By Jon Bauer / Herald Opinion Editor
A cease-fire in Gaza. The government shutdown. OK, big deals, but what about the Super Bowl halftime show?
‘Shh. Be vewy, vewy qwiet, I’m hunting wabbits’: The selection of Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny for the halftime show of Super Bowl LX isn’t sitting well with President Trump, members of his administration or other Republicans, apparently for the performer’s habit of singing primarily in Spanish and his criticism of Trump’s immigration policies. Trump called the NFL “crazy” over the decision and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that ICE agents would be “all over” the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that rather than an artist who is currently tied with Taylor Swift for having the most No. 1 songs on a Billboard list, the Super Bowl should have scheduled 82-year-old country singer Lee “God Bless the U.S.A.” Greenwood.
Throw in Super Bowl XVI’s 1982 original cast of Up With People — who are now in their 60s and 70s — and President Trump leading a few choruses of “YMCA” and you’ve got yourself a rollicking halftime show.
Take my harem, please: Some of stand-up comedy’s biggest names — including Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Pete Davidson and Dave Chappelle — appeared at this week’s Riyadh Comedy Festival, bringing American satire to Saudi Arabia as well as the American custom of ignoring uncomfortable associations for a paying gig. Saudi Arabia has been criticized for human rights abuses and mistreatment of women, and a Washington Post writer, Jamal Khashoggi, was killed by Saudi operatives in 2018 following his criticism of the Saudi government. As well, the contract that comedians agreed to forbid certain topics, including making fun of the Saudi royal family.
But good news: All the jokes killed, as did Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with some pre-festival executions of dissidents.
That’ll keep them in seal meat for a while: The Trump administration is proposing to spend up to $50 million — money reallocated from $2 billion formerly earmarked for U.S. AID’s humanitarian assistance — to protect polar bears in Greenland and another $25 million for snow leopards in Nepal, proposals at odds with previous White House efforts to slash funding for wildlife programs. The polar bear proposal is noteworthy as Trump has expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark.
An unnamed White House source said the funding would pay each of Greenland’s 3,000 polar bears about $16,500 to strengthen diplomatic ties with the island’s ursine residents in exchange for not eating Trump administration officials when they visit the island.
Headed for a swear jar near you: The U.S. Treasury Department is considering production of a $1 coin that features a profile of President Trump’s head on one side and on the other side a depiction of him with a raised fist standing in front of a U.S. flag and the words “Fight, Fight, Fight” above him. The coin was announced with an oddly defensive statement from a Treasury Department spokesperson: “Despite the radical left’s forced shutdown of our government, the facts are clear: Under the historic leadership of President Donald J. Trump, our nation is entering its 250th anniversary stronger, more prosperous, and better than ever before.”
This must be what economists mean when they talk about “propping up a weak dollar.”
Email Jon Bauer at jon.bauer@heraldnet.com. Follow him on Bluesky @jontbauer.bsky.social.
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