Patriot Brief

  • What Happened: Rep. Randy Fine demanded federal punishment for the NFL, NBC, and Bad Bunny, calling the Super Bowl halftime show illegal under FCC broadcast standards.
  • Why It Matters: Fine argued that explicit Spanish lyrics were used to skirt broadcast rules that would have triggered immediate fines and pulldowns if aired in English.
  • Bottom Line: Fine and others are sending a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr demanding fines and potential license reviews for the NFL and NBC.

A Florida congressman is done talking and ready to hold the NFL and NBC legally accountable for what he calls an illegal Super Bowl halftime show.

Rep. Randy Fine blasted Bad Bunny's performance on Monday, arguing the Spanish-language set was a deliberate attempt to skirt federal broadcast standards that protect American families from explicit content.

"You can't say the f-word on live TV," Fine wrote on X. "'Bad Bunny's disgusting halftime show was illegal."

Fine's argument is straightforward and hard to dispute. The same lyrics that filled Sunday's halftime show would have triggered massive fines and an immediate broadcast pulldown if they had been performed in English. The NFL and NBC knew exactly what they were doing by choosing a Spanish-language performer to push content past the FCC's guardrails.

"If the lyrics were in English, the broadcast would have been pulled down and the fines would have been enormous," Fine wrote.

He rejected any suggestion that language or cultural differences should change how federal broadcast rules are enforced. "Puerto Ricans are Americans and we all live by the same rules," Fine added.

Fine circulated lyrics from Bad Bunny songs containing explicit sexual references and profanity, labeling them "disgusting and pornographic filth." He and other lawmakers are now sending a formal letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr demanding dramatic action against everyone involved.

The demands are clear. Fine wants fines for the NFL, NBC, and Bad Bunny. He wants potential reviews of broadcast licenses. And he ended his message with two simple words: "Lock them up."

The Super Bowl is watched by tens of millions of American families with children glued to the screen. The idea that explicit content gets a free pass simply because it is performed in Spanish is an insult to every parent in this country.

The FCC needs to act. The NFL and NBC need to face real consequences. And the double standard needs to end now.