Louisiana Republicans Clutch Their Pearls Over 'Vile' Super Bowl Halftime Shows
Louisiana lawmakers are calling past Super Bowlhalftime shows 'lewd' and 'offensive' in a letter demanding 'family-friendly' acts ahead of next month's championship in New Orleans — and cited Jennifer Lopez's and Rihanna's past performances as 'vulgar' displays.
Published Tuesday by Nola.com, the letter was sent Jan. 16 to the heads of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, and was signed by 17 Republican legislators who said their constituents have 'serious concerns.'
The document argued that, while many people are 'excited' about the upcoming event, there 'are also hardworking taxpayers with children who have serious concerns about the fact that past Super Bowl halftime performances have been less than family-friendly.'
The letter cited Lopez wearing 'little clothing' and being 'groped by male and female dancers' during her 2020 performance in Florida, and said she 'made sexually suggestive gestures and performed on a stripper pole,' which 'generated thousands of viewer complaints.'
Co-headlined by Shakira, the show reportedly prompted some 1,300 FCC complaints — but was also viewed by more than 100 million people across the U.S., suggesting that less than 1% of people who tuned in felt the need to contact the government agency.
The signatories also decried Rihanna's 2023 halftime show in Arizona, which she performed while pregnant, for 'groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame.' They declined to repeat the lyrics they characterized as offensive.
The Republicans also said Janet Jackson's 2004 halftime show in Texas, notable for a 'wardrobe malfunction' that exposed the singer's breast — would've violated their state obscenity laws, though that show was not held in Louisiana and took place more than 20 years ago.
'We realize that these past vulgar performances may have been acceptable to the [residents] of those states where those Super Bowls were held but, in Louisiana, these lewd acts are inappropriate for viewing by children, objectify women, and are simply NOT welcome by the majority of Louisiana parents,' the letter added.
The lawmakers argued that, because Louisiana is financially contributing to Super Bowl LIX, taxpayers should have a say in the championship's halftime performances. Their letter was co-signed by 15 representatives of 'pro-family' organizations.
The upcoming halftime show has already generated controversy, with fans of Lil Wayne disappointed that Kendrick Lamar was announced to headline the Feb. 9 event instead of the local hip-hop legend. Apple Music, which is sponsoring the show, recently announced that frequent Lamar collaborator SZA will join him onstage.
SZA Will Join Kendrick Lamar At Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show
Travis Kelce Makes Taylor Swift Giggle With Surprise Song As Chiefs Secure Super Bowl Spot
Cardi B Just Revealed A Very Risky New Piercing — And It's Not Where You'd Expect
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Comedian Jeff Ross Reveals Shocking Reason Tom Brady Agreed to Do Netflix Roast
It was just revealed why Tom Brady agreed to participate in Netflix's live roast of him - and the reason might surprise you. Comedian Jeff Ross, who cohosted the Roast of Tom Brady in May 2024 alongside Kevin Hart, shared during a Wednesday, June 26 appearance on The Howard Stern Show Brady's motivation for being the subject of the Netflix special. On the day of the roast, Ross asked Brady, "Why are you doing this?" According to Ross, Brady replied, "I love this kind of humor. People are too snowflaky right now," On top of that, Brady allegedly sent Ross a text that day saying: "No fear. This is what we do." The comedian also opened up about how to roast came to be, sharing that it took several years to get to the taping from when he first connected with the NFL star via Instagram. "I had seen him looking at my Instagram on Super Bowl Sunday a few years ago," Ross said. "I was like, Why the f**k is Tom Brady on my Instagram?' I go, 'Oh, I had some jokes up. Maybe that's how he unwinds before a big game.' And he f***ing wins!" It's likely that Ross is referring to Brady's Super Bowl win in 2021 as the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his seventh and final Super Bowl win as an NFL quarterback. "I hit him the next day on Instagram going, 'Dude, it's time for a roast. You obviously love this s**t,'" Ross continued. "He writes me back and we start talking and it turns out my agent and his agent, they work together. And we put a deal together to do a roast. Netflix is like, 'Sure!'" But just as Ross's plans were coming to fruition - Brady announced he had to decided not to retire from professional football, after previously announcing he was going to in February 2022. "He agreed and he retired and we were like, 'Let's go! Now's our chance.' Then he unretired," Ross said. "I was like, 'No, we got to wait until he's done playing. It's a little more fun.'" That opportunity came after Brady's second retirement in February 2023. However, the long-anticipated event was pushed back even more due to Brady's split from ex-wife Gisele Bündchen in October 2022 after 13 years of marriage. "Then he was going through a divorce and I'm like, 'Let's wait for that,'" Ross explained. The event featured Brady getting roasted by comedians like Nikki Glaser and Andrew Schulz, celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Ben Affleck and former New England Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
These are the most popular cars in music
These are the most popular cars in music Cars and music are woven into the fabric of American culture. Artists have sung about cars and the open road since the early 1900s, and, regardless of genre, cars - and trucks - still serve as musical metaphors for freedom, ambition, and self-expression. But we wanted to know: Which cars get the most love in songs? Edmunds analyzed song lyrics from more than 1 million songs from the last 10 years, across multiple genres, to learn which makes, models and body styles find their way into contemporary music. Not surprisingly, the favorites that emerged blend elements of high-performance, status, luxury, and rock-solid dependability. Posh, power and muscle prized across genres You might not expect a hyperluxury car like the Rolls-Royce Phantom to dominate musical mentions, but it appears in 163 songs, followed closely by the Rolls-Royce Wraith with 134 musical cameos. It makes sense in the context of modern hip-hop and R&B, which often use ultra-luxury cars as symbols of accomplishment and wealth. But performance classics get nods, too, including the Porsche 911 (71 mentions), the Dodge Charger and Challenger, and the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro. Kendrick Lamar, arguably today's most high-profile hip-hop artist, even named his most recent landmark album after the high-performance Buick GNX (or "Grand National Experiment") from the mid-1980s. The classic Chevrolet Impala, meanwhile, is a staple of lowrider culture and features prominently in hip-hop lyrics of the last three decades. Even luxury SUVs maintain a steady lyrical presence, with the Range Rover making 48 appearances, reflecting its cultural significance across different genres. Notable and niche name-drops Drilling deeper into the lyric sheets reveals even more unique shoutouts, such as the Bentley Mulsanne (20 mentions), which was discontinued in 2020; the Audi TT (19 mentions); and the Dodge Viper (15 mentions). The Cadillac Escalade gets 18 mentions, which isn't a big surprise given that the luxury SUV's sharp, boxy lines and classic American status have made it a staple in hip-hop and pop music videos. Even eco-friendly options like the Toyota Prius (17 mentions) and Nissan Leaf (12 mentions) get some recognition, while decidedly less eco-friendly vintage models like the Chevrolet Bel Air (10 mentions) and Dodge Challenger (12 mentions) echo a timeless love for Detroit classics. What drives different genres Hip-hop is rife with car references, more than any other modern genre. That's no surprise, as, like in rock music decades before it, cars represent success, status and self-expression in the stories of its songs. The influence goes beyond just name-dropping, though. In a song like Ludacris' "Roll Out (My Business)," his Mercedes becomes part of the story. Benzes, Bentleys, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis all assume character roles in many modern hip-hop lyrics, as rappers boast of the wealth they've amassed in order to afford them. Decades before, pop and rock artists used cars as symbols of freedom, rebellion, and romance in chart-topping hits and underground anthems. The Beach Boys rightfully get credit for mythologizing the early 1960s Southern California lifestyle in songs about surfing and driving, proclaiming their love for Ford hot rods ("Little Deuce Coupe") and Chevy V8 engines ("409"). They weren't the only ones though, as a cottage industry of artists, records and songs about cars sprung up in the 1960s and 1970s, including rockabilly artists like Vince Taylor, whose "Brand New Cadillac" became a popular deep track when covered by The Clash, and Commander Cody's "Hot Rod Lincoln." Cars were even central to the birth of rock music. "Rocket 88," by singer Jackie Brenston and future soul superstar Ike Turner, was released in early 1951. It's widely considered one of the first "rock" recordings for its vigorous shuffling beat, lively guitar and horn parts, and song structure that became a template for rock songs for the next two decades. Naturally, the song was about a car, in this case the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 that had been introduced only a couple of years earlier. Finally, one of the most famous songs of the 1980s was a lyrically loaded ode to love and romance wrapped in the metaphor of America's premier sports car. Prince's "Little Red Corvette" cracked the Top 10 singles chart in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. In America, it reached No. 6 in 1983. In 2016, following Prince's death, it reached No. 4. The single has sold nearly 1 million copies to date. Trucks and tradition Hip-hop and rock artists love their luxury cars, sports cars, and hot rods, but country artists tend to prefer trucks as their mobile muses. Pickups are the original utility vehicles, combining strength, capability and dependability - themes that are also rich for material in country music lyrics. The data shows a wide variety of truck mentions popping up across music genres, such as classic pickups and luxury SUVs often called "trucks" in song lyrics. The Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado get plenty of shoutouts, showing their iconic status in American culture, especially in country and rock music. Even SUVs get an occasional nod. The Chevrolet Tahoe is the seventh-most mentioned song in the dataset, merging the widely recognized truck brand with its popular SUV model. Recent truck sales data reveals how popular trucks compare in the real world to their musical mentions. According to the latest data, the Ford F-Series dominates U.S. vehicle sales with 765,649 units sold in 2024, maintaining its place as America's best-selling truck. The Chevrolet Silverado follows closely, both results mirroring their prevalence in song lyrics. The relative absence of lyrics for Ram pickups, on the other hand, suggests Ram's marketing team has some work to do. From motors to monikers Automotive influence in music extends beyond lyrics. Throughout music history, artists and bands have drawn inspiration from the automotive world for their stage names. From 1950s vocal groups like the Cadillacs and the El Dorados, to the Cadillac Tramps (1990s Orange County rockabilly punkers) and hair-metal guitarist C.C. DeVille, GM's luxury division has inspired more than a few band and artist names. Other GM badges have had similar influence, christening groups such as the Chevelles (Australia) and Chevelle (American), 1960s girl group the GTOs, and 1950s doo-wop group the Impalas. Texas blues legends the Fabulous Thunderbirds looked to Ford for inspiration, while another group of Texans, hard-rockers Pantera, cribbed their name from Italian car-cult favorite De Tomaso. Chicago soft-rockers REO Speedwagon took their name from a 1915 truck produced by Ransom Eli Olds' REO Motor Car Company, and went on to score several radio hits in the 1970s. New wave pioneers The Cars, meanwhile, embraced automotive branding in the most obviously direct way possible. Of course, cars are often named after existing objects and places, making the connection between car and band name sometimes tenuous. Did every 1960s garage surf band that landed on "The Mustangs" do it in tribute to the car or horse? Whatever the source, there's no denying the influence of automotive sheet metal on the musical world. Driving the beat Cars have always played a role in how musicians share their stories. Whether it's a country star praising his trusty pickup, a rock legend in a roadster, or a pop artist flexing her luxury wheels, cars are powerful symbols in music. And while it may take time for a new generation of music to articulate the passion and romance of electric cars, as long as there are cars and open roads, they'll permeate the soundtracks of our lives. This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
CNET
6 hours ago
- CNET
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for June 28 #278
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles. Today's Connections: Sports Edition has some oddball categories that I wouldn't really consider sports. They're more like games, and hobbies or leisure activities. But you get the idea. Read on for hints and the answers. Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That's a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn't show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic's own app. Or you can continue to play it free online. Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta Hints for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups Here are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group. Yellow group hint: Reel it in. Green group hint: 21. Blue group hint: Between the bases. Purple group hint: Score! Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups Yellow group: Fishing terms. Green group: Options in blackjack. Blue group: MLB shortstops. Purple group: ____ goal. Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words What are today's Connections: Sports Edition answers? The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition for June 28, 2025, #278. NYT/Screenshot by CNET The yellow words in today's Connections The theme is fishing terms. The four answers are bait, hook, rod and tackle. The green words in today's Connections The theme is options in blackjack. The four answers are double down, hit, split and stand. The blue words in today's Connections The theme is MLB shortstops. The four answers are Betts, Story, Volpe and Witt. The purple words in today's Connections The theme is ____ goal. The four answers are empty net, field, golden and own.
