Happy Monday! 

One thing is true about me: I am proudly Bay Area born and bred. So when the Super Bowl rolls into my hometown, I’m seated. Fun fact: During Super Bowl 50, which is the last time the game was held in Levi’s Stadium, several student orgs from my high school were picked to be in Coldplay’s halftime show with BEYONCÉ and BRUNO MARS. I was not one of those lucky teens. ):

Now, my jealousy flares again because Bad Bunny’s halftime show was absolute cinema. My Peacock stream was so laggy. Still, it was stunning, intricate, and simply joyous! Plus, it was union powered, with IATSE members building and breaking down that beautiful set. 

Today’s newsletter is about the Super Bowl (ads and halftime show) and the Winter Olympics. I also have an early Valentine’s Day playlist for you. There will be no newsletter on Thursday. I will see you next week.

Levi’s Stadium was the perfect place for Bad Bunny to do his halftime show. He constructed such a beautiful production, rich with symbolism and odes to Puerto Rican and Latin American culture, at a time when the country is reeling from brutal ICE raids and conservative clowns are calling him un-American despite this country’s continued occupation of his motherland. 

It’s surprising to me that some publications have described this performance as “not political.” Joy, for one, is political. But also much of the set, wardrobe, song, and storytelling decisions were used to communicate a message about Puerto Rican colonization, culture, and autonomy. There have been many smart, in-depth analyses about Benito’s performance from people who are far more knowledgeable than me about this, which you can see on TikTok, in Slate, and in Rolling Stone, to name a few.

What I am particularly interested in and moved by is where this halftime show lands in Bay Area history. This is now the second halftime show held in Levi’s Stadium where viewers have been confronted with the question: What does it mean to be an American? This is an idea that has long been interrogated and challenged in the region, particularly at its colleges. Bad Bunny’s halftime show made me emotional, not just because of how he honored his home and the wide array of cultures that create the Americas. It reminded me of the legacy of organizing and coalition building within the Bay Area that has pushed for the recognition of a different kind of American identity.

Last night’s Super Bowl headliner also comes a decade after Coldplay, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars performed on the same field. I don’t need to reemphasize how formative 2016 was to our current political and cultural landscape. This was the year that Beyoncé performed “Formation” at the Super Bowl wearing an outfit that evoked Black Power and the Black Panthers, whose movement was born in nearby Oakland. It was a moving tribute to one of the region’s most impactful political organizations as well as a commentary on the Black American experience.

I have always held so much pride in my hometown because it is a place that has always seen diversity as a strength. This multiculturalism is also why I love living in New York City. However, it is so easy to forget that the Bay Area is a hub for progress and countercultural movements. Rich people and the tech industry have co-opted, sanitized, and repackaged this legacy to push their visions of “disruption.” (If I ever went back to school, I would pen a thesis paper about this.) But while Silicon Valley has taken over the region, it has felt less of an environment for social progress and community.

In my young adulthood, I have felt like the Bay Area has been battling for its soul. While watching Bad Bunny’s performance, I felt the history of the Bay Area in the stadium. I am reminded of the Third World Liberation Front, the fight for the International Hotel, the Black Panthers, The Free Speech Movement, The Compton Cafeteria Riots, etc. etc. etc. We are all fighting for visibility and humanity without sacrificing our identities and cultures. Not even a fascist Trump regime can stop our growing, global popular culture. Last night was a testament to that!

Sports betting, AI, and weight loss drugs also dominated the commercial slots. If this whole Super Bowl isn’t the perfect snapshot of the current culture, I don’t know what is. You have a historic, glorious halftime show embracing the diversity of America/the Americas. Then you have a bunch of ads telling you to shrink yourself while you presumably are enjoying a delicious, indulgent spread of some of the best food you’ll have all year. (Like, you wanna sell me a GLP-1 now? In front of my wings? The audacity!)

Nostalgia is clearly still a huge driver, with many 1990s pop cultural references popping up in many of the spots. There were creepy de-aged versions of Ben Affleck, Matt LeBlanc, Jaleel White, Jennifer Aniston, and more in the Good Will Hunting-inspired Dunkin’ ad. There was a Jurassic Park-themed Xfinity ad. There were two ads featuring the Backstreet Boys in some way, including an ill-received Coinbase ad using “Everybody” karaoke. 

As we enter America’s 250th year (a fact they would not let you forget during the broadcast) and Donald Trump continues to harp on American industry, I noticed a lot of leaning into heritage. From Lays to Budweiser to Levi’s, there was a clear emphasis on legacy, quality, and humble beginnings. I also think this is probably a response to these newer tech companies that promise (or threaten?) to disrupt our lives. Forget them, why not return to the basics? You want a product from a company with longevity, not from one that moves fast and breaks things. (For what it’s worth, I loved the Levi’s one.)

Finally, my list for the worst ads: Mike Tyson for MAHA, Coinbase, and the TERRIFYING and PRIVACY NIGHTMARE that was the Ring “Search Party” ad.

Before and after the Super Bowl, I tuned into the competitions at the Milan Cortina games. I’m not an avid Winter Olympics viewer, so I am not familiar with all of the sports. Some thoughts I had: 

Every Monday letter gets a playlist. An early Valentine’s Day playlist for all the lovers out there.

In this week’s playlist:

Other things I want to share with you.