Rep. Andy Ogles is demanding answers after what he described as a vulgar and family-inappropriate halftime spectacle during Super Bowl LX, arguing that America’s biggest television event was hijacked by explicit content that had no business airing in primetime.
The Tennessee Republican sharply criticized the halftime performance headlined by global pop star Bad Bunny, accusing the league and its broadcast partner of pushing sexually charged material into millions of living rooms — including those of children.
In a letter posted to social media, Ogles called for a formal congressional inquiry into both the National Football League and NBCUniversal, questioning what executives knew about the show beforehand and why it was approved.
“This performance,” Ogles wrote, was dominated by “sexually explicit lyrical themes and suggestive choreography” that violated long-standing expectations for broadcast decency during a national family event. He argued that the Super Bowl has historically served as a rare moment of shared American culture — one where parents can watch alongside their children without worrying about graphic content.
Instead, Ogles said, viewers were subjected to choreography and lyrics that he described as intentionally provocative. He pointed to specific moments in the performance that he believes crossed the line into soft-core obscenity, insisting it was implausible that network censors and league officials were unaware of what would air.
“I write to request that you open a formal congressional inquiry,” Ogles stated, citing the committee’s jurisdiction over broadcast regulation and FCC oversight. He wants investigators to determine whether internal review processes were ignored, rushed, or deliberately bypassed to accommodate the performance.
The congressman emphasized that the Super Bowl is not a niche late-night concert but the single most-watched annual television broadcast in America. With tens of millions of viewers — many of them families — he argued broadcasters have a heightened obligation to exercise restraint and judgment.
His criticism has resonated with a sizable segment of viewers who said they tuned out the halftime show entirely. Many opted instead for an alternative program hosted online by Turning Point USA, branded as the “All America Halftime Show,” which leaned heavily into patriotic themes and country-rock performances.
That counter-programming quickly made waves in the music charts. Rock artist Kid Rock surged to the top of iTunes rankings following his appearance, while country singer Gabby Barrett also climbed into the top tier. Supporters viewed the chart movement as a cultural statement — a rejection of what they see as an entertainment industry increasingly disconnected from mainstream American values.
For Ogles and his allies, the issue goes beyond one performer or one night. They argue it reflects a broader erosion of standards in corporate media and a willingness to shock rather than uplift. Whether Congress ultimately takes up his request remains to be seen, but the backlash underscores a growing divide over what Americans expect from shared public platforms.
At minimum, the controversy has reignited a familiar debate: who controls the culture, and should there still be limits when the entire nation is watching?
