Stephen Colbert Skewers Kid Rock’s Alternative Halftime Show

Stephen Colbert centered his Late Show monologue on the Super Bowl last night, taking the opportunity to comment on the conservative alternate halftime show that will feature Kid Rock.

“If you’d rather not watch a halftime featuring a Bad Bunny, there’s going to be a competing halftime show featuring a terrible bunny,” Colbert said. “According to the press release, the show is called the All American Halftime Show, in a font that is called T-shirt on a quiet, angry dad at Disney World. As you may have noticed from the poster there, Kid’s not rocking this one alone. He’ll be joined by country singers Brantley Gilbert, Gabby Barrett, and Lee Brice. Powerhouse lineup… Exciting. I’m tuning in.”

Colbert noted that as of now no one can actually attend the show because it is “unclear what venue will host.” He quipped, “Which I believe is fitting because Kid Rock is often unclear what venue he’s in.”

Instead, the event will be available to stream on “the actual, real platforms TBN, DW+, Charge!, and Rumble.” “Also, they’re negotiating to stream on Crunch, Crumble, Hunkle, Crampus, and Paramount Plus,” Colbert said, making a subtle dig at his parent network.

Colbert recounted MAGA‘s ire that Bad Bunny is performing the actual Super Bowl halftime show because the Puerto Rican artist didn’t tour in the continental U.S. last year. Bad Bunny has said he avoided the States because of concerns that ICE would raid the venues. “Hey, he’s just looking out for his fans,” Colbert said. “That’s all you want to do.”

The late-night reminded the audience that Bad Bunny is, in fact, an American, unlike other Super Bowl halftime performers. “Hey Benito, anyone that thinks it’s un-American to have an American perform at the Super Bowl is dumb, right?” Colbert said before playing a clip of Bad Bunny laughing.

Kid Rock’s halftime show is being presented by conservative organization Turning Point USA. In a statement shared with Fox News, Kid Rock — a longtime Donald Trump booster — sounded extremely confident about the gig, saying, “We’re approaching this show like David and Goliath. Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible… or is it?”

Turning Point USA first floated its halftime show alternative not long after Bad Bunny was confirmed as the Super Bowl headliner. The counter-programming was part of a larger conservative backlash to the Puerto Rican superstar’s selection, with right-wingers at once livid about Bad Bunny’s opposition to ICE and Trump’s immigration crackdown, as well as the fact that he sings in Spanish. 

Trump has criticized not only Bad Bunny, but also Green Day, who are playing a pregame concert. “I’m anti-them,” the president said of the artists. “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”