Super Bowl Commercials Rely on Comedy and Nostalgia to Avoid Potential Missteps

This image provided by Coors Light shows the Coors Light 2025 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Coors Light via AP)

Most of the commercials airing during this year’s Super Bowl are going for laughs, with advertisers betting that America could use a brief diversion.

As the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs hit the field in New Orleans, a parade of silly ads will hit airwaves on Sunday. Many companies put their ads online ahead of the game, but some held out to maintain an element of surprise.

Humor dominates in the ads released so far. Four old ladies go on a joy ride with WeatherTech, while Eugene Levy’s eyebrows fly off and buzz around after he eats some Little Caesars. Sloths have a case of the Mondays in an ad for Coors Light. A man’s tongue starts dancing to celebrate cold foam from Nestlé Coffee Mate. British singer Seal becomes an actual seal, sad that he can’t hold Mountain Dew with his flippers.

Actor Glenn Powell does a take on Goldilocks for Ram Trucks, while comedian Nate Bargatze clones himself and hires an opera singer because he saved so much money using DoorDash. Shaboozey takes a lighthearted stroll through New Orleans for Nerds, while the stars of the “Fast and Furious” franchise take a slow cruise in a convertible so they can enjoy Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars.

Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, said this was a complicated Super Bowl for advertisers.

Most ads were in development during last fall’s U.S. presidential election race, so avoiding controversy was even more of a priority than usual, Calkins said. The finalized crop of commercials feature a lot of simple humor, nostalgia and few creative risks, he said. But even that approach can backfire.

“That’s the challenge this year. Everybody wants to be safe, but you also want to be interesting,” Calkins said. “Safe advertising isn’t the advertising you notice or remember.”

And advertisers can’t afford not to be noticed. Some of the roughly 80 Super Bowl ads spots cost a record $8 million for 30 seconds this year.

Here are some of the themes of this year’s Super Bowl ads:

Heartwarming nostalgia

Budweiser brings back its Clydesdales for its Super Bowl ad, including a foal that wants to join the delivery team. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reenact their famous scene from 1989’s “When Harry Met Sally,” except this time Sally is expressing her enthusiasm for Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

The Muppets search for accommodations with Booking.com, while an Instacart ad features a parade of familiar mascots like Mr. Clean, the Jolly Green Giant and the Pillsbury Doughboy. Disney asks what the world would be like without the iconic characters it owns, like Elsa from “Frozen,” Bart Simpson and the Marvel superheroes.

Advertisers are leaning on nostalgia more than they used to in Super Bowl ads, according to Kimberly Whitler, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Nods to the past can broaden the appeal of an ad to different generations and connect products to positive cultural moments, she said.

Celebrity mash-ups

Putting celebrities together in unexpected combinations can also broaden the appeal of a commercial. In their Super Bowl ad for Michelob Ultra, Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe are pickleball champs. Soccer star David Beckham and actor Matt Damon are long-lost twins who bond over Stella Artois. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and comedian Pete Davidson team up for a HexClad commercial, while Post Malone, Shane Gillis and Peyton Manning have a block party with Bud Light. A slew of celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey, Martha Stewart, Greta Gerwig and Charlie XCX, appear in an ad for Uber Eats.

Linli Xu, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, said celebrity endorsements can get people talking. But with dozens of brands using them, there’s a risk of diminishing returns.

Celebrities can also get so much attention that viewers don’t remember which brand they’re advertising, Xu said.

“There is a balancing act in terms of having celebrities in the ads,” she said.

Serious moments

It isn’t all fun and games at the Super Bowl this year. Pharmaceutical company Novartis urges women to get early detection for breast cancer. Dove warns that half of girls who quit sports have been criticized for their body type. Hims & Hers, a telehealth company, talks about America’s obesity epidemic. And the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, founded by New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, has a stark ad featuring Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady saying what they hate about each other.

Xu said she expected more ads promoting that unifying message. But for the most part, advertisers went with humor, she said.

“We just had an election year and there’s a lot of discussion around divisiveness,” she said. “People might be wanting to see some unity, everybody coming together as a country.”

Artificial intelligence arrives

Several Super Bowl ads make the case for AI as a helpmate. Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth and Kris Jenner team up for an ad wearing Meta ‘s smart glasses, which use artificial intelligence to answer questions about what wearers are seeing. Actor Walton Goggins pitches GoDaddy Airo, which uses AI to help build websites and social content. And Google’s “50 States, 50 Stories” campaign will show viewers a small business from their state that’s using Google’s Gemini AI assistant. But Cirkul, a water bottle brand, pokes fun at AI, showing comedian Adam Devine accidentally ordering 100,000 bottles using the AI assistant on his phone.

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Friends vet demands Elon Musk BAN ‘deranged’ Kanye West from X

By JACQUELINE LINDENBERG and REBECCA LAWRENCE FOR MAILONLINE

A Friends alum has taken to social media to express his demand that Elon Musk ban Kanye West from X following his latest anti-Semitic rants and labeling himself as ‘a Nazi.’

David Schwimmer, 58 – who notably portrayed Ross Geller on the beloved sitcom – took to his Instagram page on Saturday to urge the Tesla CEO to ‘stop giving him a megaphone’ on the platform.

The actor – whose account on X is currently suspended – uploaded screenshots of the rapper’s recent unhinged rants on what is formerly known as Twitter.

‘This is so 2022,’ he began in the caption. ‘We can’t stop a deranged bigot from spewing hate filled, ignorant bile… but we CAN stop giving him a megaphone, Mr. Musk.’

‘Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X. That’s twice as many people than the number of Jews in existence.’

Schwimmer continued, ‘His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews.’

A Friends alum has taken to social media to express his demand that Elon Musk ban Kanye West from X following his latest anti-Semitic rants and labeling himself as ‘a Nazi’

‘I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that he identifies as a Nazi (which implies he wants to exterminate ALL marginalized communities including his own).’

‘Or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point. Silence is complicity,’ David concluded in his message to Elon.

Musk began his acquisition of Twitter back in April 2022, which was then concluded that same year in October.

The SpaceX founder has been vocal about censorship and an advocate for free speech.

Back in February of last year, Elon penned on X: ‘Free speech is the bedrock of democracy. That’s why it’s the FIRST Amendment. Without free speech, all is lost.’

Schwimmer’s account on X is currently ‘suspended’ as of Sunday, February 9 – although it is not exactly known when that took place.

Earlier this week on Thursday, West – also known as Ye – took to X where he labeled himself as a Nazi and also asked President Donald Trump to free Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

The music artist further sparked outrage when he mocked Cassie’s assault by Diddy – who is currently in prison while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges.

David Schwimmer, 58, took to his Instagram page on Saturday to urge the Tesla CEO to ‘stop giving him a megaphone’ on the platform; seen in 2024 in NYC

The actor – whose account on X is currently suspended – uploaded screenshots of the rapper’s recent unhinged rants on what was formerly known as Twitter; West seen in 2024 in Milan

‘Or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point. Silence is complicity,’ David concluded in his message to Elon

Kanye has also since taken to the social media platform to say he has ‘dominion’ over his wife Bianca Censori and branded her controversial naked Grammys dress the ‘best look of all time.’

West was first accused of anti-Semitism in 2022 after making a series of racist remarks. However, he later apologized, insisting it was not his ‘intention to hurt or demean’ the Jewish community.

Read More Kanye West continues anti-Semitic Twitter onslaught and carries out appalling Cassie Ventura stunt

Yet in a rambling U-turn, Kanye penned a series of tweets on X on Thursday, claiming that he will never ‘trust or work with Jewish people’ again and insisting he ‘will not apologize’ for his views.

Among his most shocking tweets in the hours-long tirade, Kanye proudly declared: ‘I AM A NAZI’, later adding: ‘I LOVE HITLER NOW WHAT B*****S.’

The troubled rapper also addressed concerns that his wife Bianca Censori is a victim of coercive control after her naked outing at the Grammys, claiming he has ‘dominion’ over her.

Kanye, who took aim at several minority groups in his foul-mouthed tirade, went on to state that ‘IF I LOST EVERYTHING ‘AGAIN TONIGHT WAS WORTH IT I CAN DIE AFTER THIS’, while also insisting he was ‘sober’ while tweeting.

Having voiced his support for incarcerated rapper Diddy, Kanye doubled down by saying he would ‘never speak again’ to anyone who disagreed with him, while also using homophobic slurs to lash out at those who supported Kamala Harris.

Kanye also went on to lash out at the ‘woke’ decision to use female plus-size models in fashion shows.

Schwimmer’s account on X is currently ‘suspended’ as of Sunday, February 9 – although it is not exactly known when that took place

Earlier this week on Thursday, West – also known as Ye – took to X where he labeled himself as a Nazi and also asked President Donald Trump to free Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

He then unleashed a vile anti-Semitic diatribe after claiming hours earlier that the Jewish community control the narrative.

Retracting his 2023 apology, he tweeted: ‘IM NEVER APOLOGIZING FOR MY JEWISH COMMENTS I CAN SAY WHATEVER THE F**K I WANNA SAY FOREVER WHERES MY F***ING APOLOGY FOR FREEZING MY ACCOUNTS SUCK MY D**K HOWS THAT FOR AN APOLOGY.’

He went to make unfounded claims that the Jewish community are responsible for aborting black children.

‘BE CLEAR YOU JEWISH N****S DONT RUN ME NO MORE THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY AND THIS IS MY FREE OPINION YOU ABORT BLACK CHILDREN FOR STEM CELLS ABORTION IS MURDER AND ITS PUSHED ONTO THE BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES.’

Calling on anyone who works for him but disagrees with his views to ‘quit’, he went on to claim he wouldn’t work with any Jewish people again.

Insisting he was sober while making these remarks, he tweeted: ‘AINT NOBODY RAMPED UP EITHER IM CALM AS ICE THIS HOW I REALLY FEEL HOW I REALLY FELT AND HOW I WILL ALWAYS FEEL F**K ALL OF YOUR F**K A** UNFAIR BUSINESS DEALS.’

‘AMY JEWISH PERSON THAT DOES BUSINESS WITH ME NEEDS TO KNOW I DONT LIKE OR TRUST ANY JEWISH PERSON AMD THIS IS COMPLETELY SOBER WITH NO HENNESY [sic].’

Hours earlier, he began his rant by addressing incarcerated rapper Diddy who has been locked up at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested last year on sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution charges.

Kanye has also since taken to the social media platform to say he has ‘dominion’ over his wife Bianca Censori and branded her controversial naked Grammys dress the ‘best look of all time’

He then unleashed a vile anti-Semitic diatribe after claiming hours earlier that the Jewish community control the narrative; seen in 2024 in Milan

Retracting his 2023 apology, he tweeted: ‘IM NEVER APOLOGIZING FOR MY JEWISH COMMENTS I CAN SAY WHATEVER THE F**K I WANNA SAY FOREVER WHERES MY F***ING APOLOGY FOR FREEZING MY ACCOUNTS SUCK MY D**K HOWS THAT FOR AN APOLOGY’

Diddy has vehemently denied all of the allegations and charges against him. He has been denied bail multiple times.

And in a seemingly unrelated tweet, he repeated the shocking claims he made in 2018, writing: ‘SLAVERY IS A CHOICE.’

Appearing to go back to defending Diddy, he went on: ‘THEY TRYNA PROVE A POINT AND YALL KNOW THAT YALL F***ING KNOW THAT AND SITTING LAUGHING AT THE F***ING INTERNET ON INSTAGRAM THIS MAN GAVE HIS LIFE TO US THIS MY IDOL THIS MY HERO.’

This week, West further sparked fury when he appeared to mock Cassie’s assault by disgraced rapper Diddy in a series of posts on X.

Alongside a screenshot of security footage of Combs assaulting Cassie in a hotel, West wrote, ‘When I [sic] man truly loves a woman he may express it in rage I empathize with both sides.’

Underneath the same screenshot, he also typed, ‘You have to truly be in love to get to the point of risking everything.’

He then added, ‘Hey question if someone were to beat up their girlfriend in public, would that be considered domestic violence, or is that outdoor violence, or is it just public indecency? ….Im just asking for a friend.’

In one of his last nonsensical posts, Kanye claimed he had banned from Instagram again – at the time of posting his Instagram account was still active.

This week, West further sparked fury when he appeared to mock Cassie’s assault by disgraced rapper Diddy in a series of posts on X

Underneath the same screenshot, he also typed, ‘You have to truly be in love to get to the point of risking everything’

He penned: ‘ELON THEY KICKED ME OFF OF INSTAGRAM SO HAPPY YOU BOUGHT X’.

Kanye also claimed his wife Bianca can’t wear anything without his approval as he responded to the backlash over their outrageous Grammys stunt.

Last week, Bianca shocked the world when she attended the music awards completely naked under a sheer dress, exposing her breasts and genitals in full.

He tweeted: ‘I HAVE DOMINION OVER MY WIFE THIS AINT NO WOKE AS FEMINIST S**T SHES WITH A BILLIONAIRE WHY WOULD SHE LISTEN TO ANY OF YOU DUMB A** BROKE B*****S.

‘PEOPLE SAY THE RED CARPET LOOK WAS HER DECISION YES I DONT MAKE HER DO NOTHING SHE DOESNT WANT TO BUT SHE DEFINITELY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL YOU STUPID A** WOKE PAWNS.’

Kanye also claimed his wife Bianca can’t wear anything without his approval as he responded to the backlash over their outrageous Grammys stunt (seen above)

Last week, Bianca shocked the world when she attended the music awards completely naked under a sheer dress, exposing her breasts and genitals in full

‘I HAVE NO RESPECT OR EMPATHY FOR ANY ONE LIVING CAUSE NO ONE LIVING CAN F**K WITH ME BUT I DO LOVE SOME PEOPLE AND I GIVE THEM FAVOR.’

Since Kanye married Bianca in 2022 fans have expressed concern over her wellbeing, with the Australian architect continuously seen parading around in various states of undress.

During the 2025 Grammy Awards earlier this month, Bianca stepped onto the carpet clad in a furry black coat before theatrically dropping the garment and flashing her bare bottom to photographers.

She turned around to show off her topless chest and lack of underwear while Kanye – nominated in the Best Rap Song category – leered at her nude body during the incident of indecent exposure.

Super Bowl 2025: How to watch, when it starts – and who will be performing the half-time show

The 59th Super Bowl is upon us, with the Kansas City Chiefs looking to make history with an unprecedented third consecutive title.

The Chiefs, led by sensational quarterback Patrick Mahomes, will face a familiar foe in the Philadelphia Eagles, who they beat two years ago for the title.

It looks to be a tense match-up – but the biggest NFL event of the year is always packed with so much more than just on-field drama, from epic half-time shows to multi-million dollar advertising spots.

Super Bowl LIX will be played at Caesars Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints, on Sunday 9 February, with kick-off at 6.30pm local time.

Kick-off will be 11.30pm UK time.

The good news is coverage starts at 10pm on Sunday on Sky Sports NFL (407) and Sky Sports Main Event (401).

If you’re up late and on the move, you can also stream the show with Sky Go – online or on NOW TV, with the Sky Sports Day Pass.

This will be the Chiefs’ fifth Super Bowl in six years and comes off the back of two wins in a row; one against the San Francisco 49ers last year and the other against the Eagles in 2023.

They’re early favourites to defeat the Eagles again to claim what Americans are calling the “three-peat”.

But the Eagles, who last won the competition in 2018, won’t roll over; they will be out for revenge after their epic against the Chiefs two years ago.

Kansas City were seen as slight underdogs ahead of that match-up, and trailed for much of the game.

They were 27-21 down heading into the final quarter, and things looked bleak for the Chiefs after Mahomes appeared to re-injure the right ankle that had been a major worry going into the game.

However, when the teams returned after the last quarter, a resilient Mahomes produced a heroic effort and threw for two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

He also set up Harrison Butker’s 27-yard game-winning field goal with eight seconds to play in front of 67,827 fans at the stadium in Arizona.

Mahomes stole the headlines, but Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts turned in an almost equally dazzling performance, running for three touchdowns and a Super Bowl record 70 yards.

He also threw for a touchdown in what is widely considered one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time.

Hurts has looked impressive heading into this Super Bowl, having had three rushing touchdowns alongside fellow Eagles star Saquon Barkley as they hammered the Washington Commanders 55-23 to book their place.

It was a tougher road to the final for the Chiefs, who narrowly overcame Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills 32-29 after Harrison Butker kicked what would prove the winning points with three minutes to play.

This time around, the Chiefs go in as slight favourites largely due to their recent history of showing up on the big stage, but it’s a close one to call with Hurts’ Eagles in red-hot form.

Having already made headlines during the first few weeks of his second presidency, Donald Trump is confirmed to become the first sitting US president to attend the Super Bowl.

The US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the president, said “extensive planning and coordination” has been going on for days ahead of his arrival.

With the leader of the free world in attendance, fans attending the game can also expect to be subject to extra security measures, with Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi saying details on this will be released in the coming days.

Mr Trump has not given any indication as to which side he will be backing, but did tell reporters that there is a “certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner”, appearing to refer to Mahomes.

When asked how they feel about playing in front of Mr Trump, Mahomes told a news conference that it is “always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president”, while Kelce called it a “great honour”.

The president also plans to sit for an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier as part of the network’s preshow programming, which is set to be taped from Florida before the game.

It is traditional for the president to grant an interview to the network that’s broadcasting the football game, though both Mr Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden were inconsistent about participating in the past.

Swift has become a regular feature at Chiefs games, often showing up to support her boyfriend Kelce.

The pop star was seen cheering him and his teammates on as they beat the Bills in the AFC Championship game that secured their place in the Super Bowl, and came on to the field at the Arrowhead Stadium after their victory to kiss him as confetti fell behind them.

The 14-time Grammy Award-winning superstar now has her own back-to-back Super Bowls to attend, having also turned out for Kelce last year.

She attracted plenty of attention in her own right, as she was making a much-discussed journey from her concert in Tokyo in time for the big kick-off in Las Vegas.

She made it with plenty of time to spare, and went on to enjoy herself after the Chiefs’ 25-22 win over the 49ers, winning what appeared to be a beer-chugging contest, partying with celebrity suite mates such as Blake Lively, Ice Spice and Lana Del Rey.

The Bad Blood singer isn’t touring this time around, and may well enjoy taking a backseat as she watches fellow American stars perform in the half-time show.

Every Super Bowl epic starts with a moving rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this time it will be performed by soul singer/songwriter Jon Batiste.

The New Orleans native told Entertainment Tonight at the end of January: “I’m excited to figure out an arrangement that lasts the test of time.”

Also on the bill is Christian recording artist Lauren Daigle and jazz musician Trombone Shorty, who will perform America the Beautiful, while R&B vocalist Ledisi will perform Lift Every Voice and Sing.

Kendrick Lamar was confirmed as the headliner back in September last year, not long after his brutal rapping feud with Drake.

Two of the Humble hitmaker’s diss tracks on the Canadian rapper were number ones last year, and his latest album GNX was released to much critical acclaim in November.

In a statement after he was announced for the Super Bowl, the 17-time Grammy award-winning rapper said: “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”

He has the track record to back that comment up, having previously performed at the 2022 half-time show, where he joined Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak, and Eminem at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The shows tend to be packed with a few surprise guests, but multi-Grammy-winning singer SZA has been confirmed as a feature.

On 23 January, Lamar and Apple Music released a trailer of him walking on a football field before SZA walked up from behind and playfully splashed the rapper.

The duo have hits together including the Oscar-nominated All The Stars and Doves In The Wind, and also performed together on two tracks on Lamar’s most recent album.

The Super Bowl isn’t just the biggest stage for footballers – it’s also the biggest stage for advertisers looking to reach its millions of viewers – unique audience, because they’re as primed to watch the ads as they are the game.

“This is a societal moment where we come together as a country,” says Kimberly Whitler, marketing professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. “We may be on different sides… but we come together.”

The price for a 30-second ad spot at during this year’s game will cost companies up to $8m (£6.4m), a rise from about $7m the year before.

ChatGPT maker OpenAI is rumoured to be airing its first-ever TV advert during this year’s Super Bowl, according to the Wall Street Journal, keeping up with rivals such as Google.

In order to get as much as a return on investment for those millions, most advertisers release their ads in the days ahead of the big game to get the most publicity for their spots.

A lot of advertising companies simply release an ad trailer, showing off which celebrities are going to be promoting their products.

Here’s a round-up of some of the stars you’ll be seeing during the breaks:

Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey explains a conspiracy theory that football was invented to sell food for an Uber Eats ad, with British singer Charli XCX and US writer and TV star Martha Stewart also joining forces. In a teaser, they are seen using the “We listen and we don’t judge” TikTok trend to tell each other misconceptions they’ve had.

“I thought a Super Bowl was something I could order on Uber Eats,” British singer Charli XCX tells Stewart as they sit on a sofa together with a takeaway bag.

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal will provide a When Harry Met Sally reunion – playing their characters at the famous Katz’s Deli, enjoying a sandwich with Hellmann’s mayonnaise. This time round, it’s Sydney Sweeney who joins to utter the famous line: “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Actress turned TV host Drew Barrymore and actor Orlando Bloom will star in the first-ever Super Bowl commercial for MSC Cruises, with Barrymore singing a rendition of Madonna’s Holiday while on board a ship in the company’s teaser.

Meta will be advertising its Smart Glasses through Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt, with both Marvel actors posting brief videos of themselves wearing the Ray-Ban frames on Instagram. Hemsworth accidently eats a banana from an art piece worth $6.2m, and Kris Jenner appears to scold them.

There’s a star-studded list of beer promoters this year, with England great David Beckham getting told he has a long-lost twin brother (who turns out to be Matt Damon) by his parents in the Stella Artois teaser, and Post Malone getting a three-peat of his own by appearing in a third Bud Light ad, this time with comedian Shane Gillis.

Food commercials have stars such as singer Doja Cat, whose vocal support for Taco Bell has resulted in her featuring in their ad spot, while actors Adam Brody and Nick Offerman join basketball star James Harden in a Pringles ad.

Nestle Coffee Mate’s ad features singer Shania Twain, while actor Eugene Levy’s eyebrows fly off in an advert for pizza chain Little Caesars, and Haagen-Dazs reunites Fast & Furious stars Michelle Rodriguez, Vin Diesel and Ludacris – this time driving not-so-fast, so they can take the time to enjoy eating an ice cream bar.

There are also some ads with more serious messages, with rapper Snoop Dogg and Super Bowl record breaker Tom Brady voicing reasons why people hate each other in an effort to combat hate speech, for the Foundation To Combat Antisemitism.

And that’s all you need to know for the big game – enjoy the match!

Super Bowl 2025 performers: Who’s singing the anthems?

Who’s performing during the Super Bowl LIX pre-game? John Batiste among other NOLA performers. Credit: PA Wire/PA Images via Getty Images

It’s Super Bowl time! This year’s big game, Super Bowl LIX, features a rematch from 2023 between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Can the Chiefs win 3-straight championships? Or will the Eagles end their Super Bowl streak?

But, before we found out, we’ve got to kick off the game. So, who’s opening up Super Bowl LIX with the national anthem?

Super Bowl LIX takes place in New Orleans, so the show is filled with artists who call NOLA home.

Five-time Grammy award winning artist Jon Batiste will sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LIX.

Jon Batiste is an accomplished singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who won Album of the Year in 2021.

If you’re not familiar with Batiste strictly as an artist, you’ve almost certainly heard him on late night TV. Batiste and his band Stay Human served as the official house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from 2015 to 2022.

Two more New Orleans natives will step up to perform America the Beautiful at Super Bowl LIX.

Trombone Shorty, a Grammy award winning trombonist, will perform the song alongside singer Lauren Daigle. Daigle is a contemporary Christian music singer.

Also known as “The Black National Anthem,” Lift Every Voice and Sing will be performed by singer Ledisi at Super Bowl LIX.

Ledisi is a Grammy award-winning vocalist but has also had a successful career as an actress, having played gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in 2014’s Selma and Patti LaBelle in BET’s American Soul TV series.

Super Bowl LIX kicks off at 6:30pm ET on Sunday. However, if you want to catch these artists, the national anthem is expected to begin 10 minutes prior at 6:20pm ET.

Denzel Washington responds to his Oscars 2025 snub for ‘Gladiator 2’

Denzel Washington doesn’t mind being ignored by the Academy.

The 70-year-old actor was asked by the New York Times how he felt about not receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance in “Gladiator 2.”

“I was sitting there smiling, going: Look at you. On the day you didn’t get a nomination for an Oscar, you’re working on Othello on Broadway,” Washington recalled in the interview published Saturday.

“Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset,” he sarcastically added.

Washington continued, “I’m happy for all that did, and I’m happy with what I’m doing. Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’ve got — I don’t wanna say other fish to fry, but there’s a reality at this age. The beginning of wisdom is understanding. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting.”

Washington’s performance in Ridley Scott’s sequel starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal earned rave reviews from critics, as well as Best Supporting Actor nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes and 2025 Critics Choice Awards.

However, Washington was completely shut out by the Oscars this year.

The Academy instead nominated Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”), Yura Borisov (“Anora”), Edward Norton (“A Complete Unknown”), Jeremy Strong (“The Apprentice”) and Guy Pearce (“The Brutalist”) for Best Supporting Actor.

Washington has been an Oscars darling over the years, which made his 2025 snub all the more surprising.

He previously won Best Supporting Actor in 1990 for “Glory” and Best Actor in 2002 for “Training Day.”

Washington was also nominated for his performances in “Cry Freedom,” “Malcolm X,” “The Hurricane,” “Flight,” “Fences,” “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”

In November, Washington made headlines for saying he plans to retire after his slew of upcoming acting projects.

“I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many,” he said during an interview with Australia’s Today. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70. After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’”

“After that I’m going to do the film ‘Othello.’ After that I’m going to do ‘King Lear.’ After that I’m going to retire,” he added.

But Washington later clarified his retirement comments in an interview with BuzzFeed.

“I didn’t say I was going to go into retirement. I said that it has to be a level of interest for me,” he explained.

“I’m more interested in getting behind the camera, so that’s about five years out,” the “Unstoppable” star added. “It’s very difficult. I may have used the word ‘retire’… but I look at life in three sections – you learn, you earn and you return. I’m in the return part of life.”

Chiefs Owner Clark Hunt Says Taylor Swift Contributed to ‘Pretty Significant’ Fan Growth for the NFL Team

The Kansas City Chiefs have acquired quite a few new fans since 2023 — and the team’s owner, Clark Hunt, credits it partly to Taylor Swift.

“I think we had something, like, a 30 percent growth in our fan base, which is pretty significant, even for a team that won the Super Bowl,” Clark said while speaking to CNBC Sports on Thursday, Feb. 6. “So you definitely have to give Taylor a little bit of credit for that.”

The billionaire businessman added that the NFL’s fan base “took a big leap forward last year” overall, “particularly with female [fans] — specifically with young female fans.”

Clark also pointed out that several Chiefs games during the 2024-2025 football season have broken viewership records. “And I think Taylor’s a little bit a part of that,” he said.

Related: Taylor Swift Goes Gothic Glam and Brittany Mahomes Wears Chiefs Red as They Double Date With Their NFL Men

Swift, 35, began dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce during the 2023-2024 NFL season. She is often spotted at games at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and she was previously in attendance at Super Bowl LVIII, when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22.

Hunt’s recent comments aren’t the first time that he has spoken about the 14-time Grammy winner.

While at an event for Athletes in Action in Ohio in June 2024, the CEO said, “We’re so happy for Travis and Taylor — what a great couple.”

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He continued to state that Swift was “absolutely” part of the Chiefs Kingdom, calling her involvement with the team a “great storyline.”

Hunt’s eldest daughter, Gracie Hunt, also recently opened up about Swift’s effect on the Chiefs’ fandom over the past two seasons.

“It’s been such a special time to have her be a part of Chiefs Kingdom. She is just as beautiful and wonderful as you’d ever imagine her to be, so smart and intelligent,” she said while speaking exclusively to PEOPLE in January.

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“Sometimes it feels a little bit surreal because you and I grew up watching her and falling in love with her music, and so did so much of the world,” she added.

Related: Meet Gracie Hunt! All About Kansas City Chiefs Owner Clark Hunt’s Elder Daughter (and Her Close Relationship with Taylor Swift)

The “Cruel Summer” singer was spotted in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX on Friday, Feb. 7, when she reunited with Kelce, 35, two days before the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Should the Chiefs win this year’s championship, they will become the first NFL team in history to win three back-to-back Lombardi trophies.

Christy Carlson Romano ‘shot in the eye’ during clay pigeon shooting outing with her husband for his birthday

Christy Carlson Romano and Kyla Pratt explain how growing up as child actors helped them navigate the challenges on ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.’

Former Disney star Christy Carlson Romano nearly lost an eye while shooting clay pigeons with her husband, Brendan Rooney, for his birthday.

On Saturday, the 40-year-old actress shared an Instagram video showing the injuries to her face, including a large wound under her right eye, after she was “hit in five places” by “another party.”

In her post, Romano explained that the outing was intended to be a “present” for Rooney’s birthday.

“So, I got shot in the eye. It was not fun,” the “Even Stevens” star said with a shaky sigh at the beginning of the clip.

DISNEY STAR CHRISTY CARLSON ROMANO SAYS CELEBRITY IS ‘EXTREMELY DEHUMANIZING,’ DEMANDS CHANGE FOR CHILD ACTORS

“I got shot here. It is still inside,” she continued, pointing to a bullet hole under her eye, which was swollen with blood inside the eyeball.

“There’s a fragment here,” Romano said, tapping the side of her face near her eye.

“There’s a fragment here,” she added, pointing to a mark on her forehead. Romano lifted her hair to show another wound on her forehead, saying, “We cleaned that out.”

“I’m very grateful to first responders as a whole. I mean, they’re just the most amazing superheroes to take care of us at our most desperate times.”

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Romano expressed her gratitude for the care she received at St. John’s South Austin Medical Center in Austin, Texas.

“This was really bad tonight,” she said. “Everything’s kind of clearing out. But I’ve got to say, I got shot in the face. And live to tell the tale.

In the caption of her post, Romano went into further detail about Friday’s harrowing incident.

“Yesterday was my husband’s birthday and I took him to shoot clay pigeons as a present,” she wrote. “There was another party with us and they unsafely fired in the wrong direction and shot me in the face.”

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The “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” star said her husband “immediately sprung into action, assessed me, and rushed me to the hospital. I was hit in 5 places, one was less than an inch from hitting me directly in my right eye.”

“Unfortunately a fragment got lodged behind my eye and it is too risky to remove surgically at this time,” she added. “Doctors will continue to monitor me.”

Romano noted she can “see normally at the moment.”

“With everything that happened, all I can think about is how grateful I am to be alive. I love my daughters, husband, family, and friends so much.

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“I saw my life flash before my eyes and I’m telling you, hug the people around you every chance you can. Life can change in an instant.”

Romano and Rooney first met in February 2011 and tied the knot in December 2013. The couple share daughters Isabella Victoria, 8, and Sophia Elizabeth, 5.

The writer-director shared a tribute to his wife in the comments of her Instagram post.

“You are the bravest, toughest, most stoic and badass woman I have ever met,” he said. “I am so thankful you are alive. I am so thankful you are the mother to our children. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.

“I love you more than life itself,” he added, with a prayer hands emoji.

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Rooney also shared his wife’s video on his Instagram story, writing, “Kiss your loved ones,” adding an emoji of a red heart.

Clay pigeon shooting is an outdoor sport in which upside-down circular disks made of limestone and pitch used as targets are propelled into the air by machines called traps. Shooters use shotguns with each shot projecting hundreds of small lead balls to hit the clay pigeons.

The sport is typically not considered dangerous as long as safety measures are followed.

Taylor Swift Booted Blake Lively From Her Super Bowl Squad After Feeling ‘Used’ by Her

It looks like there might be some bad blood brewing between former squad members Taylor Swift and Blake Lively. As Swift prepares for her highly anticipated appearance at Super Bowl LIX to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce, one familiar face will notably be missing from her luxury suite: longtime friend, Blake Lively.

Related: Taylor Swift Reportedly Feels Manipulated by Blake Lively Involving Her in Justin Baldoni’s Lawsuit — ‘It’s Weird’

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Gossip Girl alum won’t be joining Swift’s star-studded Super Bowl celebration this year, marking a significant shift from last year when Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds were among Swift’s special guests. The apparent cooling of their friendship stems from recent revelations in an ongoing legal battle that has unexpectedly pulled Swift into its orbit.

According to TMZ, the tension arose after text messages emerged in Justin Baldoni’s countersuit against Lively, where the actress allegedly referred to Swift as one of her “dragons” alongside husband Ryan Reynolds. Sources close to Swift told TMZ she was “royally pissed off” about being characterized this way, especially since she “never had a dog in the fight.” Adding fuel to the fire, Page Six reports that while Swift and Lively’s friendship remains intact, the pop star “can’t help but feel used” by the situation and “doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one of Blake’s dragons.”

The drama centers around a complex web of lawsuits involving Lively and Baldoni, her director and co-star in It Ends With Us. Just before Christmas 2024, Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni, 41, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a retaliatory smear campaign. The situation escalated quickly, with Baldoni responding by filing a $250 million libel suit against The New York Times and later a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane for alleged defamation and civil extortion.

A particularly thorny detail emerged when sources revealed to TMZ that Lively had allegedly orchestrated a seemingly casual run-in between Swift and Baldoni at Lively’s penthouse. “Taylor walked in as Justin was leaving, and all she did was tell him she was excited to see his movie,” reported TMZ’s source. “To add insult to injury, we’re told Taylor later learned Blake was name-dropping TS all over town.”

While insiders close to Lively maintain that the two friends have “had a good cry and hugged it out,” sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that Swift is still keeping her distance. The “Style” singer has reportedly been spending most of her time with Kelce and hasn’t been in New York recently, though sources suggest the distance is more than just geographic.

The situation could get even more complicated, as Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman hasn’t ruled out the possibility of deposing Swift as part of the case, which is set to go to trial on March 9, 2026. Freedman noted it would likely be a “game-time decision.”

Who is singing the Super Bowl National Anthem? Meet Jon Batiste

Grammy award-winning artist Kendrick Lamar reveals what to expect from his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show.

The Super Bowl national anthem is the most-watched rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” performed each year, with more than 100 million people expected to tune in to the game and more than 70,000 spectators attending the event at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 9, when the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles.

Some of the more memorable anthem performances at recent Super Bowls have included Chris Stapleton, Glady Knight, P!nk (who powered her way through the flu to make it happen) and Lady Gaga.

This year’s anthem will sung by a New Orleans artist who just won his sixth and seventh Grammy Awards a week before the big game.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Super Bowl National Anthem.

Batiste appeared nightly with his band, Stay Human, as musical director on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” from 2015 to 2022.

In 2020, he co-composed the score for the Pixar animated film “Soul,” for which he won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award and a BAFTA Film Award (all shared with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross). In 2022, Batiste won Album of the Year at the Grammys for “We Are.”

A week before the Super Bowl, he added two more Grammys to his total, picking up Best Music Film for “American Symphony” and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “It Never Went Away” (from “American Symphony”).

Is Jon Batiste from New Orleans?

Batiste was born in Metairie, Louisiana, which is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area.

What to expect from Jon Batiste singing the national anthem

In January 2025, Batiste told Entertainment Tonight, “I’m excited to figure out an arrangement that lasts the test of time, and I look forward to sharing it. The week before is when I’ll just finally start to finalize it. And then it’s gonna fly.”

How long is ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ at the Super Bowl?

The longest anthem in Super Bowl history was performed by Alicia Keys in 2013. It lasted two minutes and 36 seconds, outlasting the previous record holder, Natalie Cole, whose 1994 rendition was only two minutes and three seconds.

Who is the sign language interpreter at the Super Bowl?

Stephanie Nogueras will interpret the “Star-Spangled Banner” as performed by Jon Batiste.

Who sang the best national anthem in Super Bowl history?

Whitney Houston’s performance at Super Bowl XXV in 1991 is often heralded as the gold standard, although it has been since revealed that what we heard on television was a prerecorded version.

Taylor Swift has girls’ night out with mom Andrea, Kylie Kelce and…

Taylor Swift enjoyed a dinner out with mom Andrea Swift, Kylie Kelce and the HAIM sister in New Orleans ahead of the Super Bowl 2025.

The pop star was seen getting out of a black SUV while flanked by her friends and family on Saturday, one night before her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs are set to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

For the fun outing, Taylor wore a black top with black shorts, a faux fur coat, black booties and a matching black bag. She completed the look with her iconic red lipstick and a fresh blowout.

Taylor — along with Danielle and Alana Haim — were photographed walking into Gianna Restaurant, where they met Kylie at the bar.

Taylor’s dad, Scott Swift, also joined the group as he was later seen chatting with Kylie while everyone took a seat at their table.

The group’s outing comes just one day after Taylor and Travis, both 35, went on a double date with Brittany and Patrick Mahomes, both 29, to celebrate the Chiefs clinching a spot at the Super Bowl LIX.

The foursome visited Lilette, which is a French restaurant dubbed one of the “sexiest” establishments in New Orleans, and had dinner at a backroom table.

Page Six exclusively revealed that the group dined on duck and ricotta agnolotti, gnocchi in a butter and sage sauce and had grouper fish as an entrée.

Taylor, along with her friends and family, have made their way to Louisiana to watch the Chiefs try and secure their third-in-a-row Super Bowl title at Ceasars Superdome.

The Chiefs previously beat the Eagles in 2023, where Travis famously faced off against his brother, Jason Kelce. The Missouri-based team won their second Super Bowl in a row in 2024 when they beat the San Francisco 49ers.

If the Chiefs win on Sunday, they will earn their third consecutive Super Bowl title, which has never been achieved in NFL history.

This is the second Super Bowl that Taylor will be attending as she previously cheered on Travis, whom she has been dating since the summer of 2023, at the Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.