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During his first speech as emcee of the first episode of Saturday Night Live, the popular artist addressed controversial statements made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem regarding his upcoming 2026 Super Bowl show.

This young Latin music icon joked that "all people" was excited about his scheduled performance, "even Fox News."

“Happy to return. I’ve hosted twice now and appeared four times,” he told the audience. “I’m doing the Super Bowl half-time show. I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it.”

A quick montage followed showing Fox News contributors appearing to support Bad Bunny for the presidency.

A Message for Latinos

During his opening remarks, Bad Bunny spoke in Spanish to address "all the Latinos and Latinas in the entire world and here in the United States."

He expressed that his Super Bowl selection was not just a personal achievement but a win for all people, demonstrating that the Latino contribution in the U.S. cannot be removed.

Then, switching to English, he remarked, "If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn."

Conservative Backlash and Official Warnings

The announcement of the artist’s halftime show caused anger among right-wing commentators, including Kristi Noem.

On a recent podcast, Noem warned that only Americans ought to go to the upcoming game and threatened that ICE agents "would be present throughout" the event.

She also claimed the NFL would "regret its decision" for choosing the performer.

U.S. Exclusion and Recent Success

Earlier, Bad Bunny revealed that fears of ICE raids at his live events resulted in him leaving out the U.S. from his upcoming global tour.

Recently concluding a three-month performance run in his home territory, which reportedly drew around 600,000 attendees.

"My residence was beautiful, everyone loved it," he said during his opening speech.

SNL Sketches and Political Satire

During additional segments of the season opener, comedian a regular impersonated commentator Pete Hegseth.

That segment featured a rant about the U.S. military, mockingly referencing Hegseth’s recent statements about inclusion and appearance within the military.

Also, actor a cast member made a short cameo as a "unofficial watchdog" of the program, claiming he was there to ensure "they don’t say anything too mean about me."