Super Bowl LVIII offered a close and exciting game between the 49ers and the Chiefs. The hilarious commercials included Kate McKinnon and a shilling cat with Hellmann's mayonnaise, and Ben Affleck dancing like an idiot for Dunkin' Donuts. Usher performed a halftime show… on roller skates.
Social media was abuzz with a wide range of emotions sparked by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's romance, with many of the adult comments still haunted by high school memories of worshiping and/or hating the untouchable Prom Queen and King graduation. I'd rather dance with a live lane than return to that tortuous chapter of life.
President Biden even jumped into the fray. A post appeared on his X account right after the Chiefs' win. It's a portrait of POTUS, his eyes glowing like an alien, with the caption “Just as we drew him.”
The well-timed joke was a response to the MAGA-verse conspiracy theory that Democrats and the NFL were somehow in cahoots and, with Swift's help, would rig the game in favor of Kelce's Chiefs. By doing so, they would hand the election to Biden in November.
If none of that makes sense, congratulations. You have not been indoctrinated. Still.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) hugs Taylor Swift after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58 on Sunday.
(David Becker/Associated Press)
In short, Sunday was a welcome day of escapism based on the safety of tradition, reinforced by the permission to devour Doritos Blazin' Buffalo and Ranch, a food product that should be prohibited any other day of the year. It was a break from the daily grind, and such respites seem rare these days.
Keeping up with the news or cultural upheaval is tantamount to placing yourself in a torturous James Bond escape scenario: locked in a room where the walls slowly close or tied to a table while a hot laser moves toward your groin. But 007 always escapes these situations thanks to his technological genius, Q. The rest of us have to rely on other measures to escape, whether it's shutting down completely or following the crazy “insight” of another guy named Q.
Staying constantly tuned in requires a constitution of steel, or sociopathic levels of disengagement amid the onslaught of news: the upcoming election, climate change, Ukraine, and a drought that never seems to end no matter how much rain falls on Southern California.
And let's not get started on the staggering number of cases in courts across America where the fate of democracy depends on nonpartisan judges deciding what is best for the people, as opposed to the party or leader who gave them the job.
It's no wonder that “taking a break from the news” has become such a common refrain among friends and family.
Consider the events that have unfolded since the start of Sunday: At least 67 more people were killed by Israeli forces in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have fled to escape bombing in the rest of Gaza. The IDF recovered two hostages, according to Israeli forces, but more than 100 are still being held by Hamas after they were kidnapped during the group's Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that left 1,200 people dead. The death toll in the Palestinian territory has exceeded 28,000 souls, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
In Super Bowl terms, that's almost half the capacity of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
There is no judgment here for those who need to stay away from gut-wrenching updates in the name of self-preservation. I do it too… when I can. There is only so much I can take before I become mentally immobilized by what I see as an overwhelming lack of humanity, reason, and justice. But that withdrawal comes with pangs of guilt for being privileged and safe enough to mentally tune out, unlike innocent civilians in Gaza, Israel, Ukraine or dozens of other places where people are suffering. The border between the United States and Mexico comes to mind.
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that at least 85 journalists and media workers have been killed covering the war between Hamas and Israel. That's more journalists lost in 128 days than died during the entire Vietnam War.
I'm sorry to bring such a brutal reality to a column that began with the promise of talking about football, pop stars and junk food. But nothing exists in a vacuum, although we wish it did.
Which begs the question: At what point does avoiding bad news turn into apathy or, worse, accepting unfounded conspiracies to avoid unpleasant events?
If I knew, I wouldn't be struggling with the answer in front of your reading eyes. But one thing's for sure: It's okay to take a step back when it all becomes too much. Even if that means indulging in the signature romance of a singer and a sports star. Just don't stay there too long.
