Almost as soon as Apple Music and the NFL announced Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show performer back in September, there was conservative backlash. President Trump and Turning Point USA were among those leading the charge, implying that the 31-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer was un-American and a “terrible choice” because he is Spanish-speaking, critical of ICE and of the Trump administration’s handling of Hurricane Maria.
But ever since Bad Bunny actually performed the Halftime Show (superbly, I might add), the person making the biggest headlines over criticism has been former RHONY and Jewish reality star Jill Zarin.
How did we get here? Let’s dive in.
What happened?
Following Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show, Jill posted a video on her Instagram page decrying the performance. “We all agree — it was the worst halftime show ever. It’s 250 years that we’re celebrating right now in the United States, and I just don’t think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish,” Jill, who admitted that she does not speak Spanish, began.
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She went on that she thought the dancing, particularly Bad Bunny “grabbing himself every five seconds,” was “inappropriate” and that the show “looked like a political statement, because there were literally no white people in the entire thing.” (Lady Gaga, who is white and who Jill later speculated had a face lift, was a large part of the performance.)
“I think it was a political statement, and I’m not taking a side one way or the other,” Jill added. “I just do. I think it was an ICE thing.” She concluded by stating she thought that the NFL “sold out” and it is “very sad.”
Though Jill ultimately deleted her Instagram post, recordings of it have proliferated online. You can watch the full rant here:
@sarahfromtexaspodcast Who made her delete it? Join me live at 2pm ET on my YouTube channel every Monday Wednesday and Friday as we chat all the latest celebrity news and reality tv… or listen anywhere you get your podcasts at Sarah from Texas! #jillzarin #fyp #podcast #sarahfromtexas #rhony
And who is Jill Zarin again?
Jill Zarin was an original cast member of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York,” starring on the show from 2008 to 2011.
“Jill didn’t simply imbue the show’s dramatic, petty and status-conscious proceedings with wit and wisdom,” Janie Stolar wrote for Kveller in 2022, “she also wore the ‘Jewish mother’ label as a badge of honor, along with an array of large-scale accessories. (She even compiled her wisdom into a book, ‘Secrets of a Jewish Mother’.)”
“I was the only Jewish housewife on the original ‘Real Housewives of New York City,’ and I felt a responsibility to show certain values and present myself in a certain way,” she told Aish last year. “Regardless of all the drama on the show, I achieved my goal as being seen as a proud Jew in NYC.”
Still, Variety has referred to her as “a master of disaster.” She is perhaps best known on the “Real Housewives” for her explosive friendship break-up with fellow Jewish mom Bethenny Frankel and for sending her daughter Ally, then 14 years old, to a “detox center” to lose weight.
After she was let go from RHONY following its fourth season, Jill released a jewelry line and has been involved with various philanthropic efforts. She returned to the “Real Housewives” franchise in 2022’s “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip” and took part in the first season of the Amazon Freevee reality show “The Goat.”
Her politics have generally leaned conservative, with her publicly supporting President Donald Trump and attending both his inaugurations. In recent years, her support of Trump has also been tied to his staunch support for Israel.
Has anyone defended Jill?
Former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Brandi Glanville took to X yesterday to praise Bad Bunny’s performance. At the same time, she shared that while she disagreed with Jill’s opinion, she wanted to “watch Jill on TV explain herself& hopefully learn something.Or we can just keep watching ‘yes people’ afraid to share.”
Has Bad Bunny responded?
At time of publication, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, has not publicly commented on the matter.
Has anyone else notable responded?
On his Radio Andy show the next day, Bravo icon Andy Cohen seemed exasperated with Jill’s comments, yet thrilled he no longer had to deal with her. Jill is no longer a Real Housewife, and at the time, was slated to star in a RHONY reunion show on E! called “The Golden Years. “In terms of Jill, just … I don’t know. You know, call E!” He said.
Many Bravolebrities were more explicit in their condemnation. Tamra Judge of “Real Housewives of Orange County” responded to a video of the rant saying, “What the actual F*#k.” Chanel Ayan of “The Real Housewives of Dubai” added, “I had to unfollow disgusting.” And “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Margaret Josephs said in an Instagram comment, “I’m horrified, disgusted and disappointed but that’s my general feeling every day BUT elated by the NFL and Bad Bunny’s beautiful representation.”
Meanwhile, Jill’s daughter, Ally Shapiro, now a Jewish influencer in her own right, didn’t directly comment on her mother’s viral video, but she did post about the Bad Bunny Halftime Show. “Best halftime show in years,” she wrote on her Instagram story on Monday. “Which honestly is weird to even call it that it was like a true performance with a story line and actors and the direction, lighting everything was perfect.”
Intriguing.
Has any other entity, say a drapery and upholstery supplier formerly owned by Jill’s late husband Bobby, responded?
What an astute question! Yes, Zarin Fabrics posted on Instagram yesterday to condemn Jill’s statement. “Zarin Fabrics stands firmly against racism, discrimination, and rhetoric that seeks to exclude or diminish people based on identity, culture, or background,” the company shared, along with a photo of Jill with a giant red X crossing out her face. “We want to be absolutely clear that Jill Zarin has not had ownership of or been associated with Zarin Fabrics for several years. Our company operates independently, and any public statements attributed to her are made in a personal capacity and do not reflect our values, beliefs, or operations.”
You can read the full statement below.
Has Jill faced any consequences?
As mentioned earlier, Jill was announced as a part of the forthcoming E! show “The Golden Years” on Feb. 3. But following her rant on Bad Bunny, the show’s producers released a statement on Tuesday essentially firing her from the show.
The statement reads, “In light of recent public comments made by Jill Zarin, Blink49 Studios has decided not to move forward with her involvement in ‘The Golden Life.’ We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values.”
What has Jill’s response been to being fired from “The Golden Life”?
In an exclusive statement to InTouch, Zarin said of Blink49 Studios, “They didn’t even give me a chance.” She also seemed to walk back her initial rant. ““I took it down right away,” she went on. “People make mistakes. I’m human.”
Got it. So what has the general reaction online been to her Bad Bunny rant?
In a word: harsh. Jill received almost immediate pushback, accusing her of racism. Below are some examples:
@joshtherhonystan JILL ZARIN FIRED BY E!!!! #jillzarin #rhony #ramonasinger #luanndelesseps #sonjamorgan
Anything else?
Let’s just take a second to appreciate the Bad Bunny Halftime Show, which you can watch here.
