Whoopi Goldberg Trolls Kristi Noem Over ICE Threats at Bad Bunny Super Bowl, Tells Attendees to Get a ‘Latin Accent’ and Tan to See if She’ll Target You

On a recent broadcast of "The View," Whoopi Goldberg delivered a sharp satirical response to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's plan to deploy a substantial Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contingent at the Super Bowl, a move explicitly connected to Bad Bunny's upcoming halftime show. Goldberg quipped that attendees might try using cocoa butter, getting a tan, and affecting a Latin accent to see if the governor could genuinely distinguish individuals. Her commentary highlights how intensely politicized the major sporting event has become.

The controversy ignited after the NFL announced that Bad Bunny—the Puerto Rican global phenomenon whose 2022 album "Un Verano Sin Ti" was the first all-Spanish language record ever nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year—would be the halftime headliner. This decision was swiftly condemned by several conservative commentators, who objected to his Spanish-language catalog and his past cancellation of U.S. tour dates over concerns his fans might be targeted by immigration authorities. Governor Kristi Noem, a prominent Republican figure who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, defended the enhanced ICE measures during a right-wing podcast appearance. She claimed the action would ensure all guests could safely "enjoy" the event, while also implying that only "law-abiding Americans who love this country" were the desired attendees.

This strategy is reminiscent of immigration enforcement tactics from the Trump era, during which ICE conducted widespread operations resulting in tens of thousands of deportations. According to Dr. Elena Martinez, a political historian, "Using major cultural events as a backdrop for immigration policy is a calculated political maneuver, but it often alienates broad segments of the population and triggers intense public debate." Such actions can inadvertently mobilize opposition and draw greater scrutiny to the ethical dimensions of linking entertainment with federal enforcement.

Bad Bunny confronted the criticism directly while hosting "Saturday Night Live." He expressed his excitement for the Super Bowl performance, dryly observing that "even Fox News" appeared pleased. A subsequent comedy sketch featured edited clips of Fox News personalities like Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, manipulated to sound as if they were proclaiming him their "favorite musician" and a potential future president.

Shifting to a more serious tone, the artist then made a powerful declaration in Spanish, honoring the lasting influence of Latinos in the United States and asserting that "no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it." He concluded with a playful yet pointed challenge in English, telling those who didn't understand his message that "you have four months to learn," a direct rebuttal to the cultural and linguistic tensions at the heart of the dispute.