Following Shakira and Jennifer Lopez‘s Super Bowl halftime performance, Ohio preacher Dave Baubenmire issued a statement in which he threatened legal action against the NFL all over the pairing’s appearance onstage. He would describe it as a “strip club performance” that contributed “to the delinquency of a minor.”
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His sentiments represented a percentage of viewers who found J-Lo and Shakira’s performance to be suggestive and in contrast to the “family-friendly” nature of the Super Bowl. Now, a week removed from the memorable appearance, Lopez has responded to critics of her performance.
“I think that’s honestly silliness,” Lopez tells Variety. “Both of us are really respectful performers who are moms and have kids and are very conscious of what we do. We (put on) a show that I believe was a celebration of women and our Latino culture that I think was really well reserved.”
Notably, Jennifer was joined onstage with her daughter and a multicultural children’s choir while the entire performance echoed the two singer’s Latin roots.
“That small faction of people who want to be negative about it, I can’t even let in,” Lopez added. “The message of standing up for yourself, being a women — that’s what I want to pass on to little girls — everything about you — be proud of it. I’m very proud of the performance that night.”