Bad Bunny Hosts SNL Premiere With Latino Cultural Homage, Announces Super Bowl 2026 Headline

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny hosted the season 51 premiere of Saturday Night Live, where he notably performed as "Quico" in a tribute sketch to the iconic Mexican sitcom "El Chavo del Ocho." The sketch recreated the show's beloved neighborhood setting and characters, blending English dialogue with Spanish phrases, and featured other cast members like Marcello Hernández as El Chavo and Jon Hamm as Professor Jirafales. This homage sparked debate among fans for some deviations from the original, such as the addition of a mother figure for El Chavo, but was positively received by Carlos Villagrán, the original actor who played Quico. The tribute was significant as it brought a deeply cherished piece of Latino pop culture to a major American comedy stage, affirming Latino cultural identity and representation. Additionally, Bad Bunny used his SNL platform to address criticism around his upcoming 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, emphasizing Latino pride and bilingual expression. The episode, including Doja Cat's performance, was hailed as a cultural statement highlighting the multifaceted contributions of Latino artists in the U.S.