Last year, the three football games played on Thanksgiving drew a total audience of 138 million viewers, making the NFL’s three halftime shows the most-watched music events on television other than the Super Bowl, surpassing all major awards shows.
The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving Day game every year since 1934, and their game this year included a halftime guest, Jack Harlow.
After his performance, fans had mixed reactions.
Who Is Jack Harlow?
Harlow is a 25-year-old hip-hop artist from Louisville, Kentucky. He began rapping at 12 years old and acquired his first professional microphone in seventh grade. He would record his first mixtape, “Extra Credit,” under the name “Mr. Harlow.”
Starting his music journey in 2015, Harlow would release his first major-label debut mixtape, “Loose,” three years later, headlined by the lead single “Sundown.”
A year later, he released “Confetti,” another major-label mixtape. Soon after, 2020 saw the release of one of his most famous songs, “What’s Poppin,” which was later remixed with features from DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne.
The song’s success would lead to the release of Harlow’s debut album in 2020, “That’s What They All Say,” rather than a mixtape. He was named “Top New Artist” at the Billboard Music Awards and Variety’s “Hitmaker of the Year” in 2021.
MORE: NFL Thanksgiving Halftime Shows
This is not Harlow’s first time being a special guest at a sporting event. He was a 2022 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game member and the College GameDay guest picker and performer for Ohio State’s 2022 season opener.
With several platinum hits and a fantastic stage presence, “Jackman” should have had the stadium buzzing. But that did not seem to be the case.
Fans React to Harlow’s Performance
Harlow performed a handful of his most popular tracks during halftime of the Packers-Lions game.
Multiple accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, poked fun at Harlow’s concert and the overall look and presentation of the stage.
What did you think of the Jack Harlow halftime show performance🤔#PFN365 pic.twitter.com/vaEdL6R5Q5
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 23, 2023
“Looked like an SNL skit,” one user said.
“ALL TIME … worst,” another added.
Fans in attendance were likely not in the mood for a halftime show, as their team was having one of their worst halves of the season and trailed 23-6.
The production value and theme of the show seemed to draw the most negative attention as Harlow performed on an… igloo?
The set definitely had a cheap look to it, and it garnered plenty of negative opinions on social media.
The Jack Harlow halftime set pic.twitter.com/QNIedQP0Db
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) November 23, 2023
Feels like Jack Harlow had no chance with that set design.. he was walking on plastic at one point
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 23, 2023
Harlow’s more low-energy style and laid-back vibe just did not seem to be the right match for the event. And who was the random guy in Lions blue who appeared at the beginning of the performance just to sway behind Harlow before disappearing for the rest of the show?
The theme was definitely an odd choice, and while Harlow did not necessarily do a bad job performing, the whole thing was just too easy to poke fun at.
In the following two Thanksgiving games, we will see Dolly Parton perform at the Cowboys-Commanders halftime, and Steve Aoki will perform at the Seahawks-49ers matchup.
Parton is a huge name in the music industry, so hopefully, fans and viewers will receive her performance better.
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