Zach Bryan has responded to backlash from critics he described as “middle aged douche bags” after he mocked Turning Point’s alternative Super Bowl halftime show.
On Sunday night, February 8, Bad Bunny took center stage at the Super Bowl halftime show at Levi’s Stadium, California. The Puerto Rican rapper delivered a 13-minute performance predominantly in Spanish, with the exception of the phrase “God bless America.”
Previously, Bad Bunny had refrained from touring in the United States due to concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The previous weekend, he had called for “ICE out” while accepting the Grammy for best album.
In reaction to Bad Bunny’s headline act, Turning Point USA, founded by the late Charlie Kirk, organized their own halftime show. This featured performances by country rock singer Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, and was described as “so incredible” by Kirk’s wife, Erika.
However, not everyone was impressed by the performers at this alternative show. Fellow country musician Zach Bryan took to Instagram to humorously criticize the event.
He shared a video on his Instagram Stories of a friend watching the Turning Point show on his phone, while using his other hand to block out Bad Bunny’s performance on the main TV screen.
“What Kid Rock actually thinks is happening across America,” Bryan humorously captioned the post.
The 29-year-old, known for addressing ICE issues in his song “Bad News,” received backlash from some followers for his post, prompting him to share some of the angry messages on his Stories.
One of the messages read: “We’re done with your p***y boy; your fall off is inevitable. I followed you for years but lately, I’ve just proved how much of a f**king f****t you are.”
“I wish your pussy boy a** would’ve hopped over that fence and let Gavin Adcock whoop your ass cause you definitely deserve one. F**k boy.”
Bryan captioned this screenshot: “Bro the irony in how upset a bunch of middle aged douchebags are in my DMs this morning hahahahah.”
Another critic commented: “wtf happens to you? Boy, you turned into a Hollywood sell out b***h quick. You were my favorite artist. Now you are nothing but another dumba** out of touch elitist. S**t happens quick homie.”
In response to the negativity, Bryan stated: “I don’t care what side you’re on, a bunch of adults throwing temper tantrums and their own halftime show is embarrassing as hell and the most cringe s**t on the planet.”
It seems Bryan is unfazed by losing a few followers if it means expressing his honest opinions.
Bad Bunny’s performance also attracted criticism from Donald Trump, who described the show as “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst ever.”
The performance included appearances by guest stars such as Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Cardi B, Karol G, and Pedro Pascal.
At the show’s conclusion, a billboard read: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” and Bad Bunny was seen holding a football with the words: “Together, We Are America.”