The National Football League announced that Bruno Mars will be the featured halftime act at Super Bowl XLVIII. That’s right, for the Super Bowl in New Jersey, the NFL signed that dude from Hawaii to sing. Last time I checked, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi are alive and able to perform. Wouldn’t it have made exponentially more sense to get a legendary New Jersey act to perform at Super Bowl XLVIII?
Don’t get me wrong. I totally respect Bruno Mars. The man has an amazing voice and sings some catchy tunes. He has an impish appearance that most Americans find non-threatening. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that America accepts non-threatening brown people far easier than say…Chris Brown people.
I’m sure that the Bruno Mars Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show will be good, at the very least. His music is popular and he can put on a flashy show. Plus, the kids love his goofy hats. Since the death of Don Ho, Bruno Mars has been Hawaii’s pride and joy — much respect for that. My brother is a musician in Hawaii and from talking with him, I get the sense of how proud the locals are of Bruno Mars. That said, I have to dock him a coolness point for investing in a crappy e-cig company instead of a good one.
Anyway, here’s a clip from the official announcement for those of you not familiar with Bruno Mars:
Bruno Mars is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer and musician. The 14-time Grammy Award nominee and Grammy winner has sold over 115 million singles worldwide. His current album Unorthodox Jukebox and his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans have a combined certification total of 60x platinum worldwide. According to Billboard, Mars scored his first five “Hot 100” No. 1s faster than any male since Elvis Presley. As a singer, songwriter and producer, Mars has an impressive catalog of 22 “Hot 100” hits. Currently, Bruno Mars and his eight-piece band The Hooligans are on a sold-out, 91-city world arena tour.
Help me understand why the NFL chose Bruno Mars to sing at Super Bowl XLVIII (please)!
I do not know who that is. I wish Don Ho was alive.
The NFL makes bad decisions.
… because Reggie Padilla wasn’t available.
-M
Ha! I’m pretty sure he’d rearrange his schedule to play at the Super Bowl…even though it’s in New Jersey. :)