Louisiana lawmakers call Super Bowl halftime shows ‘lewd’ and ‘offensive’

Jan 30

Chris Francis Sports Reporter

By Chris Francis (Sports Reporter), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

The Super Bowl is the biggest television event in the U.S., with the halftime show ranking second only to the game itself. However, 17 Louisiana lawmakers have called the show “lewd and offensive.”

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State Sen. Valarie Hodges, together with other local lawmakers and “pro-family” organizations, sent a letter to local Super Bowl organizers in New Orleans about what they call “serious concerns” with past halftime entertainment, calling it “less than family-friendly.”

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In particular, the letter points to Rihanna’s performance in 2023, saying she “was shown groping herself while she sang offensive lyrics.” They also mention performances by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020.

“This is not a new thing but it’s increasingly over the years becoming more and more inappropriate and more vulgar for children especially,” Hodges said. “We just wanted to send a message and raise awareness that Louisiana is a family-oriented State and we’ve done a lot in the legislature to protect children from being exploited.”

On Monday, Jan. 27, Hodges appeared on “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins.” Perkins, who heads the Family Research Council, also signed the letter along with 14 other local organizations.

“You’re not going to let somebody come into your house and dump garbage in your living room. And that’s what we’re talking about here –– when it comes to –– we’re inviting them into Louisiana,” Perkins said. “They need to abide by the community standards that have been adopted by the citizens of Louisiana.”

Jay Cicero, the CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, issued a statement in response to the letter which read, “We respect and value the comments of our legislators, who play a critical role in our ability to secure large events providing an economic boost to our city and state. We have shared the letter with the NFL, and we are all in agreement that this year’s halftime show will be a family-friendly event befitting New Orleans’ storied history hosting Super Bowls.”

This year’s Super Bowl halftime show will feature rapper Kendrick Lamar, a Roc Nation client. The NFL and Roc Nation have collaborated on the halftime show since 2019, including the shows featuring Rhianna, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

Tags: Football, Louisiana, NFL, Super Bowl

THE SUPER BOWL IS TELEVISION’S BIGGEST ANNUAL EVENT. THE HALFTIME SHOW IS SECOND ONLY TO THE ACTUAL GAME IN POPULARITY. UNLESS YOU COUNT THE 17 LOUISIANA LAWMAKERS WHO CONSIDER THE SHOW ‘LEWD AND OFFENSIVE’.

THAT’S THE WAY STATE SENATOR VALARIE HODGES AND OTHERS DESCRIBE RECENT SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOWS. THE LAWMAKERS SENT A LETTER TO LOCAL SUPER BOWL ORGANIZERS IN NEW ORLEANS EXPRESSING “SERIOUS CONCERNS” WITH THE HALFTIME ENTERTAINMENT. THEY CALLED IT QUOTE, “LESS THAN FAMILY FRIENDLY”. IN PARTICULAR, HODGES POINTED TO RIHANNA’S PERFORMANCE IN 2023 WHO THEY SAY “WAS SHOWN GROPING HERSELF WHILE SHE SANG OFFENSIVE LYRICS” AND ALSO THAT OF JENNIFER LOPEZ AND SHAKIRA IN 2020.

“THIS IS NOT A NEW THING BUT IT’S INCREASINGLY OVER THE YEARS BECOMING MORE AND MORE INAPPROPRIATE AND MORE VULGAR FOR CHILDREN ESPECIALLY, WE JUST WANTED TO SEND A MESSAGE AND RAISE AWARENESS THAT LOUISIANA IS A FAMILY-ORIENTED STATE AND WE’VE DONE A LOT IN THE LEGISLATURE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM, AH BEING EXPLOITED”

REPRESENTATIVE HODGES APPEARED ON THE SHOW WASHINGTON WATCH WITH TONY PERKINS MONDAY. PERKINS, HEAD OF THE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL, ALSO SIGNED THE LETTER ALONG WITH 14 OTHER LOCAL “PRO-FAMILY” ORGANIZATIONS. PERKINS PUT THE ISSUE THIS WAY.

“YOU’RE NOT GOING TO LET SOMEBODY COME INTO YOUR HOUSE AND DUMP GARBAGE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WHEN IT COMES TO WE’RE INVITING THEM INTO TO LOUISIANA THEY NEED TO ABIDE BY THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CITIZENS OF LOUISIANA.

JAY CICERO, THE CEO OF THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS SPORTS FOUNDATION, ISSUED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE LETTER, IT READS:
“WE RESPECT AND VALUE THE COMMENTS OF OUR LEGISLATORS, WHO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR ABILITY TO SECURE LARGE EVENTS PROVIDING AN ECONOMIC BOOST TO OUR CITY AND STATE. WE HAVE SHARED THE LETTER WITH THE NFL AND WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS YEAR’S HALFTIME SHOW WILL BE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT BEFITTING NEW ORLEANS’ STORIED HISTORY HOSTING SUPER BOWLS.”

THIS YEAR’S SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW WILL FEATURE RAPPER KENDRICK LAMAR, WHO IS A ROC NATION CLIENT. THE NFL AND ROC NATION HAVE COLLABORATED ON THE HALFTIME SHOW SINCE 2019.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS.