“I miss Maroon 5,” said literally nobody.

February 3, 2020 5:58 AM

ICYMI, Here's Shakira And J. Lo's Super Bowl Halftime Show [YouTube][Full Performance 14:24] “For twelve minutes in Miami on Sunday night, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira made history as the first Latinas to lead a Super Bowl half-time performance. Lopez honored her heritage by wearing a feathered cape that showed the U.S. flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other. She opened the cape up to show the Puerto Rico side as her daughter Emme Muñiz and a children’s choir joined her for the opening notes of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” An hour after Demi Lovato delivered a flawless rendition of the national anthem, Lopez’s performance was an unmissable combination, particularly on a night when Donald Trump and Mike Bloomberg had also aired campaign ads. The special guests included J Balvin and Bad Bunny, two Latin American superstars who had a breakthrough in the U.S. in 2019.” [via: Vanity Fair]
posted by Fizz (91 comments total)

I am so enamored of my own Fanfare hot take on the maximal style of the halftime show that I must repeat it here:

You have died of choreography.
posted by thelonius at 6:03 AM on February 3, 2020 [28 favorites]

We didn't watch beyond the first half, but we definitely stayed for the half time show. I enjoyed how this was a celebration of these two talented women and their cultures. A nice kind of fuck you to all the bigots/racists out there. Would happily have watched another hour if given the opportunity. :)
posted by Fizz at 6:13 AM on February 3, 2020 [23 favorites]

Agreed - hell of a halftime show. And for a change, the game was interesting too.
posted by jquinby at 6:22 AM on February 3, 2020 [4 favorites]

The OP only talks about JLo, but Shakira was much much better.
posted by Billiken at 6:30 AM on February 3, 2020 [29 favorites]

Great show, but I cannot lie -- despite the title of this post, Maroon 5 nailed it too.

The double cape was the coolest moment, I thought. And I thought Lopez outdid Shakira, on the grounds of her dancers and their choreography being a level above, or so it looked to me.
posted by escabeche at 6:35 AM on February 3, 2020

Agree 100% Billiken, escabeche, Shakira was firing on all cylinders and it was enjoyable to watch her perform.
posted by Fizz at 6:37 AM on February 3, 2020 [3 favorites]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed that halftime show, considering I'm not a fan of either artist's music. I loved the dancing, particularly from Shakira and her dancers. They all looked like they were having so much fun.
posted by bananana at 6:38 AM on February 3, 2020 [10 favorites]

As I watched it I just kept thinking "oh good, that's a lot of Spanish to remind fragile white people to think that their culture is under attack." But maybe that's overly cynical and pessimistic.
posted by Shutter at 6:40 AM on February 3, 2020 [9 favorites]

Last night's show vs. Lady Gaga's 2017 show...tough call, though I may have to give an edge to Lady Gaga for pulling off a great show as a solo act. #teamshakira
posted by jquinby at 6:47 AM on February 3, 2020 [2 favorites]

They all looked like they were having so much fun.

This was my takeaway! They clearly put in a ton of work and made it look absolutely effortless and joyful. Both women just knocked it out of the park (my favorite parts were Shakira on drums!!! and Jennifer Lopez singing with her daughter at the end, so sweet).

According to Vulture they're going to release a visual album about it, which, I would love to see the behind the scenes mechanics of planning a show like this one.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 6:49 AM on February 3, 2020 [11 favorites]

We have really come a long way since 1982's Up With People half time extravagance
posted by NoMich at 6:53 AM on February 3, 2020 [20 favorites]

I did not watch the Super Bowl, so obviously missed the half-time show, my group-text message with a bunch of old friends had a few of them declaring this the worst half-time show they've ever seen. They're white dudes, so, their reaction is not surprising (if a bit disappointing). Prince is apparently the apex of half-time shows. I've always had a soft spot for Shakira since my time as an exchange student in Ecuador in the late 90s. She was a favorite of my host-family's children and i bought some of her CDs while there. Never cared much for J-Lo's music, but she was fantastic in Out of Sight.
posted by snwod at 6:54 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Some of the dance and music traditions Shakira incorporated: mapalé, champeta, reggaeton, cumbia, Andean music and I’m sure many more. Shakira is from Colombia, which has huge Afro-Caribbean musical influence, and part of her family is Lebanese, another influence you can hear in her music and see in her legendary belly dancing.

Having Shakira and JLo perform together as “Latin” is kind of like saying The Pogues and Julio Iglesias fit in the same theme of “European,” but you know what, it was great to see two super talented women up there kicking ass!

Highly recommend Shakira’s MTV Unplugged album for anyone who’s only familiar with her English-language stuff. (She was famous enough for an MTV Unplugged before she even broke into the English market!) We heard a little bit of Ojos Asi last night. She is hugely famous internationally, more so than in the US.
posted by sallybrown at 6:54 AM on February 3, 2020 [24 favorites]

We have really come a long way since 1982's Up With People half time extravagance

I regret that I have but one favorite to apply to this.
posted by jquinby at 6:58 AM on February 3, 2020 [4 favorites]

J. Lo as a JRPG Final Boss...

--

I'll diverge from the consensus and say that I'm more familiar with Shakira's music, but thought that J. Lo's performance and choreography was next-level.
posted by schmod at 6:59 AM on February 3, 2020 [8 favorites]

As I watched it I just kept thinking "oh good, that's a lot of Spanish to remind fragile white people to think that their culture is under attack." But maybe that's overly cynical and pessimistic.

Sadly, nope -- several fragile white people showing up in the FB comments this morning being upset about the fact that they sang in Spanish.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:59 AM on February 3, 2020 [8 favorites]

I'm not sure what in the hell the offended folks were expecting. It was in Miami for crying out loud. I would have been more surprised if it hadn't been heavily Latin.
posted by jquinby at 7:02 AM on February 3, 2020 [9 favorites]

< theater-nerd>

Lighting Plots for Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show

< \theater-nerd>
posted by mikelieman at 7:04 AM on February 3, 2020 [25 favorites]

Sadly, nope -- several fragile white people showing up in the FB comments this morning being upset about the fact that they sang in Spanish.

Yeah, I saw a lot of xenophobic comments on twitter last night regarding how it was too "sexual" a show. As if.
posted by Fizz at 7:04 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Shakira is...older than Tom Brady? That doesn’t seem possible.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:06 AM on February 3, 2020 [9 favorites]

Sadly, nope -- several fragile white people showing up in the FB comments this morning being upset about the fact that they sang in Spanish.

A Puerto Rican friend of mine posted a nice selection of comments about how wrong it was to have the Cuban flag up on stage during "Born in the USA." *headdesk*
posted by dlugoczaj at 7:07 AM on February 3, 2020 [23 favorites]

A lovely take I saw on tumblr was that the true star of the show was the abs of women over 40. Because dang.
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:07 AM on February 3, 2020 [21 favorites]

#teamAllTheLadies
posted by Pendragon at 7:18 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Compare J-Lo’s performance to Madonna’s 2012 show. Holy smokes, J-Lo brought it.

The Born in the USA bit was a great bit of commentary/protest that probably went over the heads of 75% of the MAGA crowd.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 7:28 AM on February 3, 2020 [13 favorites]

Old white dude here. I liked it. Not just the music and choreography but also the stage floor lighting technology, like when the whole stage suddenly looked like a deep pit.

I'm seeing a few FB friends who thought it was the worst show ever, basically because it was too sexy and good heavens, pole dancing. My response to that is, when you peel off enough layers (so to speak), the Super Bowl is all about sex. If you don't care for that, just move along.
posted by beagle at 7:30 AM on February 3, 2020 [10 favorites]

I thought the little cultural cues were better than the songs and dancing, and I thought Shakira was better than JLo. Mostly it seemed like your generic Superbowl halftime dance and lights show. About equal to Maroon 5, not as good as the singer that had left shark.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:32 AM on February 3, 2020

Fun, and I shall always stan Shakira.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 7:35 AM on February 3, 2020

The Super Bowl Halftime Show Was a Win for J.Lo, Shakira, and Humankind (Rob Harvilla, The Ringer)
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:35 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

"My response to that is, when you peel off enough layers (so to speak), the Super Bowl is all about sex"

How so?
posted by Selena777 at 7:36 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Other than some crotch-grabbing from JLo (which I took for a Michael Jackson throwback) it didn’t seem particularly sexual. Sensual, yes. But honestly it’s hard for me to think of those costumes as bare when you know those kind of dance costumes usually include thick nude tights and spandex/Spanx type technology to keep everything locked down. More than anything I’m impressed that their bootie jiggles made it through those layers of tights - you can’t stop Shaki and JLo!
posted by sallybrown at 7:44 AM on February 3, 2020 [3 favorites]

I loved it, loved it, love it. I had never seen Shakira perform and was on the fence about J-Lo, but I am now a convert. Agreed that everyone looked like they were having boatloads of fun, and the lead performances were goddamn virtuosic. Also: Shakira on guitar! Shakira on drums! J-Lo on the pole for... forever?!

F the haters.
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:45 AM on February 3, 2020 [12 favorites]

I definitely saw a bunch of people disclaiming loudly about the Spanish and how classless or boring the show was. (Or how the NFL shouldn't play to the city but to their fans which means they need more guitar dudes and maybe bring back Aerosmith and Kid Rock). Whatever.

Yes, not as good as Prince, but who is?

And my wife and I joked that there were suddenly a bunch of young folks discovering which way their sexy time thoughts run after that performance.

And I think those hip shimmies of Shakira win me over to her side.
posted by drewbage1847 at 7:45 AM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

hip shimmies of Shakira

For any lurkers, this is a great MetaFilter user name just waiting to be had. :)
posted by Fizz at 7:48 AM on February 3, 2020 [22 favorites]

Me, above: My response to that is, when you peel off enough layers (so to speak), the Super Bowl is all about sex.

Selena 777: How so?

drewbage1847: And my wife and I joked that there were suddenly a bunch of young folks discovering which way their sexy time thoughts run after that performance.

I rest my case.
posted by beagle at 7:48 AM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

A group of children against a background that evokes a chain link fence. That's a pretty strong image for a Superbowl halftime show.
posted by rlk at 7:49 AM on February 3, 2020 [20 favorites]

"I thought the little cultural cues were better than the songs and dancing, and I thought Shakira was better than JLo"

This is my take as well. I thought it was bit disconnected as a show, like they were trying to check off too many boxes of songs and performance vignettes. There were cool parts (the pit thing was one of the coolest halftime show sets!), but overall it didn't hold my interest. But really, none of them ever do. This one was notable because it didn't openly pique my animosity (like Maroon 5) or pity (like Coldplay), so maybe it was pretty good, by Super Bowl halftime show standards?
posted by kevinbelt at 8:10 AM on February 3, 2020

to that point, rlk -- maybe some of the supplemental material linked here has addressed this, but am I right to assume that the visual motif when the kids' choir started (at 11:44 on the YouTube video) was deliberately meant to evoke "children in cages"?

that's all I could think of when I saw it, and it left me a little stunned
posted by Kybard at 8:11 AM on February 3, 2020 [4 favorites]

was deliberately meant to evoke "children in cages"?

You're not a lone in this. My wife and I both turned to each other and commented that this had to be intentional. If not, it seems very weirdly prescient and surreal.
posted by Fizz at 8:18 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Shakira's practical dancing shoes! Plus the same on her dancers! *swoon*
posted by frecklefaerie at 8:20 AM on February 3, 2020 [14 favorites]

I right to assume that the visual motif when the kids' choir started (at 11:44 on the YouTube video) was deliberately meant to evoke "children in cages"?

It looks like that in the picture above, but live I didn't notice it and if anyone else at the party I was at did, they didn't mention it.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:23 AM on February 3, 2020

I love Shakira. That's all I have to say!
posted by schwinggg! at 8:23 AM on February 3, 2020

My wife questioned the message that pole dancing in your underwear sends to the young girls on stage about what to aspire to as a female performer.

I thought they were great, but she has a point about the sexualization/objectification of women in music.
posted by Chuffy at 8:24 AM on February 3, 2020 [13 favorites]

I don’t listen to pop music much anymore so none of the songs were familiar to me but it was nice and certainly energetic.
posted by tommasz at 8:28 AM on February 3, 2020

As I watched it I just kept thinking "oh good, that's a lot of Spanish to remind fragile white people to think that their culture is under attack." But maybe that's overly cynical and pessimistic.

One of the few things I can cling to during these Dark Times is watching how the money is reacting and what the money is betting on. Like, the Republicans don't have any choice in the short- or medium-term except to double and triple and quadruple down on scared old anglos. But when you're watching something this big and nigh-universal, you're looking at what the money is betting on, who the money thinks it should appeal to, what kind of the future the money thinks is coming. And that future that the money is watching approach, that the money is figuring out how to live with and appeal to and get the money from, has been really consistently a much more diverse and tolerant one than fragile anglos want.

Ojala.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 8:28 AM on February 3, 2020 [57 favorites]

My older brother on Facebook: "I didn't really understand the halftime show, but it was nice."

Me: "J-Lo held herself up on a pole by gripping it with her thighs, what more do you need to understand?"
posted by dnash at 8:45 AM on February 3, 2020 [10 favorites]

Dahlia @dahliabazzaz

I really did not plan to wade into Super Bowl twitter but this is Shakira’s very tongue-y attempt at zaghrouta or a helhoola. It’s a sound used by Arabs to express excitement or celebration — it’s not a turkey call.

7:48 PM · Feb 2, 2020

Sometimes, a little ethnomusicology goes a long way.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:47 AM on February 3, 2020 [10 favorites]

Shakira always looks like she's having fun, JLo looks like she's trying to be haughty. Not a huge fan of the hyper-sexual dance form, but the Super Bowl is all about hyper-machismo. Shakira is 43, JLo is 50, and if 2 middle age women can perform at that fabulous level, Respect.
posted by theora55 at 8:49 AM on February 3, 2020 [12 favorites]

I've seen very little mention so far of Lopez' daughter and some of the other children appearing to be in cages. (Starting at about 11:40 in the YouTube video).
posted by Surely This at 9:14 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

My wife questioned the message that pole dancing in your underwear sends to the young girls on stage about what to aspire to as a female performer.


Well, for one thing, if you spend a lot of time developing a skill for one part of your job, it can be transferred to other parts of your job!
posted by ChuraChura at 9:23 AM on February 3, 2020 [14 favorites]

snwod: ...a bunch of old friends had a few of them declaring this the worst half-time show they've ever seen. They're white dudes, so, their reaction is--

Perhaps their reactions are a cover for secretly thinking those two 40+ women were sexy as hell, but they have to act the opposite to appear faithful to their wife?

(I'm not projecting, you're projecting.)

I was doing the dishes, but my wife and kids were all pretty impressed by the dancing and shaking and whatnot. For my part, I plan to listen to some Shakira this afternoon at work.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:24 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

There is nothing wrong with loving how it feels to shake your booty (let alone nail an intricate and physically taxing dance routine) and loving how you look doing it in a nude bodysuit. If men see a beautiful woman dancing her heart out as an object or a collection of body parts instead of a full human being excelling at art that is not the woman’s fault. Objectification is not appreciation, even sexual appreciation, it is the dismissal by an objectifier (the person in the wrong) of a woman as a body to be used rather than a full person.
posted by sallybrown at 9:55 AM on February 3, 2020 [55 favorites]

Personally I found it notable how MUCH the few men on stage were covered in clothes. Comparatively. But it was an amazing performance. I did find aspects to be highly sexual but so is every single dance performance of this type (huge venue, pop music). I've seen a few things online complaining about this and trying to assert it's because these women are older, but I really don't see that as the reason. People are always going to complain that something is "too sexy" for the venue.
posted by tiny frying pan at 9:58 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

We’re all in agreement that for 2021 they hire Right Said Fred, right?
posted by Huffy Puffy at 10:02 AM on February 3, 2020 [8 favorites]

There is nothing wrong with loving how it feels to shake your booty (let alone nail an intricate and physically taxing dance routine) and loving how you look doing it in a nude bodysuit. If men see a beautiful woman dancing her heart out as an object or a collection of body parts instead of a full human being excelling at art that is not the woman’s fault. Objectification is not appreciation, even sexual appreciation, it is the dismissal by an objectifier (the person in the wrong) of a woman as a body to be used rather than a full person.

sallybrown thank you. this is how I feel about this but you've stated it far better than I was able to!
posted by supermedusa at 10:07 AM on February 3, 2020 [7 favorites]

How Jennifer Lopez & Shakira Made a Subtle Border Crisis Statement During Super Bowl 54 Halftime Show
posted by theora55 at 10:15 AM on February 3, 2020 [7 favorites]

One day we'll all be able to reconcile that a lot of being a human has to do with sexuality and learn how to live with it, rather than try to squash it.

The thing I object to: I am essentially j-lo's age, and look like her grandfather.
posted by maxwelton at 11:01 AM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

One day we'll all be able to reconcile that a lot of being a human has to do with sexuality and learn how to live with it, rather than try to squash it.

And on that day, we won't assume that female artists' worth is inherently connected to their sexual appeal to men. That, or men will also be pole-dancing at the superbowl.
posted by schwinggg! at 11:03 AM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

That, or men will also be pole-dancing at the superbowl.

It's only a month after Festivus, anyway -- I vote yes!
posted by wenestvedt at 11:09 AM on February 3, 2020 [2 favorites]

Adam Levine was wearing less clothing last year than JLo and Shakira were this year...he even stripped his jacket and top off on stage.
posted by sallybrown at 11:11 AM on February 3, 2020 [10 favorites]

Slightly off-topic, but I think we can all agree that Adam Levine sold his soul for fame. It's literally the only explanation of Maroon 5's success.
posted by FakeFreyja at 11:13 AM on February 3, 2020 [6 favorites]

Thanks for posting this. I'm not interested in US sports at all, so I only remember about the half-time show when it is posted here. This one was lovely and impressing. The only other one I've been so impressed with is the Prince one, but obviously I haven't seen all.
I do have thoughts about the sexyness. First of all, there has been obvious sexy dancing since forever, and back in the really old days ladies didn't even wear bras, let alone nude nylon. But I do feel there is a difference.
I'm all for sexy dancing, to the extent that I taught it back in the day. So that's not the issue. I'm the mother of two girls who I have worried about while trying to give them a sex-positive upbringing. And it worked, yeah. So that's not the issue, either. I think that when I see the show, I see porno rather than eroticism, and that turns me off. Like many have commented above, the obvious joy of the dancers is an antidote to that impression. They are having fun, and that is sexy. (Compare to the Madonna show, that was just not sexy at all). But looking at older sexy stars, like Prince, or Bowie or Rita Hayworth (my all time favorite) or Marilyn Monroe, or Elvis Presley, they have a humanity about them that isn't as apparent in our days. Watch Rita Hayworth in Gilda. She was actually as athletic and professional as J-Lo is, but in the scene I've linked to she comes across as a tiny bit off the beat. Which makes her seem very real and incredibly sexy.
So I guess it's the perfection culture we have today and how it connects with porn I struggle with.

And on that day, we won't assume that female artists' worth is inherently connected to their sexual appeal to men. That, or men will also be pole-dancing at the superbowl.

FWIW, I thought the J-Lo part of the show was the gayest thing ever.
posted by mumimor at 11:17 AM on February 3, 2020

This is just a guess, but since the show was a long time in the planning, I bet JLo’s stripper pole was a tie-in to her starring role in Hustlers. She was rumored to have a shot at an Oscar nomination for that, and given that the Oscars are next weekend and JLo is the ultimate career perfectionist and promoter, she might have wanted to tie everything together in a bow.

It would be hard to argue that Shakira should have been wearing more clothing when one of the things for which she is most famous is belly dancing and incorporating that style of dance into Afro-Caribbean/Colombian traditional dancing. Dancers wear tight/little clothing for reasons other than sexualization—the movements of their bodies are part of their art and they want audiences to follow their lines. (And keep in mind, a lot of the “nudity” here was really flesh-colored stockings. There was no danger of unexpected body parts popping out anywhere.)
posted by sallybrown at 11:24 AM on February 3, 2020 [11 favorites]

Some of the dance and music traditions Shakira incorporated: mapalé, champeta, reggaeton, cumbia, Andean music and I’m sure many more. Shakira is from Colombia, which has huge Afro-Caribbean musical influence, and part of her family is Lebanese, another influence you can hear in her music and see in her legendary belly dancing.

As a matter of fact, "Shakira" is an Arabic name. It has something to do with being thankful or something.
posted by NoMich at 11:27 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

The thing I object to: I am essentially j-lo's age, and look like her grandfather.

- maxwelton

We talked about this as well and the upshot is - it helps to have good genetics, access to good beauty processes/augmentation, and literally the time to work on your fitness/aesthetic because it's literally a factor in your job.
posted by drewbage1847 at 11:28 AM on February 3, 2020 [6 favorites]

Yes, metaphorically injecting pure wealth into your skin helps an awful lot.
posted by FakeFreyja at 11:30 AM on February 3, 2020 [11 favorites]

Watch Rita Hayworth in Gilda . She was actually as athletic and professional as J-Lo is, but in the scene I've linked to she comes across as a tiny bit off the beat. Which makes her seem very real and incredibly sexy.

First comment: "When someone asked her what held that dress in place, Rita simply said - confidence."
posted by kirkaracha at 11:31 AM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

We’re all in agreement that for 2021 they hire Right Said Fred, right?
You joke, but check when JLo's first hits came out. She's the pop equivalent of the Rolling Stones, and her first hits are closer to I'm Too Sexy's release than to 2020.
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:48 AM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

I explained to my daughter that J Lo was a Fly Girl on a show in the early 90's...she's been doing this for 30 years and she's roughly my age. Explaining what In Living Color was to the kid? Different story altogether.
posted by Chuffy at 11:57 AM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

Here's some footage of baby J Lo (with cameo by baby Rosie Perez).
posted by schwinggg! at 12:23 PM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

BTW, was Gloria Estefan busy?
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:33 PM on February 3, 2020

BTW, was Gloria Estefan busy?

She didn't want to be a part of the show. Read this.
posted by NoMich at 12:37 PM on February 3, 2020 [4 favorites]

Oh! That makes sense.

(She’s done it twice before already, and it’s a huge time and effort commitment that she really didn’t want to do over the holidays.)
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:42 PM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

"Adam Levine was wearing less clothing last year than JLo and Shakira were this year...he even stripped his jacket and top off on stage"

Now that was tasteless and offensive!
posted by kevinbelt at 12:51 PM on February 3, 2020 [2 favorites]

We’re all in agreement that for 2021 they hire Right Said Fred, right?

Weird Al, or we riot.
posted by azpenguin at 1:02 PM on February 3, 2020 [14 favorites]

They mixed in some Gloria Estefan into the set...or at least it sounded a lot like one of her tunes. They played so many songs all mashed up together, it was hard to follow...not that I was distracted at all by the um, stage and lighting...
posted by Chuffy at 1:16 PM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Both of the performers are connected to Gloria Estefan—Gloria co-wrote “Let’s Get Loud” from JLo’s On the 6 and she mentored Shakira while Shakira was writing Laundry Service. Her husband Emilio produced both.
posted by sallybrown at 1:39 PM on February 3, 2020 [8 favorites]

Weird Al, or we riot.

OMG. Yes. Yes yes yes.
posted by schwinggg! at 2:19 PM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Weird Al, or we riot.

OMG. Yes. Yes yes yes.

Weird Al would be great but the thing is that the NFL has absolutely no sense of humor about itself, it's image, or the bonkers-level Very Serious performative patriotism, all things Al'd likely poke at.
posted by ApathyGirl at 2:25 PM on February 3, 2020 [6 favorites]

I am not a pop music or US sports fan AT ALL, but I have total respect for Shakira. Her music is great, she performs amazingly, and she has such a likeable personality and presence. I‘ve nothing but respect for her and the show she pulled off! Totally enjoyable to watch!
posted by exquisite_deluxe at 2:30 PM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

You get up on the dance floor.
You see two Shakiras.
One has hips that don't lie. The other's hips never tell the truth.
You may ask one question.
posted by straight at 2:32 PM on February 3, 2020 [22 favorites]

Oscars are next weekend and JLo is the ultimate career perfectionist and promoter, she might have wanted to tie everything together in a bow.

Or she mastered a very difficult and impressive skill preparing for her role in the movie and wanted to perform it for the same reason that Prince when he performed wanted to play an amazing guitar solo.
posted by straight at 2:40 PM on February 3, 2020 [6 favorites]

Explaining what In Living Color was to the kid?-- @Chuffy

You don't explain In Living Color, you just link to it and drop the mic.
posted by krisjohn at 2:40 PM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

Ms. kurumi was watching on youtube, and I heard a snippet of... "sorry, can you skip back about 10 seconds?" ... yep, about 4 bars of Kashmir, during Shakira's set. That might be the proggiest moment in halftime history.

(also, "which choice would the Other Shakira's hips say is the correct one?")
posted by kurumi at 5:10 PM on February 3, 2020 [5 favorites]

That looked a lot like an unlit Jimmy Page during the Kashmir snippet, complete with his wispy rocker hair.

All in all an amazing production, even counting Pitbull. I thought it was a meaningful detail in his second turn when he manually pushed the camera back to point at JLo.

I can't count them, but altogether it sure looks like it was 90% women on stage. Probably the best choreographed performance by that large of groups I've seen in a long time. Practically every angle and step was nailed by everyone, and spotting that stuff is a troublesome sixth sense I definitely have.

Guys with skirts! Mark my words, Billy Porter is a revolutionary agent.
posted by rhizome at 6:03 PM on February 3, 2020 [6 favorites]

That wasn’t Pitbull, it was J Balvin or Bad Bunny. (I don’t know who either is, just going on what the internet says.)
posted by devinemissk at 6:27 PM on February 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

Older white dude here, and I loved it. Shakira more than J.Lo, but I've been a Shakira fan for...well, years (and this is the first time I've seen her perform). It was a great show, edging out Lady Gaga and ...well, the less I say about last year's show, the better.
posted by lhauser at 7:25 PM on February 3, 2020

To be real, it's a bit rude to have the Super Bowl in Miami and not have Mr. Worldwide in the show...where was Pitbull?
posted by yueliang at 8:23 PM on February 4, 2020

Pitbull was featured in a pregame concert that the NFL held earlier on Sunday.
posted by Decider at 12:35 PM on February 5, 2020

That might be the proggiest moment in halftime history.

Now I'm wondering which prog band would be best for the Superbowl halftime show. I'm a King Crimson guy, but I'm leaning toward Yes.
posted by thelonius at 12:47 PM on February 5, 2020

Haha, no. It would be Styx.
posted by rhizome at 2:11 PM on February 5, 2020

The one man band who opened for Tool and played the same song for 45 deafening minutes.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 2:35 PM on February 5, 2020 [1 favorite]