Guest post by J. Christopher Alexander of Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group
Shakira and Jennifer Lopez during the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show (Screenshot: NFL)
In a January 16, 2025 letter to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the Louisiana Stadium and Expo. District, numerous Louisiana state senators, representatives,and prominent advocacy groups have expressed strong concerns about the increasingly vile displays and performances that have come to define Super Bowl halftime shows.
This year’s Super Bowl is in New Orleans, Louisiana and the letter makes it clear that halftime performances that mock God and objectify woman are not welcome in Louisiana.
The letter from 17 Louisiana elected officials and 15 Louisiana advocacy organizations notes that in 2024 alone “10 million state taxpayer dollars were taken from the La.
State Major Events Incentive Fund and were given to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, including a specific appropriation of $5 million from that incentive fund, for economic development initiatives related to Super Bowl LIX.”
Anybody who has watched past Super Bowl halftime activities doesn’t need to be convinced that many such performances are blatant displays of narcissistic vulgarity.
The letter details a few of them:
“For example, in 2020, Jennifer Lopez wore little clothing and was groped by male and female dancers on stage, while the performer made sexually suggestive gestures and performed on a stripper pole.
It was widely reported in 2020 that Lopez’s performance generated thousands upon thousands of viewer complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and on social media.
Based upon the large number of complaints, clearly other Americans found this performance violated basic community decency standards. Further, who can forget the infamous 2004 halftime show with Janet Jackson disrobing?
Jackson’s exposed bare breast was excused by one of her fellow performers as a “wardrobe malfunction” but it initially generated a fine against CBS from the FCC for more than $500,000.
Had that 2004 performance taken place in Louisiana and been proven to be intentional, it would have violated Louisiana’s obscenity law (R.S. 14:106) which prohibits such public exposure.
At the 2023 halftime show, performer Rihanna was shown groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame.”
Louisianans love sports, and the letter recognizes and applauds the great economic benefits our State receives from major sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
These benefits, however, are far less important than ensuring that displays associated with such events occurring in our State are consistent with the values of a majority of Louisiana citizens, especially when our tax dollars contribute to them.
The signers of the referenced letter should be applauded for their strong voice on this issue.
You can read the letter below:
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