Bill Maher reveals text message he sent Kid Rock after he performed at Turning Point USA alternate halftime show
Bill Maher has shared the message he texted Kid Rock after he performed at Turning Point USA's alternate halftime show earlier this month.
It was Bad Bunny who performed at the official halftime offering at the 2026 Super Bowl, making history in the process as the first solo male Latin artist to headline the NFL event.
While that was going on, Turning Point USA, the organization set up by the late Charlie Kirk, offered its own 'All American Halftime Show' for viewers to tune into, which was marketed on celebrating 'faith, family, and freedom'.
Kirk, a right-wing political activist, was fatally shot in September 2025 while debating college students in Utah.
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Streaming on Turning Point USA's YouTube channel, the show featured Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett and was described by Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, as 'incredible'.
Maher sent Kid Rock a text message after the singer performed in the alternative halftime show, which he detailed in an interview with Elex Michaelson.
"You know, I liked the song he sang," Maher began.
"I said it was a good song. The content of it — not my cup of tea. But you know, I think he writes a great song. I’m a big fan of his music."
The comedian continued: "The whole thing — his whole show was about Christian … it was a very big Christian [thing]."
Maher then revealed the text message he sent to Kid Rock, which read: "Wouldn’t it have been a little more Christian to let Mr. Bunny have his moment?"
The 70-year-old was asked if Kid Rock had responded to the message, to which Maher said: "I just said, ‘Next time we talk, we should talk about whether it would have been a little more Christian to let Mr. Bunny have his moment'."
While some accused Kid Rock of lip syncing during the performance, Erika Kirk took to social media to praise the singer and others involved in the Turning Point USA halftime show.
Captioning a video including clips from Charlie's life, Erika penned: "The @TPUSA All-American Halftime Show was so incredible. Charlie would’ve absolutely loved it.
"Thank you to the millions that tuned in. I’m so proud of our entire team, staff, and the artists who believed in the vision and mission @KidRock @brantleygilbert @leebrice @GabbyBarrett."
She added: "It’s okay to love Jesus and your country. Ultimately, this is what it’s all about, making Heaven crowded.
"I love you Charlie baby, this is all for you."
How did Bad Bunny's halftime show viewership compare to Turning Point USA's?
NBC announced that Bad Bunny's historic set averaged 128.2 million viewers between 8:15pm and 8:30pm on February 8. Unfortunately, he was unable to knock last year's headliner, Kendrick Lamar, off the top spot (133.5 million).
According to the New York Times, Turning Point USA’s 'All-American Halftime Show' managed to attract as many as 6.1 million concurrent viewers on its YouTube channel on the big night. At the time of writing, the video now has 21 million views.
YouGov reported that twice as many Americans watched Bad Bunny's performance as Turning Point USA's alternative show.
Topics: Bad Bunny, Celebrity, Music, Super Bowl, Kid Rock
Callum Jones