BY GIGI PICARD ’22
On Sunday, Feb. 2, the Mount Holyoke College Democrats hosted a watch party for the 54th Super Bowl in the Great Room in Blanchard Hall. Sixty people attended the event, which was hosted the night before the Iowa caucus.
To acknowledge the dual celebration, the club put up posters of the current Democratic candidates. Attendees of the watch party had the opportunity to put a gold star sticker on the person who had their vote.
“This will allow attendees a chance to voice their opinions on the candidates they are most drawn to,” club president Elena Frogameni said.
By the end of the night, Elizabeth Warren had 21 “votes,” Bernie Sanders had 15 and Joe Biden had one. A voter registration table was also set up.
“I’d love to host more watch parties in the future,” Frogameni said. “I think watching sports on the big screen surrounded by friends is such a great way to build community and have fun on campus.”
The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers went helmet to helmet to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy, awarded to the winning team of the National Football League (NFL).
The two teams played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, home of the Miami Dolphins.
“This was my first Super Bowl that I watched away from home and it was such a good experience to watch with a bunch of other fans,” Benni Marques ’23.
Before the game, gospel singer Yolanda Adams, alongside a choir, sang “America the Beautiful,” and Demi Lovato sang the National Anthem. Christine Sun Kim, a deaf woman of color and an artist, performed both songs in American Sign Language.
The Chiefs erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the 49ers 31-20, 50 years after their last win in 1969. Patrick Mahomes was awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP), making him the youngest quarterback to win the title. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel set a Super Bowl record for rushing yards by a receiver by finishing with 53.
The Pepsi Halftime Show featured Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. They made history as the first two Latin female artists to co-headline a Super Bowl halftime show. Lopez’s daughter, Emme Maribel Muñiz, led a children’s choir, and singers J Balvin and Bad Bunny made an appearance as well.
The show contained several political statements. While performing the song “Born in the USA,” Lopez wore the Puerto Rican flag to honor the country her parents are from. Her daughter Emme sang, “Let’s Get Loud” while children donned in American flag-emblazoned sweaters were caged in neon structures. This was seen as a call for attention to President Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which has led to children being caged in detention centers.
“One of my favorite parts of the Super Bowl watch party was the energy in the room during the halftime show,” Frogameni said. “J-Lo and Shakira coming together was already going to be a magical moment, but getting to cheer and sing along with a room packed full of halftime show fans was a blast.”
Another highlight of the watch party was the commercial breaks. Hyundai’s “Smaht Pahk” commercial featured Chris Evans, Rachel Dratch, John Krasinski and former Boston Red Sox player David “Big Papi” Ortiz. Evans, Dratch and Krasinski speak in a Boston accent about “pahkin a cah” to promote Hyundai’s “Remote Smart Parking Assist” feature.
Google’s “How to Not Forget” commercial was about a man who has Google take notes on what he should remember about the love of his life, Loretta. It showcases pictures of their vacation to Alaska, times when they were young and their wedding.
“I definitely enjoyed listening to the Boston accent commercial, and Google made me cry,” Frogameni said.
Jaya Nagarajan-Swenson ’22, a 49ers fan, said, “It’s great to be around people who are excited and it’s never fun to watch an exciting game alone, and this game sure is exciting.”