Instagram/@nbcsnl
World-famous Bad Bunny had across the new season of Survivor Night Live on his way out, majorly marking the occasion for the show and for Latin music. The official Instagram of SNL posted a celebratory post with a carousel of shots of the monumental episode by photographer Mary Ellen Matthews. The post then exhorted everyone to stream the premiere on Peacock for a fitting end to the hour when the Puerto Rican artist gave monologues, sketches, and musical performances in Spanish.
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The energy of this live interaction spilled into the comments box as a truly celebratory occasion for Bad Bunny’s cultural resonance. One comment seemed to say from sheer joy: “I am from P fkn R!,” surely a primal scream of Puerto Rican identity. The whole channel was saturated with national pride; “Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio is UNIQUE! #proudtobeboricua” was just one example. It is a testament of how the people of the land perceive his success as theirs.
Much of the observations seem to focus on Bad Bunny’s range and visual extravaganza of this very special episode. One comment read: “Wow every single flick,” commenting on the whole series of promotional pictures. “He can do it all,” said the other user, with just a straightforward appreciation of the multifaceted persona. Another voice went beyond the average recording artist, saying, “Bunny should be a regular cast member. He’s so funny!” It is a direct acknowledgment of how effectively he has incorporated cheap panache into comedy and acting, emerging as a personality rather than just a recording one.
A sentimental comment cut into deeper currents of cultural nostalgia and representation; a user was, by a certain picture,: “The bike and the flags??? Stop it!!! This is so my childhood riding in Boreum hill – BK- , thanks @nbcsnl for the love.” This reaction itself shines a spotlight on the power of a few specific genuine cultural touchstones being spoken about on a mainstream stage like the SNL platform. It was more than a show to many; it was an affirmation of their lives.
The excitement spilled onto the future too. One fan linked today to tomorrow in the comments: “We can wait for Bad Bunny at Super Bowl!!” Such and similar kinds of forward-looking mean that one appearance feeds into the next. The status cemented into Buck Bunny is that of a world entertainer on a tier of his own. Another sort of elevation into mainstream from another user is declared, “@badbunnypr more American than the Superbowl,” a bold statement that jokingly moves the locus of American pop culture.
Certainly, no grand discussion with the masses ever ends without “a smattering of wit and at least one dissenting voice.” Another attempt from or commenter went, “Comments from unseasoned chicken not allowed here,” smooshing the nay-sayers down to silence. At least, thirty seconds of silence was awarded to that one recalcitrant dissenting voice who asserted the artist was a puppet of the elite and “is not a singer never.” In a sea of adoration, however, the lone dissenting voice would soon be drowned.
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This SNL stint was far much more than just the other episode of that long-running sketch show. It was cultural, touching the fans to the very core and enabling the Bad Bunny to showcase the many layers of his talent that just continue to grow. The loving response spilled out in an outpouring, with every comment urging Bad Bunny to join the cast permanently, cementing his sway into something bigger. The night sealed that Bad Bunny owns the stage in any language! The show also featured a hilarious George Washington sketch, and another skit about a fake nun that sparked mixed reactions from viewers.