Celebrity boxer Jake Paul is not a fan of “fake Americans” like Bad Bunny and encouraged his social media followers to skip the Super Bowl LX halftime show featuring a musical performance from the “King of Latin Trap.”
“Purposefully turning off the halftime show. Let’s rally together and show big corporations they can’t just do whatever they want without consequences (which equals viewership for them),” Paul wrote on X. “You are their benefit. Realize you have power. Turn off this halftime. A fake American citizen performing who publicly hates America. I cannot support that.”
Unfortunately, Paul did not get much support from his inner circle, which includes brother Logan and MVP boxer Amanda Serrano.
“I love my brother but I don’t agree with this,” Logan said. “Puerto Ricans are Americans and I’m happy they were given the opportunity to showcase the talent that comes from the island.”
“I am proud to be Puerto Rican, and I am proud to be an American citizen,” Serrano wrote on X. “Puerto Ricans are not ‘fake Americans.’ We are citizens who have contributed to this country in every field, from military service to sports, business, science, and the arts, and our identity and citizenship deserve respect.
“I would not have the opportunities I have today without the support and belief that Most Valuable Promotions and Jake Paul showed in me, and I will always be grateful for the role they have played in helping change my life and in elevating women’s boxing. At the same time, I want to be clear: I do not agree with statements that question the legitimacy or identity of Puerto Rican people, and I cannot support that characterization. It is wrong.
“I fight with the pride of Puerto Rico and represent my flag every time I step into the ring. I will always stand with my people, with respect for who we are, and with pride in where we come from.”
If you woke up to a series of beeps this morning, it wasn’t your alarm. It was the backup lights after Paul kicked it into reverse.
“The problem with my tweet is the word ‘fake’ being misinterpreted,” Paul said. “He’s not a fake citizen obviously because he’s Puerto Rican and I love Puerto Rico and all Americans who support the country. More so Bunny is fake because of his values and criticism of our great country. To clarify: I wasn’t calling anyone a ‘fake citizen’ because they’re from Puerto Rico. I live in Puerto Rico, and I love Puerto Rico. I have used my platform to support Puerto Rico time and time again and will always do so.
“But if you’re publicly criticizing ICE who are doing their job and openly hating on America, I’m going to speak on it. Period. That’s the same reason I called out Hunter Hess,” Paul added. “If you benefit from a country and the platform it gives you, but publicly disrespect it at the same time, that’s what I mean by being a fake citizen. And I agree love is more powerful than hate. Love America.”
Then came this morning’s follow-up tweet:
Folks, if your life is so empty that you spend any more than 30 seconds worried about who is playing music during a football game, it’s time to reevaluate your priorities.