As millions tuned in for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance on Sunday night, a smaller but vocal audience was watching something else entirely. Turning Point USA aired its own alternative halftime show online — and within minutes, it was already sparking strong reactions across social media. Erika Kirk also weighed in while remembering her husband Charlie Kirk.
The conservative youth organization promoted the broadcast as the “All-American Halftime Show,” positioning it as a cultural counterpoint to the NFL’s main event. While Bad Bunny performed live at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, TPUSA streamed its show on YouTube and Rumble, featuring Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.
Hours later, Erika Kirk, the organization’s new CEO and the widow of late commentator Charlie Kirk, shared her response.
The @TPUSA All-American Halftime Show was so incredible. Charlie would’ve absolutely loved it. Thank you to the millions that tuned in. I’m so proud of our entire team, staff, and the artists who believed in the vision and mission @KidRock @brantleygilbert @leebrice… pic.twitter.com/jDsyqnmmJT
— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) February 9, 2026
Posting on X early Monday morning, Kirk praised the show as a tribute to her husband, who was shot and killed at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in September 2025. A 22-year-old suspect has been charged in connection with the shooting and appeared in a pretrial hearing last week.
“The @TPUSA All-American Halftime Show was so incredible,” Kirk wrote. “Charlie would’ve absolutely loved it.”
She shared a 52-second montage video set to audio of Charlie Kirk speaking, mixing footage from his speeches with personal moments, including clips from their wedding. In the caption, she thanked the artists and staff involved and added, “It’s okay to love Jesus and your country… I love you Charlie baby, this is all for you.” The post quickly gained traction, with over a million views and replies.
Donald Trump Jr. also jumped on the wagon, writing an X post saying that Turning Point “knocked it out of the park” and adding that “Charlie would be proud.”
Congrats to all my friends at Turning Point for knocking it out of the park last night.
Charlie would be proud 🇺🇸 https://t.co/K53hrH6krI
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 9, 2026
TPUSA officials also promoted viewership numbers, claiming the show pulled in more than 25 million views across YouTube and Rumble combined, with additional counts pending from broadcast partners. The organization announced plans to bring the show back in 2027.
But some online reactions from casual viewers were far less positive, and they took to social media to voice their opinions.
As the stream went live, users across X and Reddit began comparing the production unfavorably to the NFL’s official halftime show. One user joked, “How was it? I was watching the Super Bowl.” Another wrote that the alternative broadcast drew “about four percent of the real halftime audience,” adding, “Cute!”
FUN FACT: Bad Bunny has ZERO songs with lyrics about underage girls. But Kid Rock has some.
Why does TPUSA support a singer with these pedo lyrics?
I’ll be watching the Super Bowl Halftime show, thanks. pic.twitter.com/TpH1CX4cyU
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) February 5, 2026
Others were more blunt. One post described the show as “the Temu version of a halftime performance,” while another user posted a Homer Simpson GIF pouring bleach into his eyes with the caption, “I would rather do this.”
One tweet that circulated heavily read: “The TPUSA halftime show looks like it smells like Monster Energy, stale Marlboros, Axe body spray, and unpaid child support.”
Another simply said, “Bro we are not watching your knock-off halftime show.” Then one Super Bowl fan broke the internet when they said, “I just saw the TPUSA halftime show being called Klanchella and I can’t stop laughing.”
I just saw the TPUSA halftime show being called Klanchella and I can’t stop laughing 😂
— Jamie Bonkiewicz (@JamieBonkiewicz) February 8, 2026
The contrast was hard to miss. Bad Bunny’s performance marked a milestone as the first solo male Latin artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, drawing praise from fans and coverage across major outlets. TPUSA’s alternative broadcast, meanwhile, leaned heavily into patriotic branding and conservative messaging, appealing to a narrower audience.
Still, for Erika Kirk, the night appeared to be less about ratings and more about symbolism. Her post focused on honoring her late husband and thanking supporters who tuned in. “Ultimately, this is what it’s all about,” she wrote. “Making Heaven crowded.”
Even after the championship, the clip and the reactions around it were still spreading — a reminder that even outside the Super Bowl spotlight, halftime drama has a way of finding an audience.
