its political neutrality and to preserve the autonomy of the sport.” So while athletes are prohibited from making any political statements while representing their countries, there is still room for their expression of their own values. Athletes like Hunter Hess have been exercising this freedom while overseas. During a news conference, the freestyle skier was asked about representing the U.S. amidst the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics. He expressed his displeasure, saying, “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
His comment prompted another post from President Trump. The President says Hess is “a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the team, and it’s too bad he’s on it.” Once again, what may seem like a small political statement sparked backlash from the President. Hess has been facing controversy amidst the overwhelming support he is receiving from his fans and fellow athletes.
This includes athletes like Chloe Kim, who stated, “I think that I’m really proud to represent the United States… but I also think that we are allowed to voice our opinions on what’s going on, and I think that we need to lead with love and compassion, and I would love to see some more of that.” Kim’s statement, echoing the message of Bad Bunny’s finale, prompted a statement from Vice President J.D. Vance, saying, “You’re there to play a sport, and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics.”
These moments spark an intriguing question: what place, if any, do politics have in the world of sports and entertainment as a whole? Historically, the answer has been very little, if any. But as the political environment of our country continues to promote division and cycles of hate and violence, this answer may have to change. More and more, it seems as though the only political statements that are “wrong” or “unfit for the environment” are those that oppose the parties currently in power. As tensions escalate, political statements within the entertainment industry may be enough to spark conflict between creators and the government. But it also might promote these messages of compassion and love, which is exactly what our country needs right now.
In my opinion, art has always been political. And what is entertainment if not art? It isn’t necessarily everything you see on television trying to tell you which party is right and which party is wrong, or convincing you who you should vote for. However, the way I see it, these “political statements” that have been emerging at the Super Bowl and the Olympics are less about political parties and more about humanity. Bad Bunny’s goal was to represent his country while spreading a message of love and unity. Hunter Hess and Chloe Kim wanted to express their inner conflicts about representing their country while also promoting love and compassion at a time when our world is in dire need.
So when it comes down to it, the question is no longer whether or not politics has a place within areas of entertainment like sports. The real question is, should celebrities stay silent while our world gives into hate and violence when they have a platform they could use to encourage understanding and kindness? To me, the answer is simple. When there is the opportunity to spread peace and love, do it.
