<p>The sugarcane fields! La casita! Piraguas! Lady Gaga! Ricky Martin! An actual wedding! Bad Bunny’s immense and boisterous Super Bowl Halftime show brought a whole Puerto Rican universe to Levi’s Stadium and into American viewers’ homes. Julia and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Rebecca Onion revel in the joyful spectacle and are joined by Slate writer Joshua Rivera <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2026/02/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show-2026-lady-gaga.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to decode the inclusive politics of this party</a>.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Next, the panel examines the bracing, anxiety-inducing film <em>If I Had Legs I’d Kick You</em>. Starring a ferocious and funny Rose Byrne and directed by Mary Bronstein, it’s a jittery, intense portrait of motherhood.</p><br><p>Finally, they discuss the hugely popular podcast <em>The Rest Is History </em>and ponder how two British dudes—Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook—talking about things like the Battle of Carthage captured so much attention and admiration.</p><br><p>In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, it’s time for some Wednesday morning quarterbacking to size up the big game’s real players: the commercials.</p><br><p><strong>Endorsements</strong></p><br><p><strong>Nadira</strong>: The new album of footwork music <a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/overtime/1868198087" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>OVERTIME</em></a> by the underground hip hop outfit usertime and Marsh crane as well as the new album <a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/urgh/1846434012" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>URGH</em></a> by the English–French noise rock band Mandy, Indiana.</p><br><p><strong>Rebecca</strong>: The novel <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-director-a-novel-daniel-kehlmann/2bed204c170833af?ean=9781668087794&amp;next=t" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Director</em></a><em> </em>by Daniel Kehlmann and the 2011 appropriately moody Bronte adaptation <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1181614/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Wuthering Heights</em></a><em> </em>directed by Andrea Arnold.</p><br><p><strong>Julia: </strong>The new cookbook by Joshua McFadden <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/six-seasons-of-pasta-a-new-way-with-everyone-s-favorite-food-joshua-mcfadden/776dc60b0d07caa7?ean=9781648291920&amp;next=t" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Six Seasons of Pasta</em></a> — try all the absurd little steps at least once, the cheese gravel is good!</p><br><p>---</p><br><p>Email us your thoughts at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>