Hi Patti — nice thought-provoking piece. One thing I learned in my 40 year teaching career is the young actually create slang, fashion & music to keep the old folks out. They’re flexing their muscles. Like my generation did with Elvis then mini-skirts. Things just keep getting more brazen because we’re not as easily shocked anymore. Personally, I don’t mind being left behind — holding down the fort. There are so many opportunities to do good — without the angst of youth. It’s their turn. It’ll Be OK. 😉 ❤️
Haha, I love the way you see things. You are such a shining light, Jan. (I haven't seen the sun in over a week.) I like the idea of holding down the fort. 🌺 XXOO
I thought the show was good, and yes I didn't quite understand it at first watch, but I did my research and after getting all of the facts (checking several reliable sources) on what Lamar's show meant, I loved it. It was his show to do as he wanted, and if people didn't like it; there's this little thing called a remote, so as he said you can turn the TV off. This young man is a Grammy winner and a Pulitzer prize winner, his lyricism is excellent. No, he's not for everyone, but he did his thing, and I appreciate that.
I can't say that I loved his performance, but now I admire and respect Lamar. So he did his job. As for the halftime, as much as I don't like football anyway, next year if I happen to be near a screen I'll likely put my head in my phone, that's what most folks are doing these days, anyway. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and giving perspective.
I didn't even watch the SB halftime show. It didn't look like anything to me, I went and fed the colony cats. I have not recognized anyone who has performed for the last several years at the SB. Even when they were featuring acts that I recognized, I thought the SB halftime show was an overblown mess. When they had performers whose music I recognized, it was a bit of this, a bit of that, with hundreds of extras doing something, and overall, it was a mess and mostly tasteless.
I know that I have felt this way since at least 2019 because I wrote a comment about it in my work on p. 403 when discussing pageantry. I wrote in 2019:
"I believe that they should discontinue the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Whatever purpose it had has long been worn out, twisted, and deformed. Everything is now a controversy, everything is parsed for political statements, the simple entertainment value is gone; it is now farce, reduced to overdone art (gobblygook), pretensions, and a nearly unrecognizable mish-mash of the performers’ hits.
In 2019, if not in previous years, there was controversy about the halftime show weeks before the Super Bowl – because it was being held in Atlanta, NFL players had knelt in protest during the National Anthem, and well ... because everyone wanted to make a statement by not showing (thanks to Channel 11, WXIA-TV Atlanta GA for the video news report) or saying something stupid, or accepting the invitation and then having to publicly justify it. It is not just the pundits or the politicized climate of the country that made it so, the performers have contributed equally to the demise of the halftime show."
I don't like football, as I stated in the article. When halftime came along during our socializing it was always a way to get pumped up, listen and sing along with the music, admire the pageantry, the pyrotechnics, and so forth. For me, it broke up the game itself. I love the people who love football, what can I say?
But that blurb you shared from 2019 hit the nail on the head. I laughed out loud when you mentioned feeding the cats. My time would have been better spent doing the same thing this year.
It's funny. During the game we all chattered away because several of us weren't really watching the game we were to busy socializing and laughing. The oddity was when the halftime hit everybody in the room stayed mostly silent until one by one everyone blasted out their dislike, confusion, and didn't understand what it was, clearly not entertainment (all in the eyes of the beholder).
Next year I'll have a plan for the half hour. Maybe by then I'll have a dog. I'll use that time to walk the dog.
Thank you for commenting, I forgot about the 2019 debacle other than briefly when I was writing the article. But that move had a profound effect on the NFL moving forward. I have quite a few (male) friends who stopped watching professional football and now follow college sports in place.
Gotta say, I’m bummed your “some of the best” half-time shows didn’t include Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. No big productions, just great musicians, songwriters, and performers.
I don’t care that much about being relevant--maybe it depends on where you live, and I’m in a rural place. I think it’s healthy to be relevant to one’s own interests and commitments. Half-time shows don’t go very deep.
Exactly. Halftime shows shouldn't go deep. It represented something much more than simple entertainment.
I chose random "top rated" entertainers as examples. And for the record, Tom Petty was in my own top three favorites! Loved that show!
Interesting, I'm in the middle of nowhere also, but for some reason I'm not ready to be invisible, not just yet. Anyway. Thanks for reminding me of the two you cited, I'm going to go listen to them now.
You nailed it with the last question: Where do we fit in? Exactly what I thought about as I wrote this piece. Like Jan said, maybe we're just supposed to hold down the fort. I can't sit still long enough to do that just yet, though.
Honestly, I didn't get it either but to be fair I wasn't trying to understand it. There's a lot happening during Super Bowl so I kind of half watch/ half socialize. When it comes to aging gracefully, it's less about understanding younger generations and their nuanced messages and more about remaining curious and free of judgement. There were things I enjoyed about his performance, like the dancers and the costumes, and other things I didn't enjoy. But I'm also aware that I probably didn't enjoy some aspects due to a lack of understanding on my part.
Hey Shlee, To be honest I doubt many understood the message, and that was the whole point. I don't know, I'm messaged out at the moment. And I love glitz, so shiny object syndrome at halftime was what I really wanted. I try and remain free of judgement, I'll keep working on that. And as for staying curious, haha, that's where this all got started.
I love that you’re curious and questioning in the first place! I didn’t even consider the meaning behind the halftime show until I read your newsletter. So thanks for sharing the info!
I loved the Shakira and Jlo halftime….it was fun, magnificent, bright, sweet, glorious, sparkling, happy and most importantly entertaining! I think this year they forgot it must be show for the masses not a private singer concert…
I went back and did a deep dive on all the halftime shows I could find. When I finished I was singing and tapping my feet, thinking of some of the songs performed. It was fun.
I'm one for good entertainment, the glitzier the better, I guess this year wasn't the year to showcase sparkle... maybe next year!
Very thought provoking, Patti. My response to the half-time show was I don't care about any of this, and I tuned it completely out. Am I becoming my parents? Maybe. Is that so bad? Maybe; maybe not. I'm not enthralled with the current "pop" culture, so trying to keep abreast of it sufficiently to "get" the Super Bowl half-time show seems like a waste of my precious time. I don't think I'm losing touch with the world. Perhaps the people who put on the Super Bowl are.
Daria, I might be coming from a "retired and living in the middle of nowhere" perspective. I got curious. That's what started it. the day after everyone was screaming bloody murder about it so that raised my research flag to find out what the hoopla was all about.
My parents stayed up on current events right to the end. They kept up more than me back then because I was busy working and didn't have time to follow. I had too much going on in my personal life. At the moment, for me, things are about keeping relevant. At some point this may change.
Without a doubt, those in charge of the Super Bowl didn't care who watched it and got the message. They definitely had an agenda. And this seems to be with everything as of late.
Sometimes I'd just like to keep things simple. And watching a football game was supposed to be just that, simple.
Hi Patti, This is something I ponder as well. The difference in generations and how out of touch I am with this one: the music, social media, and choices. I'm trying to find a balance between at least knowing what the world around me is doing and disregarding that which doesn't fit at all.
Good advice, Janice. The socials and choices today are really overwhelming. I think if I find a little solid footing and find my own place I'll think less about keeping up with how our culture is evolving.
Hi Patti — nice thought-provoking piece. One thing I learned in my 40 year teaching career is the young actually create slang, fashion & music to keep the old folks out. They’re flexing their muscles. Like my generation did with Elvis then mini-skirts. Things just keep getting more brazen because we’re not as easily shocked anymore. Personally, I don’t mind being left behind — holding down the fort. There are so many opportunities to do good — without the angst of youth. It’s their turn. It’ll Be OK. 😉 ❤️
Haha, I love the way you see things. You are such a shining light, Jan. (I haven't seen the sun in over a week.) I like the idea of holding down the fort. 🌺 XXOO
At the very least we must remain curious, sans the judgement.
I've got the curious part covered. :)
I thought the show was good, and yes I didn't quite understand it at first watch, but I did my research and after getting all of the facts (checking several reliable sources) on what Lamar's show meant, I loved it. It was his show to do as he wanted, and if people didn't like it; there's this little thing called a remote, so as he said you can turn the TV off. This young man is a Grammy winner and a Pulitzer prize winner, his lyricism is excellent. No, he's not for everyone, but he did his thing, and I appreciate that.
I can't say that I loved his performance, but now I admire and respect Lamar. So he did his job. As for the halftime, as much as I don't like football anyway, next year if I happen to be near a screen I'll likely put my head in my phone, that's what most folks are doing these days, anyway. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and giving perspective.
I didn't even watch the SB halftime show. It didn't look like anything to me, I went and fed the colony cats. I have not recognized anyone who has performed for the last several years at the SB. Even when they were featuring acts that I recognized, I thought the SB halftime show was an overblown mess. When they had performers whose music I recognized, it was a bit of this, a bit of that, with hundreds of extras doing something, and overall, it was a mess and mostly tasteless.
I know that I have felt this way since at least 2019 because I wrote a comment about it in my work on p. 403 when discussing pageantry. I wrote in 2019:
"I believe that they should discontinue the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Whatever purpose it had has long been worn out, twisted, and deformed. Everything is now a controversy, everything is parsed for political statements, the simple entertainment value is gone; it is now farce, reduced to overdone art (gobblygook), pretensions, and a nearly unrecognizable mish-mash of the performers’ hits.
In 2019, if not in previous years, there was controversy about the halftime show weeks before the Super Bowl – because it was being held in Atlanta, NFL players had knelt in protest during the National Anthem, and well ... because everyone wanted to make a statement by not showing (thanks to Channel 11, WXIA-TV Atlanta GA for the video news report) or saying something stupid, or accepting the invitation and then having to publicly justify it. It is not just the pundits or the politicized climate of the country that made it so, the performers have contributed equally to the demise of the halftime show."
Charles, sorry for the typos, once again I know not to respond using my phone without my glasses on! Please forgive me.
I don't like football, as I stated in the article. When halftime came along during our socializing it was always a way to get pumped up, listen and sing along with the music, admire the pageantry, the pyrotechnics, and so forth. For me, it broke up the game itself. I love the people who love football, what can I say?
But that blurb you shared from 2019 hit the nail on the head. I laughed out loud when you mentioned feeding the cats. My time would have been better spent doing the same thing this year.
It's funny. During the game we all chattered away because several of us weren't really watching the game we were to busy socializing and laughing. The oddity was when the halftime hit everybody in the room stayed mostly silent until one by one everyone blasted out their dislike, confusion, and didn't understand what it was, clearly not entertainment (all in the eyes of the beholder).
Next year I'll have a plan for the half hour. Maybe by then I'll have a dog. I'll use that time to walk the dog.
Thank you for commenting, I forgot about the 2019 debacle other than briefly when I was writing the article. But that move had a profound effect on the NFL moving forward. I have quite a few (male) friends who stopped watching professional football and now follow college sports in place.
Gotta say, I’m bummed your “some of the best” half-time shows didn’t include Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. No big productions, just great musicians, songwriters, and performers.
I don’t care that much about being relevant--maybe it depends on where you live, and I’m in a rural place. I think it’s healthy to be relevant to one’s own interests and commitments. Half-time shows don’t go very deep.
Exactly. Halftime shows shouldn't go deep. It represented something much more than simple entertainment.
I chose random "top rated" entertainers as examples. And for the record, Tom Petty was in my own top three favorites! Loved that show!
Interesting, I'm in the middle of nowhere also, but for some reason I'm not ready to be invisible, not just yet. Anyway. Thanks for reminding me of the two you cited, I'm going to go listen to them now.
I didn't care for it but was curious what his intentions were.
I watched a couple videos of the interpretation.
He was sending a message. It is about the segration of blacks and whites.
Jackson tried to bring it all together and Drake said no.
"They picked the right time but the wrong guy."
He was going to do things HIS way whether we liked it or not, and he was telling us his message.
That being said. though things are getting better in some places, there is still a long way to go in other places.
The world is changing whether we like it or not. Another thing about aging, where do we fit in??
You nailed it with the last question: Where do we fit in? Exactly what I thought about as I wrote this piece. Like Jan said, maybe we're just supposed to hold down the fort. I can't sit still long enough to do that just yet, though.
Honestly, I didn't get it either but to be fair I wasn't trying to understand it. There's a lot happening during Super Bowl so I kind of half watch/ half socialize. When it comes to aging gracefully, it's less about understanding younger generations and their nuanced messages and more about remaining curious and free of judgement. There were things I enjoyed about his performance, like the dancers and the costumes, and other things I didn't enjoy. But I'm also aware that I probably didn't enjoy some aspects due to a lack of understanding on my part.
Hey Shlee, To be honest I doubt many understood the message, and that was the whole point. I don't know, I'm messaged out at the moment. And I love glitz, so shiny object syndrome at halftime was what I really wanted. I try and remain free of judgement, I'll keep working on that. And as for staying curious, haha, that's where this all got started.
I love that you’re curious and questioning in the first place! I didn’t even consider the meaning behind the halftime show until I read your newsletter. So thanks for sharing the info!
Yay! If you learned something I deem this piece successful. Thank you!
It’s a deep and accurate analysis…
I loved the Shakira and Jlo halftime….it was fun, magnificent, bright, sweet, glorious, sparkling, happy and most importantly entertaining! I think this year they forgot it must be show for the masses not a private singer concert…
I went back and did a deep dive on all the halftime shows I could find. When I finished I was singing and tapping my feet, thinking of some of the songs performed. It was fun.
I'm one for good entertainment, the glitzier the better, I guess this year wasn't the year to showcase sparkle... maybe next year!
It's all about the marketing. I love those Budweiser commercials.
Had those commercial been for Voodoo Ranger I'm certain you would have enjoyed those even more :)
Very thought provoking, Patti. My response to the half-time show was I don't care about any of this, and I tuned it completely out. Am I becoming my parents? Maybe. Is that so bad? Maybe; maybe not. I'm not enthralled with the current "pop" culture, so trying to keep abreast of it sufficiently to "get" the Super Bowl half-time show seems like a waste of my precious time. I don't think I'm losing touch with the world. Perhaps the people who put on the Super Bowl are.
Daria, I might be coming from a "retired and living in the middle of nowhere" perspective. I got curious. That's what started it. the day after everyone was screaming bloody murder about it so that raised my research flag to find out what the hoopla was all about.
My parents stayed up on current events right to the end. They kept up more than me back then because I was busy working and didn't have time to follow. I had too much going on in my personal life. At the moment, for me, things are about keeping relevant. At some point this may change.
Without a doubt, those in charge of the Super Bowl didn't care who watched it and got the message. They definitely had an agenda. And this seems to be with everything as of late.
Sometimes I'd just like to keep things simple. And watching a football game was supposed to be just that, simple.
Hi Patti, This is something I ponder as well. The difference in generations and how out of touch I am with this one: the music, social media, and choices. I'm trying to find a balance between at least knowing what the world around me is doing and disregarding that which doesn't fit at all.
Good advice, Janice. The socials and choices today are really overwhelming. I think if I find a little solid footing and find my own place I'll think less about keeping up with how our culture is evolving.